kal
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Joined: 06 Mar 2006
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 6:59 pm Post subject: The Amazing Spider-Man (Mastered in 4K) [Blu-ray] |
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Another reference disc!
The Amazing Spider-Man (Mastered in 4K) (Single-Disc Blu-ray + Ultra Violet Digital Copy) (2012)
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| Quote: | The 'Amazing Spider-Man' is a great example of a comic book reboot done right, differentiating itself just enough from the prior installments to carve its own identity. This "Mastered in 4K" disc from Sony offers a higher bitrate transfer, but outside of screenshot comparisons, I found the differences to be nearly invisible under normal viewing conditions. The audio track from the last release has been preserved here and it's still fantastic. Unfortunately, none of the extras have been ported over and there is no 3D option. Those who own large projector screens or actual 4K displays might find some value in the slight improvements here, but for most, there really is no need to double dip.
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
Considering how strong the last release was (the 2D version received a 5-star video rating from us) I really wasn't expecting to see any kind of an improvement from this disc -- especially since it's my understanding that the previous version was already mastered in 4K. Though I was a little surprised to discover that the two transfers aren't quite identical looking, for most users, the differences here will be negligible. Yes, the bitrate is technically higher (most scenes hover around the 30s as opposed to the 20s in the last release), but in motion I really could not detect any kind of discernible improvement. With that said, as the included screenshots demonstrate, there actually is an increase in apparent clarity and contrast in this transfer (though it looks like this was likely accomplished through artificial sharpening). It's much more visible in these shots than it is under normal viewing conditions, however, and once again, I want to reiterate that I could not detect any major differences between the two as I switched from source to source on my HDTV (even in fast moving scenes which usually benefit the most from increased bitrates). In fact, it was only after capturing the screenshots that I noticed any differences at all.
With the exception of the small increase in sharpness and contrast and some slight differences in framing, this transfer is virtually identical to the last already reference quality disc. For those unfamiliar with the movie's appearance on Blu-ray, here's what Nate Boss had to say about the video in his original review:
Presented in 1080p (with an AVC MPEG-4 encode at 2.40:1), 'The Amazing Spider-Man' surprised me with its visuals. I was so used to the Raimi films, which featured candy coated bright colors and lots of daylight, that it took me some time to get comfortable with the constant gloom that lingers over this film, this isn't meant for Saturday morning viewing. Once I got my bearings with the change in visuals, though, I came to appreciate this as one of the best looking Blu-rays on the market, in a somewhat subliminal way, as the picture isn't at all "in your face" with how truly amazing it is. The credit goes to the RED camera system, but more specifically, the RED Epic, capable of filming 3D picture at 5K resolution.
The picture is stable and constant from start to finish, so you won't hear me say the opening half looked like this, but the closing half looked like that. This is wall to wall greatness. Textures are perfect, utterly perfect, as furniture, skin, clothing, hair, lizard scales (that one I don't get to use all that often!) are all so lifelike, so real, you can't help but rationalize the film as real, too. The depth of picture, naturally, is astonishing, from the top down looking at the floor or from standing level looking at the distance, even in 2D the picture is deep, deep, deep (no better way to say it than to say it three times). The amount of character and detail on display is amazing, even in the darker shots, like the grimy sewer sequences, which bring their own level of beauty to the picture in an icky kind of way. When the Spider-Man suit is finally unveiled, the texture, the detail, and the way it gets dirty and muffed up, it's a character of its own. What's really impressive, though, is the way special effects are seamless in the picture, as not a single moment stands out, not to emphasize "hey look what we can do!" or even in a negative light, where an effect fails and draws the eye.
Aliasing is never visible, not in the tightest checkered shirts, not in the sharp windows of the skyscrapers in the NYC sky, not in any of the Lizard's scales, Gwen's fine blonde hair, or the sharp ridges in the Spidey suit. There is no sign of artifacting or banding, edges are extremely crisp, white levels are enough to put Mr. Clean to shame, and there isn't any bit of information lost due to crushing, no matter how dark the picture gets. This isn't a glossy, shiny film, but it's still visual perfection and demo worthy from start to finish. A real master constructed this disc to make it look this good.
The Audio: Rating the Sound
Unlike the video, this audio mix appears to be the same as the previous release. Here's what Nate Boss had to say about the track in his original review:
'The Amazing Spider-Man' has a fantastic DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Really, it's swell. It just isn't as overpowering, attention grabbing, or even as system testing as I'd expect from a tent pole franchise. I like the warm, in your face dialogue, the amazing localization and movement effects that keep us in the midst of Spidey's actions, and I was really wowed by how much work was put into making webslinging not just a visual aspect of the film, with swoops through channels accented by bass that sells the speed the action takes place at. The gunfire in the film is top notch, too, and the action sequences really are designed like miniature masterpieces. But, and this is a big but, this disc lacks something, that presence that keeps you engaged at all times. Not only is the subwoofer used somewhat sparingly, the score and soundtrack (ugh, the soundtrack...) don't grip from the rear channels, and environments aren't anywhere near as busy as one would expect from the most populated city in America. Yes, atop the skyscrapers we get a slight authentic busyness that's to be appreciated, but it's rare in this film, that enveloping effect that really puts you in the moment. That's something that only the best sounding discs do. |
Kal
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