NFL Super Bowl XLIX Champions: New England Patriots Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

NFL Super Bowl XLIX Champions: New England Patriots Blu-ray Movie Review

From minicamp to Malcolm Butler.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 5, 2015

The New England Patriots reaching the postseason, and even winning it all, is always a good bet. So is a little controversial dust-up on the road to glory. Robert Kraft's club has only missed the playoffs three times in the 21st century. They've actually won more championships now (four) than seasons without football beyond the scheduled 16. That's an impressive streak, well worth the "dynasty" label and shoo-in Hall-of-Fame credentials for Coach Bill Belichick and Quarterback Tom Brady, both of whom continue to win even with ever-shifting personnel around them. But with so much success comes added scrutiny. The Patriots, a team known to work the system and push the rules to their limits, encountered criticism throughout the playoff run this year from postseason opponents Baltimore and Indianapolis, the former accusing the Pats of shady formations and rule-bending plays, the latter -- and later "corroborated" by the Ravens -- accusing New England of deflating footballs below the legal limit, allowing Tom Brady a better grip on the cold and soggy New England field of play. "Deflategate" become not only a scandal in the NFL but a popular culture phenomenon in the two week build-up to the Super Bowl. Adding to the controversy was New England's history of accusations and bizarre plays and moments going the team's way, including the infamous "Spygate" scandal, the "tuck rule" playoff game against the Raiders, and, going much further back before the Belichick era, the snowplow controversy of 1982. But no matter any wrongdoing or who was or is to blame, one cannot deny the Patriots' place in history as one of the most dominant franchises in NFL history, right up there with the 1970s Steelers, the 1980s 49ers, and 1990s Cowboys.

Fourth time's the charm.

The breezy 77-minute film travels backwards in time for a brief look at the Patriots' string of success over the years, including the team's three Super Bowl victories in four years (2001, 2003, and 2004) and the decade-long title drought since. The film takes the audience back to training camp and methodically, but entertainingly, looks back at the Pats' 2014 regular season, which began on a low-note loss to the Dolphins in Miami and, after a 2-1 start, a humbling 41-14 Monday night primetime beat-down at the hands of the Chiefs in Kansas City. At 2-2, questions floated around the NFL as to whether the once-great Patriots were on the decline. The team answered its critics as it usually does, running off seven straight wins, including three decisive victories in a row against some of the best teams in the NFL: the Denver Broncos, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Detroit Lions. The Pats would end the regular season with a 12-4 mark en route to a first-round bye in the playoffs.

New England secured home field throughout. First up was the Baltimore Ravens, a club with recent Super Bowl success, coming off a win against hated division rival Pittsburgh in the opening round. The Ravens twice appeared in command, first securing a 14-0 lead in the first and, following a New England comeback, earning another 14-point lead with the score 28-14 midway through the third, but the Patriots again stormed back to tie the game and win on a late TD pass from Tom Brady to Brandon LaFell. Final score: New England 35, Baltimore 31. The Patriots played longtime nemesis Indianapolis, minus, of course, Brady rival Peyton Manning, in the AFC title game. Unlike the back-and-forth affair with the Ravens, the Patriots dominated the Colts and quarterback Andrew Luck from the beginning in rainy Gillette Stadium. The Patriots jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead. The Colts cut the deficit in half in the second, but Brady and Running Back LeGarrette Blount dismantled the Colts in the second half, each accounting for two scores, to give the Patriots a decisive 45-7 win and another trip to the Super Bowl.

For the second time in three games, the Patriots would stare down a recent Super Bowl-winning team, before the Ravens and, now, in Glendale, Arizona, the Seattle Seahawks, the team that only a year prior completely dismantled the potent Denver Broncos and Hall of Fame Quarterback Peyton Manning in the big game. Like some of the other all-time great Super Bowls, this one would come down to the wire, here featuring two monumental plays in the final seconds, the first of which appeared to give Seattle a can't-miss shot at taking the lead and, two plays later, a miracle save for the Patriots. A scoreless first quarter set a somewhat dull tone that wouldn't be duplicated for the duration. Both teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter to enter halftime tied at 14. Seattle scored 10 unanswered in the third to take a 24-14 lead into the final fifteen minutes. Tom Brady tossed two short touchdown passes to give New England a 28-24 lead going into the final two minutes of play. Russell Wilson rallied his team and drove the ball down the field, a drive defined by a miracle circus catch by Wide Receiver Jermaine Kearse, another impossible reception on which, for the third time in Super Bowl history, the Patriots found themselves on the wrong side (see David Tyree's catch in Super Bowl XLII and Mario Manningham's catch in Super Bowl XLVI). Two plays later, from pound-it-in territory right in front of the goal line, the Seahawks inexplicably threw the ball rather than hand it off to star Running Back Marshawn Lynch. No-name rookie Defensive Back Malcolm Butler made the play of his life -- and one of the all-time classics -- by intercepting Russell Wilson's pass, falling out in front of the end zone, and securing a win for his Patriots.

NFL Super Bowl Champions XLIX: New England Patriots is nothing if not straightforward. But it's slick and impressively edited in classic NFL Films style. It makes every moment an event, each play history in the making, and does so without coming across as pompous or in some way selling the product rather than telling its story. It moves quickly, but efficiently, as it highlights the regular season, slows down a bit for the two AFC playoff games, and focuses the most amount of time, rightly, on Super Bowl XLIX. Unfortunately, the film proper ignores the "Deflategate" scandal which, for better or for worse, was the talk leading up to the Super Bowl and, until Seattle Head Coach Pete Carroll's inexplicable goal line call with the game on the line, was arguably the story of the entire 2014 season. Nevertheless, as a game-only journey through the season, the film proves most effective and should please both Patriots fans and NFL die-hards looking for a solidly constructed, knowledgeable, and accessible program to keep them busy until minicamp.

