kal
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Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 18114
Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
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| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 10:09 pm Post subject: Killer Elite [Blu-ray] |
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Another reference disc!
Killer Elite [Blu-ray] (2011)
(Hover over link for price, click to purchase and support our forum at no extra cost to you)
| Quote: | Making his feature-length debut, director Gary McKendry delivers an entertaining espionage crime-caper with the usual thrills and action, but the movie also tries to include an intriguing plot and good characterization into the mix. With Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro in the leads, 'Killer Elite' is, in the end, an easy, guilt-free way of killing a couple hours. The Blu-ray arrives with an excellent audio and video presentation, but a meager collection of supplements. The overall package, however, should make fans happy and others will want to give it a rent before deciding.
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
'Killer Elite' debuts with a killer 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode (2.40:1) that stays true to the stylized photography of Simon Duggan ('Knowing,' 'Live Free or Die Hard'). The palette changes according to the story's location, leaning towards warm sepia tones in the desert and suddenly shifting to steely blues when in London. Colors remain mostly accurate and bold through these adjustments, and flesh tones are understandably effected but don't hamper the picture's enjoyment.
The high-def transfer also shows outstanding, near-reference quality resolution for a majority of the movie's runtime. Close-ups are particularly revealing and razor-sharp, exposing every wrinkle on Robert De Niro's face and makes Jason Stratham seem scruffier than usual. From the cold, dreary streets of London to the dry, desert hills of Oman, the video is exceptionally well-detailed. Contrast is spot-on with brilliant whites. Black levels are deep and true with nighttime sequences in Paris looking especially gorgeous, providing the image with a nice depth of field.
The Audio: Rating the Sound
Right from the beginning, during a botched job in Mexico, the DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack for 'Killer Elite' shows how the rest of the movie will play out. The deliberate sound design isn't one to immediately win over listeners with tons of immersive action.
The high-rez track is a generally front-heavy presentation with a soundstage the feels broad and generates a great sense of space. Most of the discrete effects are off-screen and channel separation is very well-balanced. Vocals are precise and rendered perfectly in the center, so much on the film's focus is on the dialogue of characters. When sudden commotion explodes across the screen, the rears come alive with the musical score of Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek, all at once pulling the viewer into the middle of the action. The midrange maintains excellent clarity and differentiation of various noises, some of which pan into the back speakers with flawless movement. Bass also joins in with commanding authority and solid force, making the overall lossless mix a very nice surprise. |
Kal
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