6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail NanjianiAdventure | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 93% |
Fantasy | 86% |
Supernatural | 32% |
Comedy | 20% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Was Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire meant to be primarily positioned as part of the Ghostbusters franchise relaunch? Is it a sequel to Afterlife? The groundwork for a further move away from the OG cast? More Ghostbusters 3 than Afterlife 2? A callback to the original films? What exactly does Frozen Empire want to be? Unfortunately, it tries to be all these things and more, but only ends up being less than anything mentioned above. It has its charms, limited though they may be, and it has a few good ideas rattling under the hood. But it's a requel of too many moving pieces, too many characters, too many subplots and, somehow, too little action and, well, ghost-busting. Downright dull at times, it stumbles more than it runs, fizzles more than it delivers, and cowers more often than it strikes. It's a film in search of purpose and direction, eager to please anyone and everyone but never quite living up to its potential or the promise of previous franchise entries.
But does it ever look good in 4K! Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire boasts a virtually flawless native 4K image that offers all the crisp, colorful Ghostbusting and sinister shenanigans the film itself sometimes struggles to deliver. Bursting with ectoplasmic greens and blues, vivid I ain't fraid of no ghosts logo reds, eerily deep black levels, and lovely fleshtones (or ghost-tones as it were) -- despite a slight sepia toning -- Empire's palette is every bit as lively as it was in high-end theaters. Shadows reveal only as much or as little as they're meant to, and contrast is dialed in beautifully, packing enough vibrancy and punch to leave younger viewers "ooh"ing and "ahh"ing. The HDR boost is noticeable too. The standard Blu-ray's colors are as impactful as they can be, but the HDR-enhanced hues are stunning, particularly when Slimer, rando-spirits and New York's resident ice god attacks. And just wait till you get a load of the team's proton beams cutting a swath across the screen, bursting, twisting and flickering with pinks, purples and greens. All the while, detail is perfectly on point, and again, represents an obvious uptick from the standard 1080p presentation. Edge definition is razor sharp, fine textures are resolved wonderfully, delineation is excellent, and there isn't a hint of softness to be had. The image lacks any notable grain, serving up a more digital, glossy aesthetic, but there's still enough of a filmic vibe and verve to look the cinematic part. Moreover, banding, blocking and other issues are entirely absent, rounding out the already top tier encode with striking proficiency. You can argue about the quality of the film all you want, but there's no denying Frozen Empire's visual prowess.
And then there's Frozen Empire's Dolby Atmos audio, to which I wish I could simply say "whoa" and leave it there. It's that good. The standard Blu-ray's lossless audio track is fantastic too, but when you hear all of the heavy lifting the Atmos mix pulls off, get drawn into the far-too-convincing New York streets alongside the ECTO-1, hear proton packs erupt in a cramped space, or listen to ice creak and crackle as it spreads across a concrete floor and up the legs of an endangered Ghostbuster, you'll be whispering "whoa" too. Dialogue is as clear and intelligible as it gets, yet is never overwhelmed or underwhelmed by the ever-active, always-involving soundscape. Empire's sound design is bursting with surround elements and directional effects, which the Atmos speakers are more than eager to reproduce all around the listener. Channel pans are seamless to the point of being downright ghostly, the soundfield is as immersive and enveloping as they come, and hardly a scene goes by without some bit of subtle witchy wonder sneaking into the mix. This is a track that rewards anyone who takes a moment to close their eyes and focus on the sonics. And oh man, listen to that LFE support kick. Low-end output is aggressive and suitably scary, lending a welcome growl to the ECTO-1, a surge of nuclear oomph to proton beams, weight to otherwise weightless apparitions, and a real sense of danger to looming spirit storms, rending containment unit metals, and concrete-splitting tremors. Paired with the disc's video presentation, Sony's Dolby Atmos track is a stand-up standout. I can't imagine anyone will be disappointed in the least.
All of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's special features are found on its standard Blu-ray disc. The 4K disc only includes a carryover of the
film's audio commentary and a selection of current Sony previews and trailers.
I'm still iffy about Frozen Empire and expect to remain that way, although I enjoyed Afterlife enough that I should give Empire a second chance sometime. Fortunately, there's nothing iffy about Sony's 4K Blu-ray release. Striking video, jaw-dropping Atmos audio and plenty of special features make for an excellent release no matter how you look at it.
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Extended Edition
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2016
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2019
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1989
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Collector's Edition
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1984