5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
Beatrice Prior and Tobias Eaton venture into the world outside of the fence and are taken into protective custody by a mysterious agency known as the Bureau of Genetic Welfare.
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Jeff DanielsAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 64% |
Romance | 15% |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Is the so-called “young adult trilogy" phase coming to an end? It may seem so, if for no other reason than filmmakers keep attempting to
extend supposed trilogies into quadrilogies (perhaps more accurately termed a tetralogy), with the Divergent
series being just the latest example (and, considering its increasingly lackluster box office performance, perhaps one of the last). As I
mentioned
in our The Maze Runner 4K Blu-ray review,
that
franchise’s recent shutdown due to star Dylan O’Brien’s on set injury doesn’t augur particularly well for that series, but even without any
similar
near tragedy visiting the working environment of Divergent: Allegiant, this third entry is an often tired and frustrating experience,
one
that is in a way similar to another “trilogy”’s third entry, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, a film that ended up feeling like nothing much better than a long shaggy dog
story that was simply a gambit to get the characters (and the audience) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. Unfortunately, Divergent: Allegiant has little
of
even the somewhat questionably intermittent pleasures that Mockingjay Part 1 afforded, and it’s probably no surprise for some to
hear
that in the wake of the critical drubbing Divergent: Allegiant took during its theatrical exhibition and its less than thrilling ticket sales
that the proposed fourth film in this ostensible “trilogy” has been dramatically scaled back.
For those wanting a "refresher course" on the story of Divergent so far, more information is available by clicking on the following
review links:
Divergent Blu-ray review
Insurgent Blu-ray review
Allegiant is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. As with the previous films in this franchise (and according to the IMDb), this third outing was digitally captured with a variety of Arri cameras at resolutions varying from 3.4K to 6.5K, and then finished at a 4K DI. Also as with the previous films in the series, this is often an enticingly sharp and nicely defined looking presentation. While a lot of the film falls back on tired color grading gambits which cast several sequences in a cool blue or slate gray, once Tris and "the rest" get beyond the wall, the film starts exploiting a really interesting series of rust colored tones that may remind some of The Martian. Detail is often extremely impressive in a number of close-ups, where everything from skin pores to flyaway hairs are easily discernable. Though some of the CGI has the typically slightly soft look that seems to be unavoidable with this technology, some elements, like the floating globes, offer really nicely rendered textures that are virtually palpable. Contrast is generally consistent, though as tends to be the case with some digitally shot films, a few interior scenes are slightly murky looking at times.
Allegiant features a great sounding Dolby Atmos track (with a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 core for those with receivers not yet able to decode this newer format). As with Insurgent, this is a wonderfully forceful track that regularly utilizes floorboard rattling LFE while also offering pinpoint accuracy in placement of discrete effects. There are a number of "flying objects" (identified or otherwise) throughout the film, many of which provide nicely rendered overhead panning effects which can completely subsume the listener. Even quieter, less effects laden, sequences offer excellent use of surround channels to establish ambient environments. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly and is always well prioritized on this problem free track.
As mentioned above, one of the talking heads in one of the supplements on this disc makes the unfortunate decision to describe "other" attempts to split one book into two films as leaving a feeling of "treading water" in the first film, something that is more or less exactly what Allegiant often seems to be doing. Fans of the film will probably be willing to "get through" this one in order to finally arrive at the big finish, but that's an awfully low bar to be setting for a franchise that started with such decent promise. The film is a visual and sonic feast, however, and that may help some viewers and listeners to cut it a bit of slack. Technical merits are excellent for those considering a purchase.
The Divergent Series
2016
The Divergent Series / Bonus Disc
2016
The Divergent Series
2016
The Divergent Series
2016
The Divergent Series
2015
2014
2011
2007
2019
2018
2017
2014
2018
2009
2017
2008
2018
2018
2018
1971
2019
Theatrical & Unrated Cuts
1972
2012
2007