7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Based on Tanya Huff's supernatural crime thrillers, 'Blood Ties' follows the adventures of Vicki Nelson (Christina Cox) and her ragtag team of paranormal vice cops, including 450-year-old vampire Henry (Kyle Schmid), as they sniff out otherworldly evildoings.
Starring: Christina Cox, Dylan Neal, Kyle Schmid, Gina Holden, Françoise YipFantasy | 100% |
Horror | 59% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Four-disc set (4 BDs)
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Never heard of Blood Ties? Wondering if it's worth a spin? Curious if the canceled Canadian series will appeal to your Supernatural sensibilities? Dying to know what it's all about? If so, I'd suggest a quick look at its official trailer, a telling, wince-inducing preview if there ever was one. Bask in the poorly penned narration of its smarmy host, revel in the cumbersome '80s-jazz-pop riffs that pepper the proceedings, and shake your head at the hilarity that ensues. "She's an ex-cop turned private investigator, with a cop who's still on the force and still in love. She also has an unnatural desire for a 470-year old vampire. But first, there's a battle between good and evil to be won. They are the most unusual crime-fighting love triangle in town. It's a supernatural new crime series that pits demons against lovers with a little help from the undead. When the going gets weird, the tough get going." Still here? Well then, Blood Ties might just be for you.
You can almost hear Barry White singing, "can't get enough of your love, babe."
It's tough to get a lock on Blood Ties' decidedly decent 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer. While the presentation appears to be a faithful representation of its source, several issues emerge as persistent distractions. Fine detail, though surprisingly refined at times, is notably inconsistent from shot to shot; black levels are exceedingly deep, but crush hinders everything swallowed by the series' shadows; fleshtones, warm and lifelike as they prove to be at times, are often oversaturated, chalky, or flushed; and the image, though fairly clean, is periodically undermined by minor banding and faint noise (despite some rather unforgiving DNR). Even so, I suspect many of the complaints newcomers will have trace back to creator Peter Mohan and director David Winning's gaudy, hyperstylized intentions. The whole of the episodes look better than the show's meager budget might suggest, and fans will be pleased with the treatment Eagle Vision has afforded a canceled Canadian series. Colors are rich and robust (sometimes bordering on absurd), edge definition is sharp and clean, and irksome anomalies like artifacting, aliasing, and ringing have been kept to a reasonable minimum. All in all, the studio's transfer is a solid one, as well as the unequivocal high point of Blood Ties' Blu-ray release.
Blood Ties: The Complete Series also features a competent DTS-HD Master Audio stereo track. Flat and underwhelming? Sure. A hearty 5.1 remix would have presumably lent some much-needed LFE weight and rear speaker aggression to the experience. However, considering the nature and scope of the production, Mohan and Winning's limited budget, and the subsequent caliber of the show's original sound design, Eagle Vision's modest two-channel offering deserves some measured praise. For the most part, dialogue is clear and intelligible, effects are well-prioritized (albeit a bit artificial), and Natasha Duprey's '80s-inspired, synth-infused soundtrack and score punctuate the soundscape nicely. Yes, Cox and Schmid's sweet nothings are swept aside anytime action beats and musical cues simultaneously erupt on-screen, but it rarely becomes a distraction. Likewise, low-end tones are dull and muffled, but I hope no one is expecting anything more from a two-channel mix. Keep in mind that Eagle Vision could have easily repurposed the DVD version's standard Dolby Digital dud. Thankfully, they chose a higher road. The result may not be a lumbering 5.1 monstrosity, but it is a proficient lossless track; one that presents each episode as it was meant to be heard.
Unfortunately, the 4-disc Blu-ray release of Blood Ties: The Complete Series doesn't have a lot of supplemental meat on its bones. A lengthy "Behind the Scenes" EPK (SD, 24 minutes) provides the most value, but the cast and crew spend far too much time recapping plot points, introducing characters, and patting each other on the backs to discuss the intricacies of the production. From there, a "Photo Gallery" (HD, 5 minutes), a "Season One DVD Trailer" (SD, 1 minute), and an original "Trailer" (SD, 3 minutes) round out the package.
Blood Ties wouldn't survive two weeks on one of the Big Four (NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX) -- I doubt it could even survive two months on a lesser cable network like the CW -- but that doesn't mean it isn't without its charms (scarce as they may be). Alas, dead-end dialogue, mediocre storylines, copious plot holes, chintzy special effects, and poorly defined and developed characters spoil whatever Schmid and his castmates manage to bring to the table. It amounts to little more than yet another misguided supernatural series, and its cancellation shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone. Eagle Vision's Blu-ray release is better, even if it's continually hampered by the show's bottom-rung production values. Its video transfer is decent but problematic, its DTS-HD Master Audio stereo track is faithful but underwhelming, and its supplemental package will leave Blood Ties zealots wanting. Fans clamoring for its resurrection will cheer. Everyone else will simply shrug their shoulders.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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