5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Federation trooper Johnny Rico is ordered to work with a group of new recruits on a satellite station on Mars, where giant bugs have decided to target their next attack.
Starring: Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, DeRay Davis, Luci Christian, Justin DoranAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 82% |
Anime | 26% |
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
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Starship Troopers is one of the great Sci-Fi films ever made. It's a violent and funny romp and cautionary tale warning against the dangers of Fascism, blind loyalty to a cause, and an out-of-control military industrial complex. Paul Verhoeven's masterpiece has spawned several sequels, both live action and animated, but none, of course, can hold a candle to the original classic. Traitor of Mars is the latest to give it a go, and it's the second digitally animated film in franchise history. It's safe to say that the animated sequels have fared better than the live-action duds, bringing better energy and more creativity, and playing out on more solid footing. A movie like this can really only thrive if done right and with the proper budget (the original) or in the more adaptively creative and efficient digital workspace. Traitor of Mars continues the story of Johnny Rico, plays around with the same style and themes as the original film, brings in the popular power suits, and delivers a fun, but not necessarily memorable, little watch that's a worthy entrant into the Starship Troopers universe.
You want to live forever?
Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars is a digitally animated film but its visual quality cannot match either that of other recent films in its class, such as Resident Evil: Vendetta, or even top-end contemporary video game cut scenes from titles like Halo 5. The graphical quality lacks cohesion, offering solid enough detailing but no real sense of absolute completion. It's a bit noisy, flat, and often plagued by shimmering lines. Details are sufficient, particularly in close-up where skin -- pores, scars, hair -- finds enough raw textural strength and leathery jackets, armor, and Rico's eyepatch reveal enough nuance to satisfy, but broader shots are fairly dull an unconvincing. Colors are drab; there's little vibrancy beyond bug plasma, fiery bursts from the end of the troopers' weapons, and a few other choice moments. Blacks, browns, grays, and other lifeless shades dominate much of the film. Blacks are a bit pale, and the image on the whole often appears somewhat washed out. This is definitely not the prettiest release around.
Another Sony Blu-ray with a companion UHD release, another Blu-ray shortchanged with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars' Blu-ray delivers a good all-around listen at 5.1 channels, delivering a fluid, well versed presentation that offers everything in fine working balance. Music is agreeably wide with a fair sense of potency. Clarity satisfies throughout the range. The track makes good, frequent use of the entire stage to fill out various scenes. Alarms blare off to the side during a drop. Swarms of bugs infest each speaker. Gunfire rips through every corner. The track could certainly stand a little more oomph, though. Gunfire doesn't ring out with prodigious intensity. The concussive blast and flying debris following a nuke strike on a large swarm of bugs in one scene near the film's midpoint offers plenty of movement and full-stage immersion, but potency could stand to be jacked up a fair amount. Dialogue is clear, center-positioned, and well prioritized, though lip sync with the digital animation is never seamlessly convincing.
Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars contains a handful of supplements. No DVD or digital versions are included.
Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars is an enjoyable film but one that doesn't add a whole lot to the main story's lore. It delivers serviceable action, a few biting social insights, and an enjoyable villainous politician. Otherwise, it's kind of a classic watch-and-forget, but it's at least better than the live action sequels by quite a bit. Sony's Blu-ray delivers meh video and fair lossless audio. A handful of enjoyable extras are included. Worth a rental, borderline recommended purchase.
2012
2012
バイオハザード ヴェンデッタ / Biohazard: Vendetta
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