The Mule

In what may be his last on-screen performance, Clint Eastwood’s The Mule is a strong entry in his filmography, providing fans with another layered performance that is sure to please audiences.

You can read our full thoughts on The Mule in our 4K UltraHD review of the movie HERE.

The Mule was filmed using a combination of the Arri Alexa XT and Arri Alexa Mini (both digital) cameras and arrives on Blu-ray presented in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio.

While the transfer does have some minor problems, like a few moments of aliasing/shimmering in the image, for the most part, viewers will be pleased. Details are sharp and many of the outdoor scenes provide some real depth to them, although indoor and nighttime sequences do come off as a bit "flatter" (this is a frequent result of movies shot on Arri equipment and likely not a problem with this transfer). Black levels, for the most part, are solid and noise is kept to a minimum throughout. Eastwood has never been a flashy director and most (but not all) of his sequences have a rather drab, earthy, color palette, but the 1080p image provides a good rendering of the director's intent on home video.

Both the Blu-ray and 4K UltraHD of The Mule provide the same audio options, with an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track being the featured one for English-speaking viewers/listeners. You can read more about the audio in our 4K UltraHD review of the movie HERE. The short version? It's not flashy, but it delivers the dialogue-driven mix well, preserving the filmmakers' intent.

• The Making of The Mule: Nobody Runs Forever (HD 10:59) – A standard, but entertaining, look at how the movie came to the big screen, with comments from Director/Producer/Star Clint Eastwood, as well as Producers Kristina Rivera and Tim Moore, Screenwriter Nick Schenk, Production Designer Kevin Ishioka, Camera Operator/2nd Unit Director Stephen S. Campanelli, Supervising Location Manager Patrick Mignano, Property Master Mike Sexton, Costume Designer Deborah Hopper, and stars Andy Garcia, Ignacio Serricchio, Alison Eastwood, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, and Bradley Cooper.
• Toby Keith "Don't Let the Old Man In" Music Video (HD 2:54) – A few years back, there was an interview with Eastwood where someone asked him how he keeps his energy up and remains so busy given his advanced years. His reply was, "Don't let the old in." Well, that must have caught the eye of someone (perhaps Clint himself) involved with this movie, as the film's end credits feature this Toby Keith song. This is the music video for it, featuring footage from the film.

In what may be his final performance in front of the camera, Clint Eastwood's The Mule is a great piece of entertainment, proving that age has in no way diminished his ability to win over audiences with his on-screen presence. While this Blu-ray release isn't big on extras, it provides a solid A/V rendering of the movie that collectors of Clint will want to make sure to add to their permanent collection. Recommended.