5.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Successful author Veronica finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before it's too late.
Starring: Janelle Monáe, Kiersey Clemons, Jena Malone, Jack Huston, Eric LangeHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 24% |
Mystery | 15% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
There's little doubt that Antebellum would not exist were it not for Get Out, and it's not really that much of a spoiler to state that despite some noticeable differences Antebellum echoes Get Out both in some of its general plot outlines as well as its subtext, not to mention the fact that both films hinge on a conspiracy of sorts that ensnares an unsuspecting black character. Any further "revelations" will be saved for the second part of the review, so those wishing to avoid outright spoilers are encouraged to skip that section. That said, anyone who has seen Get Out will probably feel the little hairs on their neck prick up at least a few times as Antebellum weaves a deliberately disjunctive tale which seems on its face to be set in two disparate though still linked time periods, the Civil War Era, where plantations were still active and filled with slaves, and our modern day world, where at least some upwardly mobile people of color ostensibly have more freedom. The stories are linked largely by the presence of Janelle Monáe, who in the Civil War scenes portrays a slave who has been given the name of Eden, and who in the modern day story is a famous author and sociologist named Veronica who is about to partake in a book tour promoting her latest effort. Are the two characters relatives, or is this some sort of time traveling outing, as was at least hinted at by some of the film's early promotional material? Alas, the "twist" in this instance is going to strike some as downright ludicrous, though for people of color, it may work rather powerfully at least as an allegory.
Antebellum is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. While it's clear from some of the supplements showing cameras in passing that this was digitally captured, I wasn't able to make out any models, and the IMDb is similarly silent on both that as well as at what resolution the DI was finished. All of that said, this is a frequently stunning looking presentation in 4K, so I wouldn't be surprised to find out a 4K DI was the source (as always with my reviews, if someone can point me to an authoritative source, private message me and I'll post an update here). This is an often surprisingly gorgeous film, considering its troubling subject matter. Cinematographer Pedro Luque is on record as evidently having procured some of the original lenses used to shoot Gone with the Wind, and that, while obviously ironic for any number of reasons, may have helped give the film its often striking appearance. While some of the "magic hour" material (as in the great opening shot) is a little hazy, the bulk of the outdoor material is at times almost startlingly sharp and well detailed, as in the many scenes featuring slaves in the cotton fields. Here the palette veritably bursts with bright colors, and detail on things like fabrics or even the puffs of cotton is typically excellent. There are a couple of rough moments in this presentation (which arguably look even rougher in the 4K UHD version). I'm not sure if digital grain was added for selected sequences, notably the horrifying scene where Eden is compelled to say her name, or later when Veronica and her friends are at a restaurant (both bathed in yellow grading, it should be noted), but those moments in particular can look noisy. Also on the noisy side is the whole sequence where Eden's revenge at the climax begins, which has a few moments that are rough enough that they almost start to look pixellated. Shadow definition is occasionally lacking in this presentation, where scenes in unlit or dimly lit interior spaces can offer relatively little detail.
Antebellum has a nice sounding Dolby Atmos track that may frankly not have a huge amount of vertical activity, but which still provides consistent immersion. There are some clear uses of the Atmos channels, including sometimes courtesy of the often pulsing string laden score by Roman GianArthur and Nate Wonder, but also at selected moments, as in the memorable circuit of a jet traversing the sky. Surround activity is often subtle, as in some of the clatter of Veronica's busy home life in the morning scene where she's introduced, but also in scenes like the restaurant sequence. There's some good, rumbly LFE courtesy of score (often mixed with actual sound effects in the lower frequencies), or even supposed source cues, like the thumping music playing on the SUV stereo of the car that picks up Veronica from her dinner with friends. The outdoor material at the plantation also has nice regular placement of ambient environmental sounds. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout this problem free track. Optional English (and other languages) subtitles are available.
There are two sidebars to Antebellum which may interest some, whether or not they were particularly moved by the film. My wife watched part of this with me, and alerted me to a book she had read called Kindred, by Octavia Butler, which does in fact involve a time traveling black woman who ends up in her ancestor's slave era and which evidently covers at least some of the same themes this film does. Though some may find it on the un-PC side (and I suspect even it's creator, a black woman, would want some people to feel it's un-PC), there's a series of videos on YouTube that kind of fit in with Antebellum 's underlying conceit. The series is called Ask a Slave which features a woman I personally think is hilarious who recounts her "adventures" as a performer at Mount Vernon, where she was tasked with being one of George and Martha Washington's supposed slaves. The videos offer "reenactments" of actual questions visitors asked her. In terms of Antebellum itself, this is a film with a lot of style, but with arguably a few too many tricks up its sleeve. Technical merits are solid and the supplementary package very enjoyable, for those who are considering a purchase.
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