7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
A.D. picks up where "The Bible," left off, exploring the events that followed the Crucifixion. As Christ's disciples struggle to survive and share their beliefs, they are guided from the sorrow of His ultimate sacrifice to the wonder of the Resurrection and beyond.
Starring: Fraser Ayres, Kenneth Collard, George Georgiou, Richard Coyle, Vincent ReganHistory | 100% |
Period | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Four-disc set (4 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
There is absolutely no shortage of books turned into motion pictures, television shows, or television miniseries. Literary works seem just as prominent in the visual entertainment landscape as original creations, and as with everything else the end product's quality varies greatly and there's a wide chasm between the successes and failures that transcend pure cinematic assemblage, often going all the way back to the audience's familiarity with the source material. Maybe that's why Biblical epics have been so popular through the years and big moneymakers for studios. Whether in the Hollywood Golden days of The Ten Commandments or the modern era of Biblical filmmaking that began with The Passion of the Christ, audiences have flocked to theaters to witness The Good Book's filmed adaptations, in hopes of quenching a hunger for greater understanding of the Bible's teachings, in search of a closer connection with the characters and stories, or simply to witness the large-scale spectacle these often provide. Producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, the former of whom is best known for his role in the hit reality show Survivor and the latter as the character "Monica" in Touched By an Angel, have collaborated on two of the most popular Biblical adaptations of the 21st century: the feature film Son of God and the sprawling television endeavor The Bible. They've returned to the Bible as inspiration for A.D. The Bible Continues, a twelve-part miniseries that aired on NBC from April 5 to June 21, 2015 that covers the early writings of The New Testament beyond the four Gospels, beginning with Christ's crucifixion and resurrection and moving on through the first chapters of Acts.
"It is finished."
A.D. The Bible Continues arrives on Blu-ray with a solidly performing 1080p transfer. Generally, the image is excellent with only a few shortcomings, including a fairly steady layer of noise evident primarily in lower light shots and a mild, yet frequent, haziness that pushes black levels down a few notches towards an unwanted brightness. Otherwise, the digital source material looks terrific and can nearly pass for film at its best. Details are almost alway outstanding. Period clothes, particularly some of the more frayed and tattered ones, reveal exquisitely fine little textures. Faces, likewise, are complex across all manner of tangible detailing, and stone and brick work, sand, dirt, and vegetation present with remarkable attention to fine detail and appear with plenty of natural sharpness. Colors are satisfying. Bright clothing shades are the standout, particularly up against the predominance of earth tones that define most of the backdrops. Skin tones appear neutral and full. Despite a few issues, this is a very good, sometimes striking, image from MGM.
A.D. The Bible Continues features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that emphasizes music over everything else. Music play with gusto, spilling notes into the stage with prominent volume and a front-heavy posture that never relegates surrounds to support element rather than, mostly, equal partner. Unfortunately, music tends to overwhelm even the most chaotic sequences. Whether guards clashing with protesters or various crashes, smashes, and other action effects, there's a failure to balance the elements that always leaves action playing well underneath music. Surrounds don't carry a large percentage of the most aggressive ambient support elements, either. Crowd chants, for example, play with a fairly heavy up-front presence, though quieter ambient effects, like chirping birds or simple little sonic details like a closing door, feature much more prominently around the stage rather than straight up the middle or off to the front-sides. Dialogue delivery is clear and focused and without most of the prioritization and balance issues found in the clash between action and music.
A.D. The Bible Continues contains extras on all four discs.
Disc One:
Blu-ray copies of The Bible and A.D. The Bible Continues won't replace the family Bible, but they're good supports that offer an imaginative, detailed, and lovingly recreated look through some of the key figures and stories and the broader arcs that serve as the foundations of modern Christianity. A.D. is a big, sprawling production that looks great and plays with enough energy and passion to mask some of the necessary shortcomings that come even with a ten-hour Biblical adaptation. MGM's Blu-ray release of A.D. The Bible Continues features good video and audio. A handful of featurettes are included. Recommended.
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