7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
At Chengdu Panda Base in China, scientists are dedicated to protecting the species by breeding adult Giant Pandas in order to introduce cubs into the wild. This film follows one such researcher, whose passion leads her to initiate a new technique inspired by a black bear program in rural New Hampshire. What starts as a cross-culture collaboration becomes a life-changing journey for an American biologist who crosses an ocean to join her; a scientist from Inner Mongolia; and a very curious female cub named Qian Qian, born in captivity.
Narrator: Kristen BellDocumentary | 100% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.43:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Warner Brothers has released Directors David Douglas and Drew Fellman's IMAX film 'Pandas' exclusively to Best Buy. The two-disc set includes the film on both Blu-ray and 4K UHD. Both share identical DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtracks. Only one brief supplement is included. The film is an agreeable, though brief, excursion to China and New Hampshire in exploration of the urgent process of repopulating China's wilderness with panda bears, a species which have become endangered. The film is narrated by Kristen Bell.
The included screenshots are sourced from the 1080p Blu-ray disc.
Pandas is included on both Blu-ray and UHD in this two-disc set, and there is no standalone Blu-ray release: want one, buy both; want both,
get both. The Blu-ray is crisp and sharp. It
enjoys an abundance of clarity and high end detail, offering both intimate panda fur textures and sprawling natural wilderness with striking screen
command and authenticity. The lush, stunning IMAX photography and full-screen aspect ratio largely yet intimately pull the viewer into the natural
wonders of both China and New Hampshire and up close and personal with the pandas and bears, from their early months on through several years of
development. Colors are bold, particularly barrages of natural greenery and some of that world-famous New England foliage seen in a few scenes.
Human
clothes, including several blue scientific uniforms, offer positive color depth and saturation. Skin tones appear true, bear fur is organically colorful, and
black levels are pleasantly deep. The image does suffer through some noise, which is ever-present and increases in density and visibility at several
junctures. The image is otherwise very pleasing and capable at the 1080p resolution.
The UHD image is better, unsurprisingly, than the Blu-ray. Its superiority in all areas of concern is evident right out of the gate. The white title
letters are noticeably more bold and bright than they are on the Blu-ray, finding a luminance and intensity that is far more agreeable than the
comparatively
creamy colored whites on the 1080p/SDR image; it's a fine example of the brighter and wider color gamut available under the HDR spectrum. That
extends
to panda bears, too, and it's particularly critical in those areas where white and black fur meet and the
odd white hair that stands apart from the black, the former appearing much more crisp and the latter much more stable and dark. Indeed, all colors
pop under
the HDR
spectrum. Greens are more effectively accurate and those blue scientific suits spring to life with a vibrancy beyond what the Blu-ray can offer. There's a
general increase in brightness across the board too, almost a glossiness to some shots, but the color presentation is supremely crisp and accurate from
start to finish. Natural
wilderness details enjoy more stable footing. Clarity is increased on various terrains while foliage and trees appear more organically sharp. Furs enjoy
improved crispness, too, and the image's overall feel for heightened sharpness is evident in practically every shot, from dense cityscapes to intimate
and
cozy wilderness locales. The UHD doesn't blow the Blu-ray away, but it's a solid improvement that is certainly the version to choose.
Pandas' DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, the primary soundtrack for both the Blu-ray and the UHD presentation, capably carries the material, though it's not quite as dramatically large and sonically engaging as many other IMAX soundtracks. Music is well defined, with good front side spacing but not much surround usage. A couple of popular songs zip out of the speakers with impressive verve and detailing to both instruments and lyrics. Score is likewise well balanced and sonically fruitful. There's not a prodigious amount of engagement into the back channels here but at least clarity and width are positives. The track folds in some wonderful natural ambience in New Hampshire -- buzzing insects, singing birds, rustling leaves -- as well as in bustling Chinese streets and wooded locations. Dialogue is clear, though some of the in-film exchanges are a little low. Kristin Bell's narration is center focused, well prioritized, and effortlessly detailed. The track could stand some added stage presence and oomph, and a larger channel landscape would benefit it greatly, but within the 5.1 constraints it's not a terrible listen by any means.
Pandas contains one supplement. Making 'Pandas' (1080p, 2:47) recounts the narrative and more closely explores the human and animal characters who appear in the film. It also looks briefly at the benefits of the IMAX format. This supplement is exclusive to the Blu-ray disc; there are no extras on the UHD disc. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase. A DVD is not.
Pandas may not be a narratively compelling documentary, but it is infinitely watchable. It nicely balances purpose and pleasure, pulling the viewer into the panda population crisis while spending just enough time counterbalancing those details with precious shots of the pandas (and some black bears) being as cute and cuddly as they can be. The presentation shines on both formats but is clearly superior on the UHD where clarity and color greatly surpass the otherwise more than capable Blu-ray. Audio is limited to a 5.1 lossless configuration but serves the material well enough. One extra of little value is included. Recommended.
2016
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Deluxe Edition
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The Complete Series
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IMAX
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IMAX
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