7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A family struggles for survival in the face of a cataclysmic natural disaster.
Starring: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd, Scott Glenn, David DenmanAction | 100% |
Thriller | 21% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
And people thought 2020 was bad. For all that went wrong in one of the world's more tumultuous timeframes at least there wasn't a sudden E.L.E. - Extinction Level Event -- to worry about. But that is the concern for one family -- and the entire world -- in Director Ric Roman Waugh's (Angel Has Fallen) Greenland, an emotionally charged story of a journey for survival in the face of an imminent cataclysm. The film blends effects-heavy yet believably rendered wizardry with an essential human soul. The film finds the best and worst mankind has to offer in a tight, compelling, and emotionally draining yet soulfully satisfying journey through a crumbling world in search of a sliver of hope when none seems to exist.
A storm is coming.
Greenland's 1080p picture quality is stable and sure. The digitally shot film often takes place at night, in lower light, or in a warm glow influenced by the fiery sky in the world around the characters. Source noise is a challenging issue for this release and some of the darkest scenes can reveal a fairly substantial amount. Nevertheless, the source is in otherwise good shape as is the encode, where banding and macroblocking are essentially nonissues save for perhaps the darkest and most densely black shots. Black levels do waver a bit, sometimes appearing a bit flat and pale, other times overly dense and soupy. Color output is otherwise good, particularly in well-lit exteriors where clothes and cars and natural greens are given ample opportunity for punch. Skin tones appear healthy and accurate though they do vary based on any given scene's lighting parameters. Details are very good. While a UHD would have rendered Butler's beard, for instance, even sharper, the Blu-ray does a fine job of bringing out expressive, sharp enough definition to broad and intimate facial features alike. The darker shots allow for less dynamic texturing but the image remains stable and well within 1080p expectations for the duration. This will never be seen as reference material but viewers should be generally satisfied with the picture, particularly given that most of the drawbacks can be traced to the source or artistic intent.
What is of reference quality is Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. While the sound design screams out for an Atmos or DTS:X experience, there's no shortage of excellent, even exquisite, surround extension, low end depth, and discrete effects. The track is explosive, literally. The first blast from the comet sends a concussive shockwave through the film and into the home theater with incredible speed, depth, and sense of movement. Several similar impacts throughout the film are equally impressive, many of them more dominating than the last but never losing even a hint of detail. But one of the best moments comes not with a thunderous single impact but rather a pelting of smaller comet fragments at the 92-minute mark. This is the scene that really demands the overhead channel engagement but even without them the feel for total immersion, for the projectiles zipping like missiles from above and to the ground, and the various impacts and subwoofer extensions, not to mention the absolutely perfect sense of spatial awareness and distance, make for a clear-cut demo worthy audio scene. Beyond the intense action effects, musical presentation is flawless for detail and immersion. Environmental supports excite, too, particularly some of the denser examples like when an unruly crowd assembles outside of a military base in chapter five as panicked throngs attempt to gain entry in a desperate life-saving measure. Dialogue is unsurprisingly natural, well prioritized even in intense action, and center-grounded throughout.
Greenland includes an audio commentary track, deleted scenes, and a featurette. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with
purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.
Greenland is a rare blend of spectacle and relatability. It's a film that doesn't push the envelope but rather pushes a family to, and beyond, its believable limits in the face of unthinkable disaster. Visual effects are present in support rather than as a defining feature. Humanity is at the center of the film and that's why it plays as well as it does. Universal's Blu-ray is very good. The 1080p picture quality is solid, the 7.1 lossless audio track reaches reference, and a few extras are included. Highly recommended.
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