6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
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: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French (Canada): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Thai: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English and French Dolby Digital tracks are descriptive audio tracks.
English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Thai
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
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.
If you're a fan of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, though, you'll be ecstatic to see that its 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation boasts a terrific 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 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 Blu-ray doesn't offer the noticeable HDR boost of its 4K counterpart, but unless you've seen both, you're at any disadvantage. Detail remains excellent throughout too. Edge definition is nice and sharp, fine textures are naturally resolved, delineation is spot on, and there isn't a hint of softness to be had. Yes, 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 absent, rounding out the already impressive 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.
The only downside to the AV presentation (though "downside" is a gross overstatement) is that Sony stops short of granting the 1080p Blu-ray release a 7.1 mix and instead sticks with the ever-reliable DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track standard. No giant loss but still a touch disappointing. Dialogue is as clear and intelligible, without ever being overwhelmed or underwhelmed by the ever-active, always-involving soundscape. Empire's sound design is bursting with surround elements and directional effects, with smooth channel pans and precise directional effects. The soundfield is immersive from start to finish, and hardly a scene slithers by without some bit of subtle witchy wonder sneaking into the mix. Like it's big brother Atmos mix on the 4K release, it rewards anyone who takes a moment to close their eyes and focus on the sonics. LFE support is hefty and assertive too, 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 lossless track delivers. And, honestly it's strong enough to earn a 5.0 score, even if I felt some disappointment that it wasn't a 7.1 mix.
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 Blu-ray release. Striking video, strong audio and plenty of special features make for an excellent release no matter how you look at it. The 4K edition gets the edge, but the standard release is still a powerhouse.
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Collector's Edition
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