8.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.
Starring: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-sik, Park So-damDrama | 100% |
Foreign | 83% |
Dark humor | 42% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Korean: Dolby Atmos
Korean: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
English
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite" (2019) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include exclusive new video interviews with cast and crew members; new audio commentary by Bong Joon-ho and critic Tony Rayns; footage from the Cannes Film Festival press conference; and more. In Korean, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Parasite arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.
This release contains two versions of the film, each placed on a separate disc -- color version and black-and-white version. On my system both looked exceptional. The color version in particular boasts tremendous depth and superb ranges of nuances. (I have not seen the 4K Blu-ray release, but I cannot imagine how anyone can be disappointed with the quality of the 1080p visuals). Fluidity is terrific as well, though this should not be surprising considering the fact that Parasite is a very recent film that was shot with top quality equipment. The primary colors are rich, incredibly well-defined and with fantastic ranges of nuances. Again, hardly surprising. The black-and-white version has a different vibe. In the darker areas the dynamic range of the visuals is actually quite different, so a lot of the more subtle nuances that give the color version its identity are missing. Depth, delineation, and clarity are again terrific. Image stability is outstanding on both versions. Finally, there are no encoding anomalies to report in our review. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
Both versions of the film can be viewed with Korean Dolby Atmos audio tracks. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.
I viewed the black-and-white version in its entirety and thought that the quality of the audio was exceptional. Clarity, separation, and depth were simply terrific. I am unsure what else to say because right from the get-go it is very easy to tell that the entire soundtrack was mixed by the highest modern standards. There are no technical anomalies to report in our review.
BLU-RAY DISC ONE - BLACK-AND-WHITE VERSION
Parasite is so overstylized that the sense of intimacy that permeates Bong Joon-ho's early films and makes them unique is completely lost. Additionally, the social contrasts that are supposed to give its narrative a structure are mismanaged in ways that make the entire project look like an underdeveloped parody. I did not like it at all. If your take on it is drastically different, I think that Criterion's upcoming two-disc set belongs in your collection. It offers the black-and-white version of the film as well as a number of exclusive new bonus features with director Bong Joon-ho and cast and crew members. RECOMMENDED to the fans.
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