5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.6 |
A private detective is hired to find a missing stripper but the job turns complicated when everyone he questions ends up dead. From the mean streets of Los Angeles to the desolate desert of New Mexico, Cruz must contend with a brutal Russian Boxer, three brash LAPD detectives, an aged billionaire looking for the Big Bang, and the billionaire's stunningly gorgeous wife. The solution to the mystery will cost ten lives, net $30 million and just might explain - well - everything.
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Thomas Kretschmann, William Fichtner, Sienna Guillory, Delroy LindoThriller | 100% |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
All things being equal the simplest solution is the best.
If only high school physics classes were taught in the style of throwback noir films and worked in naked girls covered in scientific-looking tattoos,
maybe the
United States wouldn't be lagging behind other countries on test scores. Or maybe it would fall to dead last. The Big Bang is a fresh and
satisfying chase movie that has all the usual elements: an edgy private eye; a boxer who's thrown a match, served time, and is looking for his lovely
mystery penpal; a hidden stash of diamonds; a madman; and...and...and lots and lots and lots of physics. Watching The Big Bang is kind of
like
combining film school and a physics major. Throw in a trade like plumbing, too, because the film pretty much tosses in the kitchen sink on top of
everything else, making this one of the most well-rounded, strangely-brewed, yet oddly appealing movies to come around in a long, long time. It's a
nerd's dream come
true; it's stylish cinema that features big-name actors jabbering about science while featuring a stripper, a porn director, and a waitress with a fetish
for college-level sciences who gets naked and does the dirty while deriving more pleasure by talking about physics than she does from the act of love.
It's not a new classic or even a movie that's going to be much more than a blip on the radar screen, but thumbs up for going in a new direction, even if
it goes way over the top to do so.
Spill the beans.
The Big Bang's 1080p Blu-ray transfer is easily one of the absolute best in Anchor Bay's catalogue. Fine detail is flat-out exceptional; close-ups reveal incredibly intricate skin textures that really show off the horsepower behind a well-constructed Blu-ray transfer. The image is crisp and sharp, and fine detail is superb across the board, not only in the most zoomed-in shots. Colors are well-balanced and neutral, occasionally vibrant depending on the lighting conditions and palette, but flesh tones favor a slight bronze appearance. Black levels are impeccably deep and natural, yielding exceptional shadow detail and not a hint of crush. Banding is minimal and background blocking is a non-factor. Clarity is outstanding; The Big Bang is immaculately clean and is accentuated by a handsome and balanced layer of natural grain that gives the image that wonderful finishing touch that is a beautiful film-like texture. This is a top-tier transfer from Anchor Bay.
The Big Bang's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack isn't exactly an explosion of sonic delights, but it's a steady enough listen that suits the material well. Music is full-bodied and enjoys extraordinary spacing; the entire soundstage springs to life over the opening title sequence, with notes spilling from every speaker like they were designed to take advantage of all five speakers at a high level of volume and an even higher level of clarity. That sense of spacing remains throughout, the track offering up both music and sound effects that live for the opportunity to stretch the limits of the soundstage both from side to side and from front to back. Action sound effects are nicely implemented; a unique "projectile" hurtles from the front of the soundstage to the rear early in the movie, and additional action-oriented sounds are nicely balanced, spacious, and suitably potent. The track features a tight low end, energizing the soundstage through music, action, and even the background beats that really emphasize the low thumpthumpthump at a strip joint. The picture doesn't deliver nonstop action, however; there's far more in the way of straight dialogue than there is raw action-specific sound effects, but Anchor Bay's lossless track delivers a balanced, crisp, and satisfying presentation no matter the situation.
The Big Bang's Blu-ray release is enhanced by the inclusion of a few extras of note, headlined by an audio commentary track.
The Big Bang is...unique. It's definitely not a picture for all tastes, and it's all over the map in terms of plot, acting, and general level of insanity. That's not a bad thing, but as many will likely be turned off as turned on. For those with an open mind and a willingness to embrace something that lies well beyond the line separating the normal from the abnormal, The Big Bang may just be the ticket to an enjoyable Saturday night. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of The Big Bang features a tip-top technical transfer and a few extras. Recommended.
Extended Cut
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