NFL Super Bowl XLIX Champions: New England Patriots Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NFL Super Bowl Champions XLIX: New England Patriots' 1080i, 1.78:1-framed transfer is a mix of film and video, the former the dominant element. While some of the video details battle with blockiness, aliasing, and a general flatness (though solid enough in detailing and color), the film textured game footage, often appearing in slow motion, looks terrific. Close-ups reveal immaculately detailed faces, uniform fabrics, and patches. Though there are some lightly soft shots, details generally prove razor-sharp and exacting. Stadium details -- digital signs, advertisements, and crowds -- are also sharply defined even far from the camera. Image clarity is excellent, and colors dazzle, particularly the red, white, and blue Patriot uniforms; green turf; and bursts of other team colors like Vikings purple and Chiefs red. Black levels impress with depth and accuracy, shying away from crush and retaining solid shadow detail in trickier low light shots (ignore the stylized opening montage in which black levels appear deliberately skewered for effect). Nighttime skies particularly impress. Flesh tones appear unproblematic. Light noise occasionally distracts, but this is otherwise a frequently striking image that impresses throughout.

NFL Super Bowl XLIX Champions: New England Patriots Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

NFL Super Bowl Champions XLIX: New England Patriots snaps onto Blu-ray with a robust and enjoyable DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Narration booms a bit at reference level, sounding slightly disproportionately aggressive compared to the rest of the track, but clarity and vocal detail are satisfactory. Interviews and play-by-play snippets enjoy a more natural balance. Music plays with a healthy, vibrant front stage presence and a balanced surround support. Clarity satisfies, and the music plays with a noticeable but not excessive low end weight. Crowd cheers are generally pleasing and distinct and somewhat immersive with only a few occasions that seem to present the fan noise as more garbled, almost like heavy running water. Fireworks pop with a nice heft and aggression. Falling rain envelops the listener in a couple of shots of the Colts playoff game, and a Super Bowl jet flyover features a distinct movement through the stage.

NFL Super Bowl XLIX Champions: New England Patriots Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unlike the atrocious college football Blu-ray releases, NFL Super Bowl Champions XLIX: New England Patriots contains a large number of supplements, most of which hold some value.

• Super Bowl Media Day (1080i, 11:08): Pre-game Interview snippets with Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, LeGarrette Blount, Bill Belichick, Vince Wilfork, Brandon Browner, Julian Edelman, Darelle Revis, and Brandon LaFell.
• Super Bowl Post-Game Ceremonies (1080i, 9:11): The Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation and interviews with Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, and Julian Edelman.
• Bill Belichick Revealed (1080i, 3:37): Melissa Stark sits down with the coach to discuss how "Deflategate" has impacted him, followed by some fluff questions about his game plan against the Seahawks and his career path in the NFL.
• The Rob Gronkowski Interview (1080i, 3:15): Andrea Kremer speaks with the tight end about his play style and work ethic.
• Tom Brady: The Fire Inside (1080i, 1:39): Andrea Kremer and Tom Brady, Sr. look back on Tom's youth, Brady, Sr.'s concerns for his son post-football, and Tom Brady's confidence and will to win.
• The Belichick/Carrol Connection (1080i, 3:14): A short piece that looks at the first time the coaches went head-to-head in a game between the Jets and Browns.
• "Gronkology" (1080i, 3:55): A fluff piece that comically explores the world of "Gronk" with a linguist, a cartoonist, and an artist.
• The Tom Brady Interview (1080i, 3:02): Kurt Warner interviews the New England QB. Discussions center on Brady's youth, his Super Bowl career, plans for retirement, and game plan against Seattle.
• The Greatest Bond (1080i, 4:03): Andrea Kremer looks at the bond between quarterback and coach.
• The Super Bowl and Society (1080i, 3:08): Steve Cyphers looks at SPM 199, a class at Syracuse University that studies how the Super Bowl affects the world around it.
• 2014 Sounds of the Year: Gameday (1080i, 3:51): A montage of sound highlights, set to video, from around the NFL.
• 2014 Sounds of the Year: The Follies (1080i, 3:29): Some unique sound effects flowing from the mouths of players and coaches followed by some season lowlights.
• 2014 Sounds of the Year: The Quarterbacks (1080i, 2:50): the signal callers call pays, get hit, and celebrate scores and milestones.
• 2014 Sounds of the Year: The Playoffs (1080i, 5:06): Some choice on-field and broadcast audio cuts from around the 2014 NFL playoffs.
• 2014 Sounds of the Year: Serious Business (1080i, 5:47): A collection of sounds oriented more towards the nuts-and-bolts of football rather than its lighter moments.

NFL Super Bowl XLIX Champions: New England Patriots Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

NFL Super Bowl Champions XLIX: New England Patriots is what a football season recap video should be. While one could argue that it should include a little more coverage of each regular season game beyond a glorified highlight reel or maybe dig through the muck of "Deflategate," the program still proves a slick, smartly produced, well paced, and enjoyable run-through of the Patriots' 2014 season. Excellent video, authoritative audio, and a healthy assortment of extras, even if most of them amount to little more than fluff, make this a must-own for Patriots fans and a fun watch for football fanatics. Recommended.