THE FILM:

A likeable protagonist Bobby Fischer is not. Tobey Maguire plays the unhinged American chess player in Edward Zwick's biopic with irritable intensity, barking anti-Semitism at strangers and touting his own greatness to anyone who will listen. This is a commanding performance in a watchable but disappointingly straightforward movie that seems unsure of how to handle its prickly lead character. Zwick has long gravitated toward handsome, crowd-pleasing true stories, but Pawn Sacrifice could have perhaps benefited from an edgier direction and director. A dive into the conspiracy theories and demons of Fischer's head might have been a haunting experience, but those topics are only flirted with here.

The movie checks the appropriate boxes out of the gate, and shows a young Fischer quarrel with his Jewish mother (Robin Weigert), whose affections he replaces with those of half-sister Joan (Lily Rabe). Fischer takes to chess at a young age, and demands complete and total silence and isolation as he trains for international competitions. Friend William Lombardy (Peter Sarsgaard) and manager Paul Marshall (Michael Stuhlbarg) shepherd Fischer's talents on the road, where much time is spent wrangling said talent. The man is prone to outbursts and mood swings, is quick to brazenly announce his feelings toward anyone, and is convinced of his absolute dominance in chess. This Cold War biopic's chief catalyst is Fischer's desire to unseat world chess champion Boris Spassky (Live Schreiber), of the Soviet Union; a goal threatened by Fischer's mental instability.

Fischer loses an early, important match and becomes belligerent, ranting about KGB surveillance and forcing event organizers to move audience members and cameras out of his earshot. He also demands sums of money unheard of in professional chess. To say Fischer is prickly does not quite nail it. He is downright mean and unpredictable, fighting back internal demons that slowly encroach on his personality and ability to deal with high-stress environments. Zwick never digs too far into this unseemly reality, and at times directs Pawn Sacrifice like he's scared to do so. Fischer is a man who labeled the 9/11 terrorist attacks "wonderful news" while living in exile outside the U.S. Had the movie been willing to ask questions about the origins of Fischer's paranoia and xenophobia, it might have been more successful.

Maguire rants and raves and successfully keeps Pawn Sacrifice from getting too close to his character. This is an impressive performance failed by a pedestrian narrative. Chess is not the most exciting of sports, at least visually, and Zwick has some trouble dramatizing key matches and moves. My base knowledge of chess was not enhanced by the movie, which skips the dry fundamentals. I was most involved in the film when it abruptly ends and begins using title cards to depict events that beg for screen time. A likeable protagonist is not required to make a compelling biopic. A fair, warts-and-all depiction of this protagonist is all you need. Zwick and company get halfway there.

THE BLU-RAY:

PICTURE:

The 2.40:1/1080p/AVC-encoded image is expectedly crisp and clear, with impressive texture and depth. The cold color scheme fits the material, and the icy greys and blues are expertly saturated. Black levels are inky, and there is ample detail in shadows and nighttime environments. Skin tones appear natural, and I saw no aliasing or digital noise reduction. The film-like presentation has a fluid grain structure and excellent clarity.

SOUND:

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix suits the dialogue-heavy soundtrack. Clarity and range are excellent, and the mix is totally free of distortion or hiss. Light ambient effects surround the viewer, and the frequent directional dialogue makes use of the surrounds. The score is appropriately layered and sounds natural. English SDH and Spanish subtitles are included.

PACKAGING AND EXTRAS:

This single-disc release is packed in a standard case with matching slipcover. A code to redeem iTunes and UltraViolet digital copies is included. The only extra, Bobby Fischer, The Cold War and the Match of the Century (3:17/HD), is fluffy and inconsequential.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Director Edward Zwick's biopic of chess prodigy Bobby Fischer sees the tormented man take on Soviet world champion Boris Spassky during the Cold War. Tobey Maguire provides a believably intense performance, but Pawn Sacrifice fails to dig too deeply into the demons in Fischer's head. Rent It.

William lives in Burlington, North Carolina, and looks forward to a Friday-afternoon matinee.