6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
After a hunting expedition goes awry, a young caveman struggles against the elements to find his way home.
Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Leonor Varela, Marcin Kowalczyk, Jens HulténThriller | Insignificant |
Period | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Thai: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Cantonese, Indonesian, Korean, Malay, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Thai, Vietnamese
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Alpha's survival and coming-of-age story treads familiar ground, but it approaches the tale from a different perspective, that of a young man struggling to survive the natural world's dangers some 20,000 years ago and the then-unlikely bond that increased his chances for survival that, ultimately, as the film would suggest, changed the course of history. Director Albert Hughes, helming his first solo film after years of collaborating with his brother Allen on films like Menace II Society, Dead Presidents, From Hell, and The Book of Eli, makes a sharp tonal turn with Alpha, crafting a touching tale of friendship against the backdrops of both a dangerous world and an unfamiliar way of life. The story is complimented by stunning visuals and breathtaking cinematography courtesy of Martin Gschlacht (Revanche), resulting in a visually triumphant film and an unlikely dramatic, and very absorbing, narrative success.
The opening drone shot is very noisy and lacking resolution, but Alpha's 1080p transfer largely excels beyond. The image is typically Sony, a gorgeous, complex presentation that showcases the source material with striking detail, including deep layers of dirt and grime caked onto faces and clothes, the intimate details of largely unblemished terrain, fine stone work, and animal furs. The movie can look a little artificial and flat in more effects-heavy shots. Digitally inserted backgrounds can appear flat and lifeless, even if they are real-world locations digitally inserted into a scene (see the 64 minute mark when Kedo and Alpha are fishing). The digital source photography does rob the feature of a grittier texture that film would have lended to the production. But the overall level of clarity, precision, and textural finesse are largely first-class. Colors fare well, though much of the movie is often some combination of barren, snowy, and earthy. Blood is a standout color, as are intense yellow and orange sunbeams, and some natural greens and auroras offer impressive contrasts to the otherwise bleak palette. Black levels occasionally veer towards a less than desirable purple push but often hold fairly deep and accurate. Flesh tones appear fine. This is a strong, often striking presentation from Sony.
Alpha's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is as rich and precise as the 1080p video. The film opens with an immediate opportunity for the track to take command with with a seamlessly airy and open spacial presence, followed by quality tribal beats with good percussion detail. When the hunting party attacks the buffalo, listeners will encounter strongly defined charge and power through the stage as the creatures run around a plateau and eventually hurtle over the side. Later, surrounds carry gentle natural atmospherics, such as insects and wind. Rolling thunder lingers through the rears in chapter four while chapter five carries more significant and haunting woodland atmospherics. Buzzing flies in chapter six encircle the stage. Striking reverberation as Keda attempts to descend a practically flat cliffside earlier in the film makes for yet another example of the track's ability to open and create a much larger world than the theater would seem capable of holding. Dialogue is clear and refined with commanding front-center placement.
Alpha contains four featurettes and deleted scenes. The disc offers two cuts of the film: Theatrical (1:36:30) and Director's (1:35:19). A
Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase. This release
ships with a
non-embossed slipcover.
Alpha is one of the most pleasant surprises of 2018. Richly layered, beautifully acted and photographed, and heartfelt, the film proves ever compelling and a treat for the eyes and the spirit. Sony's Blu-ray is quite good, delivering top-rate video and audio along with a nice little assortment of extra content. Highly recommended.
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