8.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Sherlock Holmes stalks again in contemporary versions of the classic detective stories, translated to 21st century London, where the world's first "consulting detective" advises Scotland Yard with the aid of his friend and comrade, Dr. John Watson, a soldier recently returned from deployment to Afghanistan.
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs, Rupert Graves, Louise BrealeyMystery | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
BDInfo verified
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Brilliant! Yes! Four serial suicides, and now a note. It's Christmas!
Count me among the popcorn-stuffed masses who actually enjoyed Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes earlier this year. The plot itself was fairly
inconsequential, sure. The end result was an exercise in style over substance, no doubt. But it was just so much... fun. Still,
after watching Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat's sharp, savvy BBC modernization of the Holmes mythos, I can see why Ritchie's
critics were in such a huff. Series stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman give Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law a run
for their money, Gatiss and Moffat's reimagining is far more cohesive and absorbing, the characters are more fully realized,
and the captivating mysteries at the heart of Season One's three 90-minute episodes outclass their Big Screen
competition in every way. Frankly, it's enough to make a writer consider updating an old review...
"Why does anyone do anything? Because I'm bored."
A word to the wise: don't allow "1080i" to prematurely set your expectations. Sherlock's 1080i/AVC-encoded presentation is a welcome surprise; one that stands among BBC's better releases. Aside from a spot of minor banding now and again, all three Season One episodes thoroughly impress, rewarding viewers with stark, wintry palettes, smartly saturated skintones, strong contrast leveling and ink-blot shadows (barring a few muted blacks attributable to the series' source). Image clarity is remarkable as well. Closeups yield plenty of fine detail, edges are crisp and clean, textures are often exceedingly refined (especially for a television production) and most every clue Holmes uncovers is as revealing to the viewer as it is to the Great Detective himself. Better still, the encode is polished and proficient. Significant artifacting, aberrant noise, distracting aliasing and the like are held at bay, ringing isn't an issue and each episode hurtles along without a hitch. I, for one, was riveted at every turn.
There isn't anything particularly wrong with BBC Video's 448kbps Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track, but there isn't anything extraordinary about it either. Dialogue is bright, clear and neatly centered, effects are distinct and precise, and LFE output is restrained but effective. Likewise, rear speaker activity isn't exactly immersive or overly aggressive -- perhaps to its occasional detriment -- but it's light enough on its feet to satisfy. It helps that Michael Price and David Arnold's pulsing score fills out the soundfield nicely, pans are slick, and dynamics are adequate to the television task at hand. Ultimately, while a lossless track (or even a DTS-HD High Resolution mix, BBC Video's go-to Blu-ray M.O.) would have been most appreciated, this lossy alternative gets the job done.
The Blu-ray edition of Sherlock: Season One arrives on the scene with more than four hours of special features. The best of the bunch come in the form of two audio commentaries: "A Study in Pink" with writer/executive producer Steven Moffat, executive producer Mark Gatiss and producer Sue Vertue, and "The Great Game" with Gatiss and actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. The showrunners' track is a somewhat reserved, technical dissection of the series, but the trio touch on everything from the genesis of the project to casting to the shoot itself. Directors, performances, photography, story, dialogue and character are discussed at length, and there aren't any lulls in the producers' analysis. The actors chat is just as informative, albeit a bit more entertaining. Cumberbatch and Freeman's dry humors spice things up perfectly, and Gatiss keeps the pair focused. Both tracks are excellent though, and fans of Sherlock will only have one complaint: that "The Blind Banker" doesn't offer a commentary as well. From there, treat yourself to "Unlocking Sherlock" (HD, 33 minutes), a candid and extensive production documentary that digs into the process behind modernizing Doyle's detective and transplanting classic elements from the stories into the 21st century, and "Pilot: A Study in Pink" (HD, 55 minutes), an early, pre-broadcast version of the series' first episode.
Sherlock: Season One is a well-conceived, exquisitely constructed three-part opening volley that, second-episode imperfections aside, stands far apart from other literary modernizations and reimaginings. And its Blu-ray release? Worth the investment. With a striking video transfer, a decent Dolby Digital audio track and more than four hours of supplemental content, series fans and newcomers won't miss a penny of the cash they shell out. Enjoy! The game is truly afoot...
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Sherlock Holmes
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