Sunday, July 6, 2014

DVD Review - Prisoners Of War: Season One


Prisoners Of War: Season One
Starring: Yoram Toledano, Ishai Golan, Assi Cohen, Mili Avital. Yael Abecassis, Adi Ezroni, Hadar Ratzon-Rotem, Salim Dau
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Retail: $29.93
ASIN: B00JJOY44G
Running Time: 500 minutes
Rating: TV-MA
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

While the political thriller Homeland airing on Showtime has become a ratings hit and has won many awards, probably very few of you are aware that it is based on the Israeli television drama, Prisoners of War. The series premiered in 2010 and the series' creator Gideon Raff plans on making a third season. The first two seasons has been available on Hulu, but it will be arriving on DVD for the first time in United States on Tuesday, July 8, 2014, from Shout! Factory. Bonus features include An Open Wound: Making Prisoners of War and episode commentaries with creator Gideon Raff and director of photography Itai Neeman.

Prisoners of War: Season One centers on three Israeli soldiers returning home after spending the last 17 years in captivity. Nimrod Klein and Uri Zach return to their families alive, while Amiel Ben-Horin returns in a coffin. Much of the first season shows Nimrod and Uri trying to adjust to society, which the nation considers them heroes, and renters their wives' and children's lives, which isn't easy as their families have moved on. To make matters worse, the military suspects that they are hiding something.

Episodes on the three-disc set are:
  • Homecoming
  • The Facility, Part 1
  • The Facility, Part 2
  • Letters From Mom
  • Who Let The Dogs Out?
  • The Journal
  • A Picture From Hell
  • Family Portrait
  • Awake At Night
  • The Tape
Since I don't have a subscription to Showtime, I have never watched the critically praised Homeland, but from what I have seen from the advertisements and from what I have read about, the series goes on a completely different than path than Prisoners of War. With a lower budget than Homeland, Prisoners Of War relies heavily on characterization and dramatization, which all the actors and actresses give great performances. Each episode is in Hebrew with English subtitles. Overall, Prisoners of War: Season One is a a powerful, thrilling series. I appreciate Shout! Factory for releasing season one to DVD in America.


*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

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