The Light Between Oceans – Blu-ray Review

My late grandmother loved lighthouses. She had lighthouse calendars, lighthouse pillows, lighthouse coffee mugs, and even lighthouse miniatures. When she passed away, I was given several of her lighthouse miniatures. I have them out as a reminder of her and also of her love of lighthouses. After watching The Light Between Oceans, I know that she would have enjoyed the film as much as I did.

The Light Between Oceans is a historical drama about love, lies, and the lengths some will go to create their own reality. It’s a story fraught with passion and tragedy. And at its heart is a lighthouse and the island on which it resides.

Michael Fassbender plays Tom, a stoic, well-mannered World War I vet who seeks refuge as the caretaker of a lighthouse on off the coast of Australia. It’s an isolated, lonely existence for Tom, but all that changes when a chance meeting with a young woman, Isabel (Alicia Vikander), end in a quick courtship and marriage. As the two enjoy their time together on the secluded island, Isabel comes to realization that she is unable to carry a child to term and provide Tom with the family they both want. When all seems bleak and hope ripped from their lives, a lifeboat appears. Inside: a dead man with a living, breathing baby.

Suddenly, it appears that their prayers have been answered. Or have they? On a return trip to the mainland, Tom happens across a woman (Rachel Weisz) in mourning for her lost husband and child. Is their found daughter really hers?

Brilliantly acted, The Light Between Oceans features stunning cinematography, a beautiful score, and carries an emotional weight few films these days possess. Fassbender (the X-Men films, Prometheus) and Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl) are amazing, and Rachel Weisz (The Mummy, The Deep Blue Sea) also delivers a stellar performance.

The Blu-ray special features include Bringing The Light To Life, which looks at the making of the film; Lighthouse Keeper explores how a film’s setting can be just as important a character as the human cast; and an Audio Commentary with the filmmakers.

I highly recommend The Light Between Oceans. It’s a tear-jerker for sure, but a wonderful film nevertheless.

The Light Between Oceans is available January 24 on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Download.