8.5 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.2 |
After U.S Marshal Raylan Givens finds himself in hot water over the shooting of a Miami crime boss, he is reassigned to the last place on Earth he'd rather be; Harlan County, Kentucky, where he was born and raised. There he must deal with his ex-wife, criminal father, an old friend turned white supremacist, and the latter's former sister-in-law who quickly rekindles her attraction to Givens. Kentucky won't be the same now that the cowboy marshal is home.
Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, Jacob Pitts, Erica Tazel, Joelle CarterCrime | 100% |
Western | 82% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, French
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
BD-Live
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
My guns are always loaded.
First it was "Cowboys" versus "Indians," then "Cops" versus "Robbers," "D.E.A." versus "drug dealers," and now in Justified it's "Cowboy"
versus "drug dealers." No matter who's on the opposing sides, no matter which shape or configuration the dynamic make take, or where the action
may occur,
the story of good versus evil has
been, remains, and likely always will be the
hallmark of both fictional entertainment and reality, continuing that whole symbiotic circle about art imitating life imitating art and so on. It's a
terribly old
device, good versus evil -- going back to that fateful day with a couple of naked people, a snake, a tree, and an apple -- so it's the degree to which
the
line between the two becomes blurred and the histories surrounding the sides that both bring them closer together and pull them further apart that
now fills in the gaps and presents audiences with a greater dynamic, and therefore a reason to watch, than the old black-and-white basics are
usually capable of achieving. That's exactly where the second season of Justified goes. Not only does it continue right where it left off with the
roller coaster easing and warming of tensions between U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) and season one adversary Boyd Crowder
(Walton
Goggins), but it introduces a third party into the conflict, the Bennett Clan, a family engaged in a long standing feud with the Givens', both now on
opposite sides of the law, the feud further defined and fueled by a more recent grudge between Raylan and Bennett family member Dickie (Jeremy
Davies). That trifecta promises to come to a heated and deadly head as the season plays out in what is more of an arc-style presentation, as
opposed to season one's more piecemeal approach to storytelling.
Glock me.
Season two of Justified arrives on Blu-ray with a quality 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer, albeit one that's not completely free of issues. Clarity is generally outstanding, particularly in brighter daylight and well-lit interior scenes. This allows the transfer to reveal some truly fantastic detailing. All sorts of natural, pristine textures -- denim, worn down caps and jackets, felt hats, wooden planks, chipped paint, and natural outdoor elements -- are evident throughout the season. Facial detail is often strong, too, though there are instances where it considerably lessens and smooths out under lower light. Colors are strong as well. The palette is bright and vibrant but not unnaturally so; it rarely drifts towards an unwanted warm shading, and never do colors appear on the other end of the spectrum, washed out or otherwise in any way appearing not as intended. The transfer does suffer in its darker scenes. Blacks turn murky, allowing shadows and darker surfaces to form one gigantic blob of darkness with little-to-no definition. Such scenes sometimes yield softer elements, too, and it's here where the transfer loses its crisp detailing. Intermittent noise in darker scenes is cause for concern, and banding across background surfaces in any condition occasionally causes problems. Despite a few issues, however, the majority of Justified's season two Blu-ray presentation looks quite good in high definition.
Season two of Justified debuts on Blu-ray with a satisfying DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track's most consistent -- and dominant -- feature is the total immersion of small town Kentucky ambience that may be heard throughout. Natural woodland ambience is consistently strong. Buzzing insects may be heard in almost every episode, light breezes occasionally blow about the listening area, while general small town ambience -- barking dogs, distant train whistles, the rumbling of heavy machinery -- help to create a sonically faultless environment. The show's opening title music is wonderful, yielding superb energy, great clarity, and a potent low end, a fine mix that serves the show well. Bass can get a little off kilter; the beginning of "Reckoning" yields heavy, rattly bass that's little more than loud vibrations. Though the scene calls for such a sound, it seems as if it could have been tighter and more focused. Gunfire is consistently crisp and satisfying, notably as heard in a major multi-rifle shootout heard in "Bloody Harlan." Dialogue is always steady, though there are one or two instances where it becomes a bit lost under heavier effects and ambience. All told, however, this is a very satisfying, immersive, and clear track that listeners will enjoy a great deal.
Unfortunately, Justified: The Complete Second Season doesn't contain many extras, certainly not proportional to the length of the season.
Deleted Scenes are included for select episodes, but are not accessible through the "Special Features" tab; they must be chosen from the individual
episode listing, and may be missed by viewers who select the menu's "Play All Episodes" option.
Justified may not be the finest show currently running on television, but it's right up there -- and ascending -- thanks to season two's improvement on the first and the show's further development of the characters and dynamics, both new and old alike. Justified works so well because it's so very different; it's refreshing to see a show drift away from the comfortable big city locales and dynamics and introduce a small town, more personal, in ways more relatable, character roster and structure, even if the whole "drug" angle is getting a little long in the tooth as the scriptwriter's generic go-to crutch. Fortunately, Justified uses it only as a device of convenience, making the show about relationships and not just drug business-fuled action. That season two also follows a better-defined arc over season one is a great asset, and the final two episodes of this season are representative of the show's current peak of excellence, episodes that bring together everything that makes Justified such an addicting watch. Sony's Blu-ray release of Justified is good, but certainly not perfect. More supplements would have made this into a better set, but considering the quality of the show and the better-than-average technical presentations, it's definitely worth a buy. Recommended.
2010
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