6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
On the run from his home town of Basra after the death of his brother, the reckless but charming Sinbad finds himself cast out to sea, cursed to never spend more than a day and night on land. On board The Providence, stowaway Sinbad teams up with an intriguing band of travellers, including aloof Norwegian sailor Gunnar, lithe and agile jewel-thief Rina, haughty and aristocratic Nala, the eccentric odd-ball Cook and the ship’s cerebral doctor, Anwar. A terrible storm ensues and both Sinbad and his fellow ship-mates find themselves thrown together on a spellbinding voyage of discovery. Encountering magic, menace, mystery and monsters - Sinbad embarks on an epic and emotional quest to rid himself of the curse and to embrace his destiny…
Starring: Elliot Knight, Marama Corlett, Elliot Cowan, Estella Daniels, Junix InocianFantasy | 100% |
Adventure | 89% |
Action | 62% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Rear cover tech specs incorrectly list DTS-HD 5.1
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 0.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
There are all sorts of "bad" series. Shows so bad they're good. Shows so bad they're just plain awful. And shows so extraordinary they can only be called Breaking Bad. Then there are shows that defy such designations. Shows so mind-numbingly, irredeemably bad that they suck any and all pleasure out of "guilty pleasure," leaving nothing but pain, sorrow and regret in their wake. Shows so jaw-droppingly shoddy, so laughably ill-conceived, so indescribably defective they can only be called Sinbad. Even at twelve episodes, Sinbad's cancellation should be considered a mercy killing; one that should have occurred in a Sky boardroom immediately following the first screening of the now defunct adventure saga's pilot. How Sinbad made it to air remains a great mystery. How it assembled a small legion of apologists is even more baffling, although if you're lucky enough to find yourself chuckling from the outset, your hours aboard the Providence might turn out to be more bearable than those of this still-seasick reviewer.
Sailing to the ends of the earth, and right over the edge.
It's not all bad news. Sinbad comes armed with a solid 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 presentation free from compression problems and other encoding issues. Visual effects sequences are host to an array of eyesores -- from aliasing to macroblocking and back again -- but most every distraction traces back to the series' source, nothing more. Colors are warm and nicely saturated, with suitably sun-seared skintones and sand-blasted primaries. Black levels are a bit muted, but it fits the show's atmosphere and aesthetic well, and rarely proves troublesome. Detail is quite striking too, with crisp edge definition, reasonably exacting textures and revealing delineation. Is it a gorgeous presentation? Hardly. Is Sindbad a gorgeous series? Not in the least. But as technical encodes go, I doubt this one could look much better.
Disappointment returns with Sinbad's 448kbps Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track; a decent enough mix that might have rounded out a strong AV presentation if it were backed by some lossless muscle. As is, dialogue is clean and clear, effects and music are competently prioritized, LFE output is commendable, and the rear speakers jump into the fray whenever the action intensifies. However, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between this middle-of-the-road lossy experience and its standard DVD counterpart. Perhaps with some Master Audio oomph, the first season could make a grander entrance and leave a more lasting mark. Instead, it's yet another reminder that Sinbad deserved to sink into the seas.
Sinbad. Good God, Sinbad. If you can't resist the urge to peek at the series' fiery twelve-episode pileup, don't say I didn't warn you. I'm sure a few brave souls will declare it a guilty pleasure, and kudos to them for loving the unlovable. Me? I'll be just fine if I never think of the Providence and its wayward crew ever again. BBC Home Entertainment's Blu-ray release isn't much better. It boasts a solid video presentation, but its lossy Dolby Digital audio track and 50-minute supplemental package disappoint. I'd recommend sailing past Sinbad and exploring other uncharted waters. There are greater, grander series to be had.
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