6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.4 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.3 |
An L.A. cop and a Japan expert investigate the murder of an American call girl at a Japanese corporation, and the investigation exposes much more than was expected.
Starring: Sean Connery, Wesley Snipes, Harvey Keitel, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Kevin Anderson (I)Thriller | 100% |
Action | 72% |
Crime | 69% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
French 2.0 is Dolby Surround; Both Dolby 2.0 are 224kbps
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
You don't think video can be altered?
The late novelist Michael Crichton was renowned for his implementation of advanced technology
amidst a world of danger, intrigue, and action. Though not one of the author's more noted works
of fiction-turned-motion picture -- thanks in large part to one Mr. Steven Spielberg -- 1993's
Rising Sun is nevertheless vintage Crichton, the story incorporating a deadly game of
murder, mystery, and sleight-of-hand thanks not only to clever tricksters and corporate
musclemen,
but (then) radically-advanced technology that can almost seamlessly place anyone and anything
at the scene of the crime. Rising Sun certainly isn't crowd-pleasing Spielbergian cinema,
but it's still a smart, if not somewhat awkwardly paced, Thriller that holds up despite the dated
technology that, not even 20 years later, is but a commonplace computer software accessory.
Fortunately, the story surrounding the technology proves moderately intriguing and occasionally
gripping, Director Philip Kaufman's (The Right Stuff) picture more than a star vehicle for
two of the 1990's hottest commodities, Sean Connery (Entrapment) and
Wesley Snipes (7 Seconds).
And thus the "floating head" cover art concept was born.
Rising Sun comes up on Blu-ray with an inconsistent 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer. The film's open -- and indeed much of the picture -- appears sloppy and poorly resolved. Soft, fuzzy, and populated by sporadic dirt and debris, the picture certainly doesn't inspire confidence from the get-go. Rising Sun is a particularly dark picture -- especially in its opening act -- and in conjunction with an already sloppy appearance, it's no surprise that fine detail, while suitable given the low lighting, is only moderately impressive. Lines in fabric or textures on walls are fairly rendered, but faces are somewhat smooth, but later in the film and often under brighter conditions, the transfer appears far sharper, crisper, and more intricately detailed and colorful. Additional problems include light banding, messy blacks, and flesh tones that often take a turn towards the red end of the spectrum. Rising Sun certainly isn't going to be anyone's go-to demo Blu-ray disc, and while the transfer isn't all that impressive, the film's dark tone isn't exactly primed to look spectacular, anyway.
Rising Sun debuts on Blu-ray with a passable but otherwise underwhelming DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The film begins with, and features several times throughout, a thunderous drum presentation that's the highlight of the track despite the absence of exceptional clarity but not lacking in sufficiently loud volume. Nevertheless, many sound effects throughout Rising Sun seem dated and muffled. Elevator doors slide open and across the front half of the soundstage but with more of an undefined and, aside from the visual aid, sonically unidentifiable jumble of noise. Meanwhile, background music and chatter in several locales never penetrate the soundstage with any kind of realistic flair, and several scenes featuring a moderate rainfall fail to engulf the soundstage and immerse the listener in the environment. Some more aggressive high-octane action -- speeding cars and a blaring alarm in one sequence -- offer an appropriately hefty volume at reference level but nevertheless continue in the track's slightly messy and garbled tone that never allows for a more impressive, clear, and exacting sonic presentation. Nevertheless, dialogue is suitably strong and consistently intelligible, but Rising Sun's soundtrack never really moves beyond the level of mundanely sufficient.
This Blu-ray release of Rising Sun contains only 1080p trailers for Rising Sun (2:29), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Kiss of the Dragon.
Rising Sun is a solid all-around Thriller that features minimalist direction that smartly allows for the film's tightly-woven mystery and solid performances to dominate every frame. Though parts of the film feel dated, the story nevertheless remains sufficiently intriguing so as to mask any shortcomings that seem evident only years after the picture's initial release. Still, Rising Sun is a good picture that's aimed at mature audiences and requires some effort to fully appreciate, but even approaching two decades since its release, the film remains well worth the time and effort. 20th Century Fox's Blu-ray release of Rising Sun delivers a hit-or-miss 1080p transfer, an underwhelming lossless soundtrack, and next-to-no extras. Rising Sun is certainly worth a rental for general audiences, and fans might want to give in and make a purchase considering the title's now-aggressive pricing.
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