kal
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:45 pm Post subject: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit [Blu-ray] |
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Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD) (2013)
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| Quote: | Hitting shelves just before Father's Day, I don't know a single father that wouldn't love to own this Blu-ray. The movie itself is a worthy entry to Tom Clancy's five-film-deep Jack Ryan franchise, a solid way to kick-start the franchise for new viewers while pleasing the long-time fans. It's surprisingly well balanced with character, emotion, romance, plot, action and tension. There's a little something for everyone. The Blu-ray's video quality is extremely close to perfection. The 7.1 lossless audio mix is completely engaging and relentlessly impressive. A decent amount of small special features are included, but all are exclusive to Blu-ray. As a fan of the 'Jack Ryan' series, I couldn't be more happy with his not-based-on-a-book origins film and easily recommend 'Shadow Recruit' to absolutely anyone who loves a solid spy/political thriller.
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
'Jack Ryan' has been given a brilliant 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer. From the moment the Paramount and Skydance vanity reels start playing, its clarity and impressiveness never let up. The only real flaw to the video isn't in the presentation of the movie itself, but in the way that it was shot. Throughout the picture, if you're paying close attention, you'll notice that focal issues arise every few minutes, causing objects and people to appear slightly hazy or blurred. This even happens with close-ups on faces, one time leaving Costner's nose out of focus while everything else is completely sharp. Fortunately, it isn't constant and it's typically minor. But if it wasn't for that, 'Shadow Recruit' would be perfect demo material.
For lovers of celluloid, there's a nice dusting of grain that's present in every one of the movie's bright, well-lit scenes. The picture is rich with detailed images, including some that reveal the flaws in the facial complexion of all of the movie's good-looking leads – Knightley's complexion isn't as great as you'd think, Pine's smooth acne scarring is more visible than ever, and Costner's wrinkles give you a better idea of his age. Textures and miniscule details are constantly in the forefront.
The film itself is full of comfortable and inviting lighting/color schemes. It's natural and appealing. One quick gorgeous shot tracks with Knightley's face close up, front and center, while she walks down a dark hallway to a room filled with warm sunlight. Despite the darkness, her face is always dimly lit and rich in details. Bands could have arisen, but didn't. Black levels are deep and flawless. And the camera's motion is perfectly fluid. Another fantastic shot features Pine on the roof of his hotel at sunset. The warm sunlight adds extra life to his fleshtone and the blue of his eyes is ablaze. The gray cloudy backdrop is perfect contrast and the tiniest rainbow in the background couldn't have been planned any better.
Considering how fantastic everything else is, it's a bummer that the focus couldn't have been achieved better.
The Audio: Rating the Sound
While the video quality has one small issue keeping it from perfection, the 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track of 'Jack Ryan' is absolutely flawless.
'Shadow Recruit' kicks off with a great calm, yet oddly uneasy, opening scene that defines the character without Pine offering a single word. Set on a London campus, this scene isn't silent, as there's plenty of distant quiet sound, but it effectively shows how powerful the lack of sound can be. But don't, not even for a second, believe that this mix kicks off a quiet trend. Instead, it's the opposite. The next scene, which offers an explosion and chaotic follow-up effects, is wildly loud. The dynamics of a missile blast, fluttering debris, alarms and pain are demo-worthy. And the greatness doesn't stop there. All channels are always active - and that's not an exaggeration.
Like the opening sequence, every mild scene is filled with fantastic environmental subtleties. Rain dynamically falls all around, making channel-based specific sounds as it splashes onto different surfaces. Restaurant's are filled with immersive banter, silverware clanking and rainfall effects from outside whenever someone enters or exists from the background. The news anchor constantly talking on the distant television is so clear that, should you stand near the speaker, you can hear every bit of news she provides through Jack and Cathy's conversation. But once you jump into an action scene, the throttle is opened up and the 7.1 mix cuts loose. If you sense that something intense it about to happen, get ready for deafening and rumbly experience.
When Jack is attacked in his expensive Russian hotel room, you'll hear every shattered piece of porcelain and glass hit the tile and hardwood floor. A suppressed gunshot will ring out from one side of the room and you can follow the imaging sound of the bullet across the room to its point(s) of impact. And the nice part about it is that every intense action scene is identical to the greatness heard in the hotel fight.
'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit' features one of the best 7.1 mixes that I've heard in a long time. It's well-rounded, impressive and unforgettably cool. No sound - music, vocals or effects - trumps another and they harmoniously blend to fill your theater with dynamics. |
Kal
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