Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

The Defiant Ones Blu-ray Movie Review

How they transformed an industry and the world.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 28, 2017

In four hour-long episodes, The Defiant Ones opens doors to the music industry that were otherwise previously only accessible through the peephole and, certainly, through the short-burst, toe-tapping stories told inside the Beats headphones. But this isn't just about the inner workings of an industry that evolved more quickly and expanded so thoroughly in the past few decades than it has at any time before. The Defiant Ones isn't the business of the beats but rather the heart of the men and women who make them, discover the next big movers and shakers, and use technology to make the experience better for everyone. There's also a rawness to the series, and even when the story of the cans feels a little canned for promotional material, the sense of history and the transformative shaping of the product seems clear. The series opens up the music world in a way that articles, sound bytes, or information cobbled together from various sources could not previously achieve. It features enough inside access to please, but it's the fully unveiled souls that make the program so compelling.

Official synopsis: From acclaimed director Allen Hughes, 'The Defiant Ones' chronicles the unlikely partnership between Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine. This revealing, compelling and often gritty story takes place in recording studios, humble homes and massive mansions, in criminal courts and in the highest corridors of corporate power. Featuring interviews with those who worked closely with Jimmy and Dr. Dre, including Bono, David Geffen, Eminem, Ice Cube, Gwen Stefani, Jon Landau, Tom Petty, Snoop Dogg and Bruce Springsteen, this docu-series showcases how the two men rose to prominence in the 80s and 90s and eventually launched their billion-dollar headphone and speaker business, Beats by Dre.

The Defiant Ones seems made for a fairly specific audience, one that's already familiar with the modern music industry, who approaches the program armed with a foundational understanding of who the players are and what they've contributed to the landscape. Indeed, the series can be overwhelming in the first half of the first episode, if one is not, metaphorically speaking, in tune with the beats, but once the landscape is established, even relative newcomers who might know the names but not the extent of their influence will soon be drawn to the compelling presentation and narrative development. The series builds on sharp-tongued but honest insight into the industry and the ever-expanding scope of the characters' places in it: the talents they have uncovered, the stars they have made, the technologies they have helped build, the industry they have helped transform. The structure is sound and the story's evolution lightning-quick. Those who enter cautiously guarded will soon find the program agreeable and insightful, and those who enter with a full plate of understanding will leave with a much deeper appreciation of how these figures have not just built an empire, but changed the musical world.

One of the program's strengths is its ability to maintain focus yet still sprawl and explore all of the industry tentacles that grow from Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine. If nothing else -- ignoring the infectious beats, the all-star talent list on display, the inside baseball and personalization of individuals beyond the public façade -- the takeaway here is the true depth and breadth of influence these figures have made on modern music. It's not simply discovering and signing talent, not exploring how the iPod or Beats headphones changed and, in many ways, saved the industry, but rather the sense of community and friendship that builds within the inner circles that only seems to improve upon not only the music but the character of the individuals who make it. Those narrative transitions come seamlessly, as the show explores the rising talents of artists like Eminem and Lady Gaga while sewing the story together with a number of top industry names like Bono, Springsteen, Combs, and Petty. Certainly the program shines a favorable light on much of what it has to share, but it never feels disingenuous or phony; the facts and figures are undeniable, but the evolving sense of character and heart is just as much a truth as sales numbers and awards.

The Defiant Ones Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Defiant Ones was shot on video (and includes some up-converted SD footage along the way that does not factor into the review score) and presents rather well on Blu-ray. It's typical of a modern documentary. The image is clean and sharp, highly detailed and capable of handling everything with ease. Static close-ups fare the best. Facial definition proves very intimate, clothes are well defined down to the finer point stitches and fabric elements, and background environment are clean and precise. Various other locations and objects look great, too, with a good example coming in episode four as Dre tours his under-construction home and drives to it in his Ferrari; both look magnificent. Colors are rich and pleasing with an even, accurate, neutral appearance. Black levels satisfy and flesh tones appear spot-on. The image does suffer through some source noise and reveals a bit of banding here and there, but neither really mar the image to any troublesome degree. This is a fine 1080p image from Universal.

The Defiant Ones Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Defiant Ones beats onto Blu-ray with an impressively deep and rich DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track offers a regular and intense surround wrap. Music is large and spacious, playing with abundant clarity even through the heaviest beats and aggressive back channel round-up. Every variety of music -- from classic Hip-Hop notes to a selection from The Untouchables soundtrack -- features master definition and stage penetration. Atmospheric effects are strong as they're implemented, and dialogue is always clear and center-focused, whether in static interviews, in the studio, or on the road. Fans will find this to be a wonderful listen, particularly as it compliments the music heard throughout.

The Defiant Ones Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of The Defiant Ones contains no supplemental content. A two-disc DVD copy of the program is included with purchase.

The Defiant Ones Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Defiant Ones won't immediately enthrall general audiences who aren't established fans of the artists or the music they make, but give it some time, and it will. This is an undeniably well done look inside their world and how they have shaped the industry into what it is today. It's lightning-quick even at just under four hours, and the narrative ebbs and flows come seamlessly, even as on paper it might look much more scattershot. It's a bit slow to start, particularly if one is coming in more or less cold rather than cozy with the facts around the people in the middle of the story, but it quickly evolves into a tangible and agreeable story of modern music's upward and onward path. Universal's Blu-ray is unfortunately featureless, but video and audio are very strong., Highly recommended.