5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
With the help of their demanding coach, a celebrated American breakdancing team travels to France to try to win the world championship competition in this exhilarating drama. Along the way, they struggle to gain acceptance for their sport.
Starring: Josh Holloway, Laz Alonso, Josh Peck, Caity Lotz, Chris Brown (I)Music | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French (Canada): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Act like champions, be champions.
It seems like reviews for modern Dance movies are always the same. Pick any one, then pick any review (preferably here at Blu-ray.com) and find
quotes
similar to "intense, exciting, incredible dance mechanics," "terrific choreography," "hopelessly cliché story," and "an honest effort at finding a heart
and soul amidst all of the plot unoriginality and repeat characters." Well, no surprise, and sigh, all of those apply to Battle of the Year, the
latest
film to follow in the
footsteps of pictures like You Got Served: Beat the World and Stomp the Yard (and its lesser and even more cliché follow-up
Homecoming) and to earn mediocre reviews praising its dance and
knocking down most everything else. These movies are always meant to be more focused experiences rather than broad crowd-pleasers. Chances
are a
whole lot of movie-goers never even heard the term "B-boy" before this movie and, if they did, probably thought it was slang for some naughty
sexual act or the nickname of a certain teen heartthrob. No worries, Battle of the Year catches its audience
up on the B-boy and Hip-Hop culture in its opening act, making sure to pack all of the exposition with, yes, as much cliché as cinematically possible
before piling on some more for the duration.
B-strong 2-gether.
Battle of the Year is another top-end picture quality disc from Sony. The digital photography looks a touch smooth and flat, at times, but more often than not the imagery is dynamic, revealing bold, satisfying colors and crisp, well-defined details. The palette is particularly brilliant during the final dance numbers, even amidst some dark backdrops and considering a bit of dark clothing. International flags, LCD signs, and all variety of showy colors look fantastic. Black levels are rock-solid, and flesh tones appear accurate. Image detailing rates highly, too. Clothing lines and facial textures are terrific, as are concrete walls, the scuffed hardwood floors of the practice area, and the cleaner lines of Dante's high-class offices. The image suffers through some light yet distracting banding in a few places, but this is otherwise a near perfect image across the board.
Battle of the Year blasts onto Blu-ray with a loud and invigorating DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Most of the track's biggest moments come from huge, blasting Hip Hop tunes that rock the house with authority. Spacing is wide, volume intense, bass deep, and clarity, through it all, still high. The stage explodes into B-boy battles every time, the dynamics and aggressive presence drawing the audience into the world nearly as well as the dance itself. Crowd noise is equally exciting and enveloping in the film's bookend moments; if the listeners don't feel like they are on the stage, they'll definitely feel like a part of the crowd. Most of the rest of the film consists of very light ambiance and dialogue. The spoken word comes through expertly from the center, with a good little bit of reverberation when necessary, such as in those scenes inside the practice gymnasium. All around, this is a dynamic track that fans of B-boying or the Hip Hop music will love.
Battle of the Year contains four featurettes.
Most reviews for Battle of the Year, including this one, are filled with just as much Dance movie cliché as the movie itself. But considering there's nothing new here, there's really no other way for a reviewer to beat the proverbial dead horse. Battle of the Year fares a bit better than some of the others of its kind, and, for the most part, it's a forgettably enjoyable experience away from the big explosions and special effects or, on the other hand, the maudlin, meandering dramas that are so prevalent these days. There's absolutely, positively, without-a-doubt nothing new here, but the dance routines are hot and the emotional core satisfies in a very base sort of way. It's worth a watch, but don't expect the film to step up and beat the world. Sony's Blu-ray 2D release of Battle of the Year delivers a tight picture, happening sound, and a few extras. Recommended as a buy to Dance movie and B-boy fans, recommended as a rental for others.
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