6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A group of teens discover secret plans of a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.
Starring: Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Sam Lerner, Allen Evangelista, Virginia GardnerSci-Fi | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Time travel has been, and will continue to be, a staple of the Science Fiction genre, offering creative minds an opportunity to explore not only some fancy future-thinking technology but grapple with some pretty nifty ideas on everything from challenging fate to self-interaction, from altering the past to shaping the future. From H.G. Wells to whales, from James Cameron to Robert Zemeckis, the sub-genre has enjoyed a rich history in film, a history the filmmakers of Project Almanac certainly envisioned joining. The latest time-travel film, which follows a group of teenagers who construct their own machine, makes up for its total lack of plausibility with a healthy spirit and overcomes the hurdles of its generic time travel predicaments with a good foundation on which it's all built. While the movie never quite makes it as anything better than a fully passable time-killer -- the shaky-cam nonsense and terribly flat characters really drag it down -- it serves the genre well enough as a baseline competent picture that certainly had room to grow but doesn't bomb out so easily as one might expect.
Time travel. Right here, right now. Powered by Xbox (and not even the new one).
Project Almanac may be a "found footage" movie, but it at least doesn't look like one. While all the shaky cam, skewered angles, and other hallmarks remain, the movie doesn't have that blocky, low-res "prosumer" look about it. Project Almanac looks quite handsome, truth be told, presenting a surprisingly film-like image that's sometimes lost to all the excess motion but that becomes abundantly evident when things slow down. General details are a great strength. Basic image clarity excels. Backgrounds in several key locations -- David's basement, various spots around school -- reveal accents with pinpoint precision. Facial and clothing textures are spot-on accurate, too. There's some intentional break-up seen throughout the film as the camera is rattled by the heavy time travel thumps and thuds and whirlwind-like activity that accompany the jumps. Colors are simple but effective; nothing stands out as excessively flashy or unusually dull, resulting in a good palette that largely goes unnoticed, and that's not a bad thing. Flesh tones satisfy and blacks, likewise, impress, particularly evident at night. There's a small bit of banding in a couple of shots as well as some scattered noise but nothing that rises to the level of concern. On the whole, and for the style, this is an excellent presentation from Paramount.
Project Almanac's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack excels. Its primary element comes in the way of the heavy, rumbly sound effect that accompanies actual time travel. The track not only creates a hefty, immersive depth and low end thrust in these moments, but all of the bits of debris and whooshing air that swirls around also fill the stage to make for a complete, satisfying, and believable effect. Other bits are equally impressive, such as the drone buzzing through the speakers early in the film, light background ambience out in the neighborhood, and basic school hallway and cafeteria din. Even little things like a rattly shopping cart being pushed through a store are naturally authentic. Music is well balanced and enjoys precision clarity. Dialogue is true to life and focused in the center. This track does everything right and helps pull the audience into the film from a sonic perspective.
Project Almanac contains alternate and deleted scenes. Inside the Blu-ray case, buyers will find a DVD copy of the film as well as a voucher
for a UV/iTunes digital copy.
Project Almanac has "disaster" written all over it, particularly considering its "found footage" approach. Yet the movie rises above expectations -- not too far, certainly, but higher than anticipated -- and offers a nicely balanced and enjoyable time travel experience that takes the time to enjoy the possibilities before getting into the nitty-gritty consequences thereof. Though neither as mentally deep nor emotionally pulling as the genre's best, Project Almanac nevertheless manages to entertain in all its imperfect glory. It never wears out its welcome but it does play it rather safe and never stretches its characters. Still, it's a fun little ride that should scratch most ay time travel itch. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Project Almanac features solid video and audio. Supplements are limited to a handful of alternate and deleted scenes. Worth a rental at release and a purchase on the very cheap down the line.
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