7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The saga of a crime family in the Vatican in 1492 Italy
Starring: Jeremy Irons, François Arnaud, Holliday Grainger, Peter Sullivan (III), Sean HarrisDrama | 100% |
History | 75% |
Period | 66% |
Epic | 46% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
English, English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
BD-Live
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Our task is vengeance.
One would like to imagine that behind the scenes of the Vatican, deep in the heart of the church, and within the very soul of the man tasked with
leading it all -- the Holy Pope himself -- that only the good of the world, the needs of the people, and the Word and will of God would be of concern to
those
entrusted with such a position. Of course, that couldn't be farther from the truth. Certainly the church is full of good people with honest, legitimate,
spiritually inclined and morally sound values and visions, but as with any institution there are bound to be bad apples and, sometimes, downright
rotten fruit even at the very top of the organization. That's the core story of The Borgias, Showtime's scandalous tale of a Renaissance-era
pope with everything but the work of God on his mind. It's more Spartacus than it is a tale of faithful servants of God doing His business.
But the drama just wouldn't be there if everything was hunky-dory. Sex, manipulation, sibling rivalry, hate, fear, war, sickness, and all sorts of unholy
conniving and business dealings define the bulk of the program, a program that's also well acted and beautifully designed from the ground up.
Let's hurry this up. My mistress is waiting.
The Borgias: The Complete Second Season looks fantastic. The image is impeccably detailed right down to the finest little stitches in clothing, lines on faces, and textures on surfaces. It is remarkably clear and lifelike, perhaps very slightly flat from the HD video sourcing, but still a pristine example of the digital medium's ability to strike a fantastic balance between cleanness, efficiency, and remarkable detailing. Colors are also brilliant. Whether bright exteriors or low-light interiors, whether vibrant shades of red or dull grays, the entire palette takes on an authentic, sometimes even spellbinding appearance. Noise and banding are minimal, black levels are strong, and flesh tones pure. This is a no-nonsense, no hassle sort of transfer that does pretty much everything as well as can be expected of a modern program brought to Blu-ray.
The Borgias: The Complete Second Season arrives on Blu-ray with a very well constructed DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation enjoys a wide, spacious feel, grounded by a strong and balanced low end and defined by crisp, accurate notes through the remainder of the listening area. There's a very natural immersion to the music, and the same may be said of the many opportunities to surround the listener into the world of Renaissance Europe. The track regularly springs to life to yield some fantastic sound elements, whether heavy effects or gentle atmospherics. Nearly every scene produces a lifelike environment that should delight listeners. Sounds of action are also delivered without flaw; clanking swords, for instance, come across with striking realism. Rounded out by flawless dialogue reproduction, The Borgias: The Complete Second Season sounds just about as good as one could hope.
All of The Borgias: The Complete Second Season's supplements are available through disc three's BD-Live portal. That's frustrating and not
happening for users without an active internet connection paired to their Blu-ray playback devices. It's also slow and inefficient.
The Borgias: The Complete Second Season remains an electric but also in many ways unsettling television series. It's lurid and sinful but at the same time enticing and largely engrossing. It's strongly acted and beautifully produced. Season two plays with a very slight air of staleness to it; it's often more of a case of the pieces rearranged rather than new ones added or the current ones used in a different manner. No matter. It's not a problem -- yet -- and season two is sure to delight audiences captivated by the first, but on the other hand it won't draw in too many newcomers. Paramount's Blu-ray release of The Borgias: The Complete Second Season features beautiful video and robust audio. Show-related supplements are weak and only available through a BD-Live portal. Recommended to fans.
Remastered
2002
2013
2013
35th Anniversary Edition
1987
2008
2006
1951
Collector's Edition | Theatrical on BD
1991
1974
1990
2010
2017
2011
The Tragedy of Macbeth
1971
Special Edition
1968
2014
2019
1964
Special Edition
1974
1953