8.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Sons of Anarchy, a dark drama set in Charming, a sheltered community watched over by a renegade motorcycle club intent on protecting the town from the newcomers that threaten it.
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Mark Boone Junior, Katey Sagal, Kim Coates, Tommy FlanaganCrime | 100% |
Thriller | 64% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, French, Spanish, Dutch
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Four-disc set (4 BDs)
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
It’s perhaps at least somewhat indicative of the florid operatic sensibility that creator-writer Kurt Sutter brings to the sixth season of FX’s
Sons of Anarchy that it’s not until around the 17 minute mark of the first episode of the season that the credits roll begins. There is
simply so much content and so many roiling subplots that Sutter is juggling by this point in the series that things threaten to devolve
into a mass of incomprehensible goo. It’s to Sutter’s credit, then, that this sixth season manages to continue Sons of Anarchy’s
relentlessly visceral approach to depicting the tangled lives of members of a California motorcycle club. The series has often been compared
to Hamlet, with a conflicted son (in this case, Jax, played by Charlie Hunnam) trying to navigate the swirling waters often stirred up
by his machinating mother (Gemma, played by Katey Sagal) and his ostensible stepfather (Clay, played by Ron Perlman). And there’s
certainly been a Hamlet-esque body count informing previous seasons of Sons of Anarchy, a trend which only continues (and
perhaps is even upped) in this season. But Jax is no mere vacillating “prince” debating existential philosophies while waiting to see what
fate will bring next. Jax’s evolution into a character as scheming in his own way as his volatile mother has been one of the more fascinating
longer arcs this series has indulged in, and that evolution continues apace in this set of episodes. However, fate does continue to
present formidable obstacles for Jax, and Sons of Anarchy repeatedly pulls some rather shocking rabbits out of its veritable hat which
may actually stun some longtime viewers. Sutter has already announced that the upcoming seventh season will be the series’ last, and he
has placed the surviving characters in a rather desperate set of circumstances as the sixth season comes to a close. For those wanting to
refresh their memories of what the series has held in store so far, our reviews of previous seasons can be found here:
Sons of Anarchy: Season One Blu-ray
review
Sons of Anarchy: Season Two Blu-ray
review
Sons of Anarchy: Season Three Blu-ray
review
Sons of Anarchy: Season Four Blu-ray
review
Sons of Anarchy: Season Five Blu-ray
review
Sons of Anarchy is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 20th Century Fox Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. This digitally shot series continues to be wonderfully sharp, crisp and clear on Blu-ray, but I'd actually rate this season just a notch higher than some previous releases. Part of this is due to an increased "playfulness" (if that's the right word) on the part of the directors and DPs to play with tonal values and contrast. There's not truly aggressive color grading going on here, but occasionally there will be things like slight desaturation or sepia tones added to scenes which help to create a really distinctive appearance. There's more brightly lit material in this season (rather ironic, considering the emotional darkness of most episodes), and that helps to incrementally up detail and fine detail, as well as keeping previous anomalies like noise to an absolute minimum.
This sixth season of Sons of Anarchy falls pretty much in line with previous years' DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks. As with Season Five in particular, the motorcycle riding kind of takes a back seat to more intimate dialogue scenes in this season. That said, there is almost always some motorcycle activity (albeit brief at times) in most episodes, presented with clarity and often fulsome LFE. The series continues its use of ubiquitous source cues which spill through the surrounds quite commendably. Dialogue is clean and clear and the sudden outbursts of hand to hand combat and even gunfire are handled with vividness and quite a bit of dynamic range.
Hamlet's famous solilquoy begins:
To be, or not to be,Taken as a whole, and in this season in particular, Sons of Anarchy seems to suggest that "not to be" is the norm, considering the ever accruing body count this series racks up. Even longtime fans who have an inkling with how seemingly cavalier Sutter can be with his characters may be downright shocked at several twists of fate that unfold this season. While it's arguable that Sutter has simply returned Gemma right back to where she started this season, I think it's reasonable to assume that Sutter has a few more tricks up his sleeve for the planned final season of this series. If it's anything like this sixth season, hold on to your handlebars, it's going to be a hell of a ride. Technical merits here are first rate, and Sons of Anarchy: Season Six comes Highly recommended.
That is the question.
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Bonus Disc
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Blu-ray + Beanie
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with Digital Comic Book
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Exclusive Slipcover
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Theatrical Edition
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