5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.2 |
A social satire in which a guy realizes he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself.
Starring: Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis, Christoph Waltz, Neil Patrick HarrisComedy | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Czech: Dolby Digital 5.1
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
German: Dolby Digital 5.1
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Polish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Russian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese=Brazilian; Spanish=Castilian and Latin American
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Cantonese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Icelandic, Korean, Malay, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
UV digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
In Writer/Director Alexander Payne’s (Nebraska) Downsizing, getting small means living large…or maybe not. To be sure, the movie makes a strong case that shrinking size means shrinking bills, that money stretches because one need spend less to get an equivalent small-size portion. But the movie isn’t just about the financial value of miniaturization. It’s also, and more consequentially, about how things really don’t change even when something major does. In the movie, the decision to shrink is based on a slick sales pitch, with Neil Patrick Harris talking up the life of luxury and opportunity to turn pennies into dollars if one essentially gives their life over to science. What he doesn’t mention, amidst the glamorous prospects of living the rich life on a small scale, is the very real and very grim underbelly, the realities behind the just-miniature-scale mansions and millionaire lifestyles. The film explores the contrasting externalities of life at scale and also the notion that the human spirit, and the human condition, don’t change at any size. The film is teeming with good ideas, but the question is whether it can do anything with them, bring them together in a meaningful narrative construct. Short answer: kinda, but not really.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.
Downsizing has been upscaled for its 4K release; the film was originally photographed at a resolution of 3.4K. Downsizing's 2160p/Dolby
Vision UHD presentation has its plusses and its minuses. First, the minuses, and the most glaring one at that: the black levels. Several dark scenes,
perhaps the most prominent being a shot of Matt Damon at the 1:51:50 mark, appear significantly washed out, far too elevated, and the problem
extends to the widescreen black bars as well. Even in well-lit scenes, i.e. daytime exteriors, blacks can appear too bright, even when considering, for
example, Ngoc Lan Tran's hair. Fortunately, the elevated black bars only seem to be a significant problem in some low-light scenes (and, yes,
firmware on both the review Oppo BDP-203 and LGC7P are up to date). On the flip side, whites appear significantly improved. White balance and
brilliance are very impressive, and the sequence during which Paul's body is prepped for the downsizing is a highlight for blindingly pure whites. Colors
in general, however, are not significantly altered. The UHD's Dolby Vision presentation allows for a little more depth and saturation to basic, colorful
hues, but not to an extreme; there's not a significant difference in general coloring, save for flesh tones, which can fluctuate between paler -- maybe
even pushing a gray at times -- to more deep and dense on the UHD when compared to the Blu-ray. Textural improvements are marginal at best. This
is not UHD and Dolby Vision's finest hour.
Note: I am aware of past black level issues with LG TVs and Dolby Vision, which is why I made note of the firmware being up to date in the review.
However, though my TV is up to date by its own scan, there appears to be a newer firmware version in South Korea. I am waiting for it to arrive in the
U.S. and I will update this review if anything changes.
Downsizing, presented in a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless configuration, the same as the Blu-ray (no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X option is included), begins with impressively immersive crowd applause at a conference at the film's 3-minute mark and a fuller, more robust round a few minutes later. The track is no stranger to healthy, engaged locale-specific surround effects. Bustling din at Leisureland at the 20-minute mark provides a pleasing introduction to the place, and a dining room in chapter 17 delivers a hearty allotment of bustling activity. A few quality discrete effects pepper the film as well, but beyond those quick-shot bursts of immersion the track is largely straightforward. Music plays smoothly, clearly, and with impressive stage width and depth and detail, essentially the usual stock observations for a new film soundtrack. Some party beats heard in chapter 10 yield impressive full-stage engagement and a healthy, balanced low end, while distant bass when Paul is trying to have dinner with a date midway through the film delivers a satisfyingly realistic thump-thump-thump. Dialogue drives the bulk of the film, and it's presented with excellent clarity and firm front-center placement.
Downsizing contains six featurettes on the bundled Blu-ray. A UV/iTunes digital copy code is included with purchase.
Downsizing isn't all that funny, isn't all that dark, isn't all that enriching. The movie can't internally agree on a tone, and the outer end product suffers. It's teeming with wonderful ideas, built around a great concept, and it's certainly watchable and interesting (even engaging) in chunks, but as a whole, united entity it's a bit of a mishmash and a bit of a disappointment. Paramount's UHD has ups and downs, the latter predominantly defined by subpar black levels. It also features more than capable audio and a handful of featurettes. Pick up the Blu-ray instead.
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