6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A young man who arrives at a remote island finds himself trapped in a battle for his life.
Starring: Ray Stevenson, David Oakes, Aura GarridoHorror | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: LPCM 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Last year, Guillermo del Toro won an Academy Award for “The Shape of Water,” which depicted a loving, sexual relationship between a mute woman and humanoid amphibian. This year, director Xavier Gens drinks from the same creative well, only his “Cold Skin” showcases a more mysterious love triangle between two salty men and the female humanoid amphibian they both strive to possess. Gens doesn’t share del Toro’s love of fantasy and textures, but he does offer intermittent intensity with his latest, which is just strange enough to pass, finding oddity often competing for scene attention with overblown dramatics. “Cold Skin” struggles to maintain pace and surprise, but Gens has the right idea more often than not, staying true to an operatic take on man vs. nature, creating something that’s better with the dark and violent stuff than anything psychologically profound.
While "Cold Skin" is a beautifully shot picture, the AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation has difficulty preserving the integrity of the original cinematography. Artifacting is common, with moments of banding and posturization present during the viewing experience, and underwater moments encourage mild macroblocking. Black levels are uneven as well, with some inky goodness balanced with milkier levels, which flattens imagery. When fully illuminated by beaming sunlight, the frame has the potential to produce excellent detail, picking up on the hairy gruffness of the human characters and their overall physical decay, while the toads keep their alien appearance, permitting study of make-up triumphs and non-verbal communication. Colors are appealing, securing the duller greenish-grays of toad skin and the warmer appearance of the men, and locations maintain natural beauty, examining unique greenery and blue waters, while set ornamentation adds varied paint jobs. Fire also keeps a bright orange glow.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix is a superbly active affair that makes sure to keep the listener involved in the unfolding action. Surrounds are active throughout, with sharp separation for close-quarters hunting, while a bigger feel for ocean movement maintains authority, delivering an evocative understanding of the lay of the land. Dialogue exchanges are crisp, offering a tight read of panicked communication and intimate time during the day. Performances are also defined well, not overwhelmed by atmospherics. Low-end carries heaviness, detailing explosions and floorboard rumbling. Scoring is rich and clean, supported by intricate instrumentation.
"Cold Skin" loses tension when it tries to hammer home ideas on the inhumanity of man, adding touches of colonialism to Gruner's quest for power on the island, and debates on true villainy in this particular situation are best left unsaid. Gans likes to underline but he doesn't need it, as the picture does just fine with cinematic storytelling, with elements of kink and infatuation keeping the viewing experience alive, while battle sequences are hypnotically chaotic. "Cold Skin" has similarities to "The Shape of Water," and the two movies would make a neat double feature one day, highlighting a loopy film year where two directors really wanted to explore the highs and lows of humans having relationships with fishpeople.
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[•REC]⁴: Apocalypse / [•REC]⁴: Apocalipsis
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