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kal
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Joined: 06 Mar 2006
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:58 pm Post subject: The Dark Knight Rises [Blu-ray] |
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Another reference disc!
The Dark Knight Rises (Blu-ray/DVD Combo+UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012)
(Hover over link for price, click to purchase and support our forum at no extra cost to you)
| Quote: | 'The Dark Knight Rises is an exciting, epic movie and, for the most part, a fitting end to the Nolan Batman era. However, because the bar was raised so high by the trilogy's first two films, this one doesn't quite resonate with the same balance of character, plot, and themes. As a Blu-ray, the video transfer is excellent and the audio is thunderous and dynamic. The Special Features, all exclusive to this release, feature an excellent documentary about the various Batmobiles and many featurettes about making the film -- the only disappointment being the clunky interface. If you're a fan of the film, or the Nolan Batman franchise, this is easily a Recommended Blu-ray with endless Demo potential. If you're not a fan of Nolan or this franchise, your views probably won't change based on this final entry.
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
'The Dark Knight Rises' features a near-perfect high resolution AVC MPEG-4 encode, which swaps between 2.40:1 and1.78:1 aspect ratios in an attempt to mirror the film's IMAX presentation.
Many were disappointed about 'The Dark Knight' Blu-ray because it used the IMAX master which featured DMR'd (upconversion, sharpening and noise reduction) 35mm material alongside native IMAX footage. Complaints included excessive edge enhancement and a limited contrast ratio that overtly crushed black levels. Those overseeing this Blu-ray seem to have avoided the same mistakes. I didn't see any halos, though if you look very very close, you can see some very minor banding and some flickering vertical lines. Also, while blacks do crush -- as intended, I would argue -- contrast levels are pretty dynamic and mirror the film's theatrical presentation perfectly.
Other than than a few nitpicks, 'The Dark Knight Rises' looks great. Especially the native IMAX-footage (cropped from 1.43:1 to 1.78:1 to fit HDTV screens), which is reference quality. This filmic experience has unbelievable amounts of resolution and depths, so much so that the film feels 3D at times. A window into another world, if you will. The film's color palette is generally muted, but blues are especially icy (in city lights, skies, and The Bat's headlights). Skin tones may be a little on the warm side.
Now, the native 35mm material doesn't look quite as perfect. I'm not sure whether or not it has been through the IMAX DMR process or not, but as I said above, it doesn't feel like it's been over-sharpened to compensate. Next to the native IMAX footage, the widescreen sections of the film are slightly less clear, though there's a chance is a trick of the eye because 1.78:1 footage uses approximately 33% more pixels on an HDTV display than 2.40:1 footage and is, therefore, noticeably brighter. Regardless, while colors and contrast appear to match between all elements -- the film's use of IMAX cameras is like a documentary in that it sometimes changes aspect ratio for as little time as one shot -- the 35mm footage seems less clear and crisp.
Despite a few minor flaws, 'The Dark Knight Rises' looks fantastic on Blu-ray. The IMAX footage is reference quality, and the 35mm footage looks very good too (just not as great), and thankfully less manipulated than 'The Dark Knight' Blu-ray.
The Audio: Rating the Sound
Thanks to its bombastic, concussive and ultra-aggressive 5.1 DTS-HD MA track, your neighbors are gonna loathe the day you bring home 'The Dark Knight Rises' on Blu-ray. (Just ask mine. Since I started this review, the guy below me has responded by turning his always-loud-and-repetitive-dance-music up to 11. But joke's on him -- I'm still 20dB below reference.)
Some will argue the IMAX footage is the star of this Blu-ray release, but this is perhaps the best six channel sound mix I've ever heard. Many of you probably remember the controversy earlier in 2012 following the release of the film's six minute IMAX trailer. I can personally attest that Bane's digitally manipulated voice was lost in the gunfire, jet engines, and tearing metal carnage. In the cinemas, this was corrected, and on Blu-ray, I can't say if things were further altered, but Bane's voice is a definite highlight. While every piece of dialog in the film is complete clear and prioritized, Bane's extends across the entire front sound stage conveying a sense of power and brute strength.
Sound effects, music, and LFE complete the sonic masterpiece. Individual effects are clear and resolute; panning right to left and front to back is exceptionally immersive, as are world-building crowd sequences like Wall Street and the football stadium. Han Zimmer's grinding electronic score is like a full on orchestral in your living room. Bass-lovers rise and cheers, because this Blu-ray is a room shaker, but never over done. The bass notes are crisp and punchy, adding an overall sense of dread and tension. And don't worry, it's not just that this track is loud, which of course it is, but it has so much range from the quietest moment to the most bombastic.
In fact, I enjoyed this soundtrack so much I have no complaints. This reference quality sound mix will test any system and, if not properly handled, annoy the neighbors. If Nolan's team can do this with 5.1, I can't wait for his first official 7.1 or Dolby ATMOS mix. |
Kal
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mxer
Joined: 14 Aug 2012
Posts: 27
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| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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This was the first movie I have completely watched on my newly acquired and set upped G70 mounted on the ceiling. I really noticed the change in aspect ratios from one scene to the other and thought something was goofed up on my projector. Now I know why!
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AnalogRocks
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| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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It's too bad Bluray can only encode 16:9 or the scenes that are IMAX would be much taller
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mxer
Joined: 14 Aug 2012
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| Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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The Imax sceens did seem significantly taller but probably since the non imax scenes were letterboxed.
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AnalogRocks
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| Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 12:26 am Post subject: |
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| mxer wrote: | | The Imax sceens did seem significantly taller but probably since the non imax scenes were letterboxed. |
I saw this in a crappy digital theater and they made the whole movie 2.35:1. It was terrible. I saw it in IMAX the next week. Night and day difference!
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 2:11 am Post subject: |
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Since I do not do the public viewing thing, its difficult dealing with a movie that changes aspect from one scene to the next.
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