6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
John McGill is a promising student at a tough Glasgow school who, despite a family background of alcoholism and abuse, looks set to sail into university and a bright future beyond. That is, until things begin to go wrong at school and John, like his older brother before him, slips into the heady and dangerous world of Glasgow's gangland.
Starring: Conor McCarron, Peter Mullan, Greg Forrest, Linda Cuthbert, Stephen McColeCrime | 100% |
Drama | 78% |
Period | 9% |
Coming of age | 6% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Peter Mullan's "Neds" (2010) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Entertainment One. The supplemental features on the disc include a gallery of deleted scenes and Q&A session. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".
In pain
Presented in am aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Peter Mullan's
NEDS arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Entertainment One.
The high-definition transfer supports the film's gritty look. Detail is excellent from start to finish, with many of the close-ups
conveying that 'thick' look which some of Ken Loach's latest films have. Clarity is also pleasing, but it has to be said that it
fluctuates depending on whether or not natural light is restricted. Contrast levels are consistent. The film's color-scheme is
quite unique. Despite the gritty look, the prominent colors are often warm blues, greens, and light browns. There are no
traces of post-production sharpening or severe denoising. Naturally, a layer of fine, well resolved grain is present
throughout the entire film. Banding and aliasing patterns do not plague the high-definition transfer either. Finally, there are
no serious stability issues to report in this review. All in all, Neds looks excellent on Blu-ray. (Note: This is a
Region-B "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its
content).
There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. For the record,
Entertainment One have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image
frame and the black bar below it.
The English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track has a good range of nuanced dynamics, but the film's sound design is fairly
modest. Bass and surround activity, in particular, are limited. Acclaimed Scottish composer Craig Armstrong's atmospheric
soundtrack, however, opens up the film in certain areas that would have looked quite unattractive without it (see the
sublime finale with the beautiful piano theme). The dialog is crisp, clean, and stable, but kudos to Entertainment One for
providing optional English SDH subtitles because viewers not used to the thick Glasgow accents will definitely find them
enormously helpful.
Scottish director Peter Mullan's Neds is not easy to like but it is impossible not to be impressed with. It may well be the most authentic film ever made about life on the streets of Glasgow. It is superbly directed, terrifically acted, and complimented by yet another brilliant score courtesy of the great Craig Armstrong. The film looks and sounds terrific on Blu-ray. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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