7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Captain Flint and his pirates, twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic "Treasure Island".
Starring: Toby Stephens, Hannah New, Zach McGowan, Luke Arnold, Jessica Parker KennedyAdventure | 100% |
Period | 37% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
UV digital copy
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
In a crowded adult TV market that threatens to drown out all but the best shows, Starz's Black Sails has proved itself more than a capable entrant into the dense and diverse field. While it certainly cannot be filed into the top tier where shows like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead reside as kings of cable, Creators Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine's swashbuckling show does comfortably fall into that next rank where the accolades aren't as high, the ratings are not quite so astronomical, the title may not be on the tip of every tongue, and the story and characters may not have made their way into the popular lexicon. Yet that's a level -- the rung right below the top -- at which there's no shame in topping. Black Sails, continuing on from an exciting, detailed, and raw eight-episode first season returns for another round, this time sporting ten episodes and some new characters and dynamics that are sure to satisfy anyone looking for a bit of precisely crafted high seas adventuring, blended, of course, with the usual barrage of colorful language, sex, and violence that are staples of today's TV landscape, and Starz's offerings in particular.
Black Sails: Season Two's 1080p transfer, sourced from a digital shoot, sports an obvious, and consistent, mild glossy sheen, but it never gets in the way of what is video excellence. Image clarity is stable, reliable, and unimaginable. Facial definition dazzles with depth and intricacy of pores, fine facial hairs, blood and grime, sweat, even fine makeup lines. On the boats, the wooden details are beautifully tactile, smooth where appropriate on deck and a little rougher below, and of course splintery sharp in the ravaged aftermath of battle. Sand and weeds on the shore are strikingly complex, while in town various stone and brickwork yield impeccable textures. Colors are bold and precise. Beautiful blue waters contrast wonderfully against the wooden ships. Blood is precise, fire is bright, colorful clothing stands apart, and small little accents around town make for a nice juxtaposition against otherwise predominantly gray and earthy shades. Black levels are perfect, whether at their shadowy and nighttime deepest or less inky when lit by only a flame or a slit of sunlight. Skin tones are heathy and natural. The image appears free of more than a trace of banding and macroblocking, though modest noise appears at times. This is a striking, near reference quality transfer from Anchor Bay for what is, arguably, TV's best-looking show shot on digital.
Black Sails: Season Two sails onto Blu-ray with a detailed and immersive Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack that's as impressive as most any studio film. The stage is endlessly alive with broad and intimate sonic details alike. Out on the high seas, listeners will practically get seasick from the rolling waves that (usually) gently rock the boats. Various wooden creaks, fluttering sails, background chatter amongst the crew, and other little bits are so realistically inserted and precise that one cannot help but feel immediately transported onto the deck. More violent clashes, whether on the boats or not, are epic. Gunfire is potent, hitting hard with a thunderous crack, and often coming from a multitude of speakers. Canon fire and explosions are impressively deep and detailed, and the violent results of shattering debris, screaming wounded, and other bits of chaos are precisely placed around the stage. Lighter land ambience is striking in immersive authenticity. Light breezes, insects and birds, crowded seaport din, and crowd cheers and chants play with astonishing realism. Music is robust and room-filling. Every note is precisely detailed, surrounds are engaged heavily but not overabundantly, and the low end is balanced and perfectly supportive. Dialogue comes with firm center placement, consistent accuracy, and perfect prioritization. This is an epic listen, one of the best on Blu-ray.
Black Sails: Season Two contains a handful of featurettes on disc three. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.
Black Sails: Season Two only expands on the first season's sense of epic scope, production excellence, diverse character roster, intense drama, and epic action. The show may not be sailing into television history, but it's one of the better shows on right now, all things considered. While it can be argued that the show is more a product of its distinct overlay and less so its fairly routine (for today's TV landscape) character drama, the sheer excellence of the former and the satisfying ebbs and flows of the latter make it work very well. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of Black Sails: Season Two delivers fantastic picture and sound. Supplements could stand to be a little more thorough -- some episode-specific commentary tracks would be nice -- but there's about 40 minutes of material to sift through as it is. Recommended.
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