7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A young boy and his working class family experience the tumultuous late 1960s.
Starring: Jude Hill, Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Ciarán HindsDrama | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Belfast is a passion project from acclaimed filmmaker Kenneth Branagh (Thor, Death on the Nile) who grew up in Belfast during the same socially tumultuous years he depicts in the film, a film which he also wrote. The picture was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best director, and taking home the stature for Best Original Screenplay.
Universal brings Belfast to Blu-ray with an oftentimes striking 1080p transfer. Most of the picture is presented in black and white; while it is very digital-clean and lacks the grainy film grit that might have accentuated the period setting, the picture as-is cannot be argued. It looks terrific within the intended aesthetic. The image is sharp and highly revealing of both faces and the many complex environments around the location where coarse stonework and various examples of use and weathering and rough edges bring plenty of character to the set pieces. The Blu-ray format absolutely loves this content, and it shows. The grayscale is robust within its confines. It lacks the end-to-end precision HDR/Dolby Vision would have afforded to it on a hypothetical UHD, but even if the range is here more limited it's still very well pronounced with good deep blacks and adequately bright whites. There are no serious source issues of note and the encode is just fine, too. This is a stalwart Blu-ray from Universal.
Universal brings Belfast to Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is very effective, particularly evident in the immediate vicinity of the film's start where a relatively serene setting is suddenly upended by a barrage of violent audio information as clashes erupt and all variety of intense sound effects sweep and swoop through the stage. Subwoofer engagement in these elements is never intense, but the sense of fullness is tangible and agreeable. Chaotic din spills through every speaker in the 7.1 configuration, offering large and aggressive yield while maintaining impressive clarity. The track extends this size and effort to even more subtle audio cues, bringing Belfast to life with an agreeable sense of envelopment that critically draw the listener in, whether exterior audio cues or background television sounds. Music plays with rock-solid reliable clarity and spacing. Musical surround engagement is never too overpowering but rather nicely balanced within the dominant fronts. Dialogue, of course, drives the majority of the soundtrack and it plays with respectable placement, prioritization, and clarity for the duration.
This Blu-ray release of Belfast includes an audio commentary track, two featurettes, an alternate ending, and deleted scenes. No DVD copy is
included. However, this release does ship with a DVD copy of the film and a non-embossed slipcover.
Belfast every bit deserves its praise and deluge of Oscar nominations. This is not only a personal film for its writer/director it is also a career defining high mark. For its wonderful period immersion, first-rate performances, and gorgeous photography the film is a success, but add a wonderful story and a compelling historical setting and this is clearly one of the best and must-see films of 2021. Universal's Blu-ray delivers exceptional video and audio to go along with a decent array of bonus features. Very highly recommended.
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