8.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.1 |
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
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Korean
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
Bonus View (PiP)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The typical angle that critics take on the FX channel’s rowdy biker drama Sons of Anarchy is that it’s “Hamlet on Harleys.” And to be sure, there are numerous—but subtle—references to Shakespeare’s tragedy, from characters that are practically one-to-one representations of Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, and Ophelia, to the show’s overarching themes of betrayal, loyalty, and revenge. (The lead character, Jax, has yet to give a skull-in-hand soliloquy, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we eventually get some kind of contemporary equivalent. Although, given the Sons’ predilection toward extreme violence, who knows? Maybe he will hold an actual skull.) To overanalyze the connections is beside the point, as Hamlet really just gives Sons of Anarchy a loose framework, a skeleton that’s fleshed out with the meat, gristle, blood, and guts of a modern-day outlaw biker gang. As I was finishing the gripping finale of season two, my wife popped in briefly to proffer her own comparison. “So,” she said, “this is basically Sex and the City for dudes.” And she’s at least partly right. Just as Sex and the City offers a skewed, exaggerated view of what womanhood should be, Sons of Anarchy—by all exterior appearances—is masculinity hyperbolized. But there’s more to it than that.
Sons of Anarchy
Shot natively using the Panavision Genesis HD video camera, Sons of Anarchy gets a digital-to-digital 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer that delivers a crisp, easy-on-the-eyes image. Really, the only flaws to this presentation are the ones inherent in the source material. Since the exposure latitude of digital isn't quite as wide of a spectrum as that of film, you'll notice that some highlights look slightly blown out. You'll also see a distinct spike in digital noise during darker nighttime scenes. Otherwise, this is a slick HD video production that looks even better here—as you'd hope—than it does on television. Clarity is fantastic; anytime there's a close-up you'll be able to count the pores on the actors' faces and even make out the fine texture of the Sons' leather "cuts." The only anomaly I spotted in resolution takes place at the end of the "Fa Guan" episode—as the camera circles around the cast members, the image looks uncharacteristically smeary and soft. It's bizarre, but thankfully brief. The series has a very realistic, life-like color palette that features strong primaries—especially reds—and natural skin tones. Saturation is nicely balanced, collaborating with deep black levels to create a picture with tight contrast and real dimensional presence. Aside from the occasional video noise, there are no real compression-related problems. Looks great!
I have to give it to Fox for delivering consistently solid audio experiences—lossless, to boot—on all their televisions series. Sons of Anarchy gets a punchy DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround presentation that may not offer the intricate sound design of a theatrical film, but leaves most TV shows in a wake of dust and exhaust. With all of the motorcycles in this series, you can bet there's a lot of throaty LFE rumble, accompanied by deft cross-channel movements as the bikes zip out of frame. The rear channels are frequently filled with quiet environmental ambience—chatter in the clubhouse, the street sounds of Charming, etc.—and when gun battles erupt, explosive shots pop off from every direction, effectively putting you right in the middle of the action. Many of the episodes are punctuated by hard rock tunes, which blast forcefully from all channels with defined bass and growling guitar. There were a few instances when I felt there was too much low-end in the dialogue—giving the voices a heavy, though not quite muffled quality—but never had any trouble understanding what was being said. Overall, the mix is intense and far better than you might expect from a basic cable TV series.
Commentaries
Like the Blu-ray set for season one, this season two release includes three commentary tracks—one on each disc—all
hosted by showrunner Kurt Sutter. On "Albification," Ron Perlman, Adam Arkin, and Guy Ferland drop in for a relaxed
chat, and Sutter is joined on "Balm" by Perlman, Katey Sagal, Maggie Siff, Paris Barclay, and Dave Erickson. If there's
one must-experience track, it's for the finale, "Na Triobloidi," which features nearly all of the cast members and can
optionally be viewed as a picture-in-picture commentary.
The Moral Code of Sons of Anarchy (1080p, 10:33)
Show creator Kurt Sutter and various cast members comment on loyalty, hierarchy, and the rigid set of rules that
dominate life for motorcycle gangs in general, and the SOA in particular.
Sons of Anarchy Roundtable (1080p, 40:29)
Kurt Sutter and nearly the entire cast gather at the Happy Endings bar in Los Angeles to have an extensive Q&A
session, taking on questions submitted by fans via Facebook and Sutter's blog. If you feel like you know the
characters on the show, it's kind of crazy to see how different the actors are from their roles. Oh, and Ron Perlman is
wearing, bar none, the most ridiculous button up shirt I've ever seen—a weird multi-colored paisley patchwork that
looks like an acid trip in cloth form. Definitely worth watching, and not just for the shirt.
Gag Reel (1080p, 3:57)
A fairly funny montage of flubbed lines, jammed guns, and botched takes.
Deleted Scenes (1080p, approx. 40 min.)
Each disc contains a several scenes that were trimmed for time.
Sons of Anarchy avoids the sophomore slump in season two by delivering a well-told arc that's focused more on the complicated relationships between the characters than mere gratuitous motorcycle gang exploitation. For all its machismo, this is a series with real nuance, thanks to the specificity of showrunner Kurt Sutter's storytelling and the efforts of a cast who bring life—believably—to their complex characters. Fans of the series will definitely want this set sitting on their shelves—it has excellent picture and sound, and a decent array of special features—but for newcomers, Sons of Anarchy season one is an essential prerequisite before proceeding to season two. Recommended.
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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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