As the Light Goes Out Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		2.5

As the Light Goes Out Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman November 26, 2014

There’s a patently odd moment early in As the Light Goes Out where Hong Kong seems to be under attack from marauding meteors, leading to rampant fires. Into this fray steps none other than Jackie Chan, urging young folks to consider a career in firefighting. It of course turns out to be a television commercial, but it’s perhaps instructive to note that this film, about heroic but conflicted firemen in Hong Kong, ultimately resorts to a combination of conflagrations and other natural disasters that is only slightly less improbable than the meteor shower in the fake television ad. Filled with some spectacular special effects, but fairly tawdry and melodramatic on a personal character interaction level, As the Light Goes Out sparks at least occasional interest.

Three young firemen (played by Nicholas Tse, Andy On and Shawn Yue) break a few rules during a fire in order to try to save some civilians, but fatalities ensue anyway. This misstep is an instant test of character when the three are hauled before a review board, and it instantly sets up the dynamic between the three. Most of As the Light Goes Out takes place a year after this incident, and ultimately comes to involve a truly spectacular fire that is only part of an onslaught of bad luck (and weather) that Hong Kong suffers. Well done action set pieces help to alleviate the tedium that is otherwise present in a fairly rote and predictable tale of firefighting brothers and their adventures in heroism.

As the Light Goes Out Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As the Light Goes Out is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.38:1. Shot digitally with a variety of different cameras, As the Light Goes Out can only extract so much fine detail (and even just basic detail) from yellow tinged, smoky scenes, which are a large part of this film. Even the non-fire related scenes are oddly desaturated most of the time, with pale flesh tones and a fairly pallid looking palette. Sharpness and clarity, however, are excellent, especially in close-ups, where fine detail is exceptional. There are some brief issues with banding in some of the fire scenes, but no other artifacts were noticed in preparing this review.

As the Light Goes Out Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As the Light Goes Out features a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that announces its presence rather forcefully from the film's first moments and then continues to offer superb low end and consistent surround activity. Dialogue is well presented, though occasionally the slightly muffled voices in the firefighters' sealed helmets sound (appropriately) muted. The mix is very well prioritized, though the worst of the fire sequences are a bit chaotic sounding.

As the Light Goes Out Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer (1080p; 2:04)

As the Light Goes Out Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As the Light Goes Out has some truly spectacular pyrotechnics, but on a basic story level, it's routine. Action junkies should get enough here to satisfy, but those looking for meaningful or even interesting drama might want to extinguish this as a possibility. Technical merits are generally very strong for those considering a purchase.