Few directors have enjoyed as much success as Ben Affleck this early in their careers. Few would deny that his previous directorial efforts, Gone Baby Gone and The Town showed that Affleck had a real affinity for guiding a film, with the later turning out to be one of the most intense crime dramas in recent years. If one big question remained, it was whether Affleck would have the courage to step outside his comfort zone and tackle a story set outside Boston settings. With Argo, Affleck proved he was more than willing to go outside of his comfort zone to challenge his abilities and solidify his position as one of the best young directors working in Hollywood today.

On November 4, 1979, militant Islamists storm the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran and take fifty-two Americans hostage. During the initial takeover, six men and women narrowly escape the Embassy—Bob Anders (Tate Donovan), Cora Lijek (Clea DuVall), Joe Stafford (Scoot McNairy), Lee Schatz (Rory Cochrane), Mark Lijek (Christopher Denham) and Kathy Stafford (Kerry Bishé)—eventually taken in by the Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor (Victor Garber). As days turn into months, the group is left to wonder if they will ever get out of Iran alive.

ArgoThe CIA begins exploring ways to “exfil” or extract the six refugees, dubbed the “House Guests.” Dissatisfied with the plans his colleagues have floated, Tony Mendez (Affleck) comes up with an idea to get them out of the country under the guise of a Canadian film crew on a location scout. In order for the scheme to seem legit, Mendez first travels to Los Angeles, where he teams up with make-up artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and esteemed producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), to start production on the sci-fi Star Wars rip off, Argo.

Scenes creating the Argo-within-Argo are played for laughs, but the tone changes noticeably once the scene shifts to Tehran and the plan is put into action. Led by Mendez, the six hostages undergo strict training sessions to be believable as Hollywood filmmakers. They must be believable if they’re to get past the determined Iranian security officers who want to prevent any Americans from leaving the country. Even the most seasoned operative would likely be unnerved by such a scenario, let alone six hastily trained civilians.

Working from a superbly crafted script by Chris Terrio, Ben Affleck guides viewers through the complicated politics and tonal shifts of Argo without losing sight of the film’s primary goal: the attempt to rescue six American hostages. In addition to the main plot, Affleck’s ability to bring humor to film in the Hollywood scenes is only adds to the success of Argo. He points out how ridiculous Hollywood can be, while providing some laughs to break up the tension. With that said, the comedic moments never interfere with the seriousness of what’s going on in Tehran.

Strangely, given its quality, Argo doesn’t have one acting performance that really stands out. Truly a group effort, everyone who appears on the screen does a fine job with their role, making Argo easily one of the best movies of the year. Though not a very showy role, Ben Affleck does a fine job as Tony Mendez, playing the CIA man in an effectively understated way. He is given wonderful support by Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin and the six actors playing the refugees. The fact that none of the actors have ‘scenery chewing’ moments, helped to make the film the truly memorable viewing experience that it is.

Presented in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio, Warner’s 1080p transfer is a very solid one. It sports a richly saturated color palette, inky blacks and satisfyingly even contrast. The image sharpness is spot on, with a visible grain pattern that appears DNR free. The opening scene of the film includes a variety of news archival footage that varies a bit in terms of quality. However, that footage does serve to show just how well the rest of the film was shot.

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track offers clean sound and dialogue, though subtitles may be desired to understand some of the Iranian accents sprinkled throughout. Surround channels offer an enveloping experience, providing support for music and a variety of environmental effects. The track also shows impressive depth and dynamic range.

English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin (Simplified) and Mandarin (Traditional) subtitles are available.

The following special features are included:

  • Picture In Picture: Eyewitness Account: (HD, 1:20:22) Tony Mendez, survivors of the hostage crisis and other notables are interviewed. Along with Mendez, interviewees include: President Jimmy Carter, Mark Lijek, Bob Anders, Cora Lijek, Kathy Stafford, Lee Schatz and USMC hostage Al Golacinski. This is really a must-see documentary.
  • Audio Commentary: Actor/Director Ben Affleck and writer Chris Terrio offer insights on the opening, the script, melding history with a story, casting, performances, production design and more. This is a very solid commentary and well worth a listen.
  • Rescued from Tehran: We Were There: (HD, 16:51) Condensed and edited interviews from the Eyewitness Account documentary.
  • Argo: Absolute Authenticity: (HD, 11:19) A look at Ben Affleck’s efforts to make the film look and be as authentic as possible. “I really wanted to root the audience in the period.”
  • The CIA and Hollywood Connection: (HD, 6:05) Affleck, Terrio, Goodman, and Mendez discuss the CIA’s alliance with Hollywood.
  • Escape from Iran: The Hollywood Option (SD, 46:34) Produced in 2004 for the 25th anniversary of the escape for Canada’s history channel, this isd a rather in depth look at the event. Especially considering Canada’s involvement in the whole thing.
  • DVD Copy of the film.
  • UV Digital Copy of the film.