Anemone - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Does a film exist because a young, upcoming filmmaker has talent to burn and their debut project just so happens to star their multi-Oscar-winning father? Or is it because of the multi-Oscar-winning father that a young and upcoming filmmaker has a debut film project at all? Within that nepotistic chicken and egg philosophical equation, we come to 2025’s psychological thriller Anemone starring the un-un-retired Daniel Day-Lewis and Sean (he lives!) Bean in Ronan Day Lewis' directorial debut.

Our film finds Jem (Sean Bean) trekking into the remote woodlands of northern England to find his brother Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis). The pair haven’t seen each other in twenty years. They haven't spoken since Ray got his girlfriend, Nessa (Samantha Morton), pregnant and disappeared to live as a recluse. Jem married Nessa and raised Ray’s son Brian (Samuel Bottomly) as his own. But Brian is in trouble, and now, more than ever, he needs his biological father, and it's up to Jem to help Ray face his past trauma and come back to civilization. 

So, getting the obvious “neppo-baby” criticism out of the way, I have no problem whatsoever that Ronan wrote a screenplay with his incredibly famous Dad and got his film made. Sure, Daniel Day-Lewis is going to have some sway about getting a film funded and released. But, come on, it’s Daniel Day-Lewis! If it takes nepotism to get one of the greatest actors of all time back on the big screen again instead of making shoes, I’m all for it. Also, given the family lineage, it’s not at all shocking that young Ronan would have some storytelling chops. It’d actually be more outrageous and strange if he didn’t become a filmmaker, actor, or storyteller in one form or another.

Now, speaking of Anemone specifically, this is just an okay film. Of course, seeing Daniel Day-Lewis on screen again is a magnetic experience. You can’t look away. And as he’s just as colorful and intense as his time as Bill the Butcher, he’s complemented by the quiet, understated presence of Sean Bean. Watching these two work together in such a tight, intimate capacity was genuinely exciting. Playing brothers, they carry a presence of familiarity as if they’d worked alongside each other for dozens of films. If this is to become a recurring cinematic pairing for future films, I’m all in. 

Where Anemone goes astray is the indulgences in the side plots involving Nessa and Brian. While Morton and Bottomly are solid in their roles, the story doesn’t need their presence. The background played out there feels like a distraction from the intense family drama of the two brothers seeing each other again after decades apart. That’s what this film needed to be: a two-man stage show in an isolated location. There’s more than enough intensity and drama there for a lean 90-100 minute feature film. The side plot and characters, unfortunately, add bloat to the production, skewing the pace and letting the show run on far too long. I’m not usually one to bemoan the length of a feature like this, but for what the story ultimately is, it runs twenty to thirty minutes too long. 

But that’s not a reason to avoid it. Ronan Day-Lewis proves he’s a talent behind the camera, with or without dear old Dad in the mix. He's got an interesting visual eye and a knack for telling a human story. Of course, having Daniel Day-Lewis working again is a treat, and he doesn’t hold back while also giving Bean room to exert his talents. I’ll repeat it: they’re a great pairing. We need more films with them headlining. It’s just that given this talent pool on screen and behind the camera, it may make Anemone an underwhelming experience for some. It was for me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't come away fully satisfied either. 

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 
After a brief run in theaters, Anemone comes to physical media with a two-disc 4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital release from Universal. The 4K is pressed on a BD100 disc with a BD50 serving the 1080p. The discs are housed in a standard case, with identical slipcover artwork. The disc loads to a static image main menu with simple, to-the-point navigation options.

Anemone arrives on disc with an excellent 2160p Dolby Vision transfer. Hardly a bright and cheery film, the visuals mostly keep to Ray’s remote cabin and the forested scenery that surrounds him. So that makes for some deliciously moody, atmospheric photography from Ben Fordesman. Lots of stark-contrast imagery here, with limited light sources and deep shadows, but throughout, fine details remain crisply lifelike and clear. Daniel Day-Lewis has some great speeches, and with that clarity, I’m just glad I’ll likely never have the opportunity to have him look at me with that pissed-off glare of his, complete with grizzled mustache. Color schemes shift slightly depending on location. In the woods and at the cabin, tones are warmer and healthier. Move back to civilization, and the colors become significantly cooler. Along those lines, primaries can shift a bit, but everything looks on point with natural human skin tones. Black levels are excellent with strong shadows for an impressive dimensional image.

Completing the experience is an excellent Dolby Atmos mix. While so much of the film is just two men in conversation, there’s always some sort of surround or height activity to keep the channels engaged. Dialog is clear - at least if you have an ear for thick accents, those of you who don’t may need subtitles - but even in Ray’s cabin, the rustling trees, sounds of wind gusts and storms, whistle and move about the soundscape beautifully. Likewise, whenever the action moves back to society, the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the soundscape is appropriately busy. The score from Bobby Krlic is a great accent to the mood of the piece and isn’t used to simply fill the space.

There are no bonus features of any kind for this release. A Father and Son audio commentary could have been a hoot. But there’s nothing here. 

While delivering a fiercely intense performance alongside costar Sean Bean, Anemone only proves to be an “okay” return to work project for Daniel Day-Lewis. With their respective performances, the film was strong on the legs of its stars, but it got too distracted with background story filler. Not to disparage any of the other supporting cast or their efforts, it’s just the script’s best strengths weren’t with them, as the story seemed to move away as fast as possible to let Daniel and Sean deliver another powerhouse scene together. Even if it's deemed a somewhat mediocre first effort, Ronan Day-Lewis clearly has a talented head on his shoulders with a sharp eye for how to best let his actors do their jobs. Here’s hoping round two works out for him. While the film may not be much to speak of beyond the key cast, it does earn one heck of a great 4K release. The Dolby Vision and Atmos A/V presentation is damn near flawless for what it delivers, but I would have loved to see some extra features. Anemone certainly should be seen; I mean, every Daniel Day-Lewis performance is worth your time, so don’t discount it entirely. However, I can’t fully get behind a blind buy, so this is a classic rent/stream it first scenario. I can see myself watching this one again someday, but I'm not in any rush to do so. Worth A Look