6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.8 |
An extremely wealthy elderly man, dying from cancer, undergoes a radical medical procedure that transfers his consciousness to the body of a healthy young man, but all is not as it seems when he starts to uncover the mystery of the body's origin and the secret organization that will kill to protect its cause.
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Natalie Martinez, Matthew Goode, Ben Kingsley, Victor GarberThriller | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
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, 24-bit)
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
What does it mean to be alive? How is life defined? Is life the mere beating of the heart and the sustaining of the physical body, or is there more to it? Can one replenish, renew, or even restart life by transferring an invisible essence -- be that collected experiences or something more metaphysical, like the soul -- into another host body? If one hopes to find the answers to those questions, or even thought-provoking hypotheticals, by watching Self/Less, the result will be frustration, not enlightenment. Director Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall), known for his high concept work, succumbs to disappointing cliché and an almost disturbing emptiness with his latest film. Self/Less primes itself, and audiences, for a fascinating journey into what it really means to be alive but instead devolves into a mostly mindless Action movie with little consequential payoff, dramatic weight, or satisfactory examination of the deeper, and much more interesting, themes that are so ripe for exploration but that are left achingly alone for the duration.
Reborn.
Self/Less features a slick and smooth 1080p transfer. While there's a noticeable digital flatness to the movie, there's not a lost detail or unrefined texture to be found. Precise, complex elements are the norm, whether finely appointed suits, worn faces, crisp country exteriors, or dense city objects. Outside of a few modestly soft moments in more challenging nighttime and low light action scenes, the image dazzles with its complex and effortless attention to detail. Colors are rich and robust, whether the gold, steely blue and gray Phoenix Biogenics interiors or lush green Missouri exteriors. Golden accents around Kingsley's kingly dwelling are particularly impressive. Black levels push a mild gray at times but are generally deep and satisfyingly so. Flesh tones present no cause for concern. Mild banding creeps across a few backgrounds, but the image never suffers from any macroblocking, aliasing, or other disfigurements. This is a fine Blu-ray presentation from Universal.
Self/Less features a fully capable DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is satisfyingly dynamic and engaging, with every element precisely defined and placed around the stage. Music plays with seamless stage immersion (though certainly a front-heavy posture). Score is impressive but the track's best musical moments come by way of a Jazz piece in chapter five. Every smooth note saturates the stage and the supportive low end is hefty and detailed. Gunshots hit hard and realistically. Other assorted crashes and action-specific elements are tight and aggressive. Various environments spring to life with finely tuned and precise atmospherics, including everything from buzzing fluorescent lights to more dense restaurant clatter and city traffic din. Dialogue delivery is clear and center-focused with no problems pertaining to prioritization or drift from the middle.
Self/Less contains a commentary and a few featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included with
purchase.
Self/Less is, in a word, disappointing. The movie has all the ingredients in place -- including the right director -- for a brainy Sci-Fi film but instead settles for a slick but still second-rate Action bore-fest that's neither creative nor exciting. The movie works well enough as a mindless romp through a litter of potential that the movie seems almost afraid to touch, but anyone expecting even a modicum of dramatic satisfaction should look elsewhere. Universal's Blu-ray release of Self/Less does offer top-shelf video and audio. Supplements are of the standard commentary and featurette variety. Rent it.
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