6 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.6 |
Nine strangers -- all tenants of a New York high rise apartment --escape a nuclear attack by hiding out in the building's bunker-like basement. Trapped for days underground with no hope for rescue, and only unspeakable horrors awaiting them on the other side of the bunker door, the group begins to descend into madness, each turning on one another with physical and psycho-sexual torment.
Starring: Lauren German, Michael Biehn, Milo Ventimiglia, Courtney B. Vance, Ashton HolmesHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 63% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Not exactly the Garden of Eden.
For those with their heads buried in the sand, take notice: many believe the world to be on edge, perhaps more so than it has ever been before. Ever
wonder why zombies, natural disasters, and dystopian visions of the future are such a huge hit on the screen, within video games, and throughout the
world of literature? People are scared. People want to know what might be coming. People want to know how to deal with it, how to accept it, how to
survive it, whatever "it" might be. Indeed, the future's as uncertain as it has ever been. Political strife, fears of war, entire first-world nations on the
brink of economic collapse, rogue planets supposedly inching their way into the solar system, and even a little thing called the Mayan Calendar and
December 21, 2012 have people wondering just what the future might hold, and the outlook certainly isn't all roses. Conspiracy theories are gaining
traction, survival books and websites and
television shows are all the rage, and firearm and ammunition sales are climbing towards record highs in large part because of, but not exclusive to,
the fear of that little four-letter word: doom. But if from "doom" comes anything even remotely resembling Director Xavier Gens' (Hitman) The Divide, well, better to just die right off the bat when
the old stinky "S" hits the fan rather than live through the hell on Earth that awaits the foolish and unprepared.
Survivors.
The Divide's 1080p Blu-ray transfer is murky and lifeless, which reflects the original source and stylings. It's as bleak and hopeless as the movie, not quite as dead as The Road but close to it. Gray is the order of the day. Gray walls, gray tiles, and nearly colorless clothes are the rule, and even the good old Stars and Stripes appears as pale as ever. Only fiery explosions seen at the beginning of the movie offer any sort of vibrancy. Fine detail, however, is strong, even through the dull colors and lifeless backdrop. Skin textures are visibly complex, and the image picks up and displays all of the dirt, worn-down bricks and stone, rusted odds and ends, and filthy tiles with ease. The picture is naturally sharp and accentuated by a modernly heavy grain structure. Only a handful of shots ever stray towards a soft or pasty look. Black levels are fine, never too destructive to surrounding details, and skin tones reflect the worn down color structure. The image isn't pretty, and it's not meant to be. This specific look plays a significant role in shaping the movie's atmosphere, and it's reflected accurately on Anchor Bay's Blu-ray disc.
The Divide's Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack proves sonically intense and emotionally chilling. As the film opens, a great sense of chaos fills the soundstage. Missiles fly through the air, explosions pound the listening area, a building begins to collapse, and frightened people stampede down a staircase in search of somewhere to hide. The chaos absolutely surrounds the listener, the deep, constant rumbles creating a fearful atmosphere. The din comes across as a little unkempt, and the low end becomes a hair rattly, but it seems a more jumbled presentation suits the scene nicely. Once in the bunker, the rumbles continue and largely remain throughout the movie. That heavy sense of foreboding and uncertainty lingers, and even as the listener becomes accustomed to its presence, the effect remains chilling and deep. Additionally, the track spreads around all sorts of little sonic nuances. It doesn't matter what they are -- some are easily identified and others not -- but the sum total and absolute immersive sensation is a real highlight and sonic treat, even if the sensation is largely built on fear rather than clean and friendly sound effects. Music plays smoothly and with adequate clarity and spacing, but again the bottom end comes across as somewhat rattly. Dialogue is center-focused and crisp. This is one of the more constantly-active soundtracks out there; the chaos might mean that absolute clarity isn't the order of the day, but the total effect is startlingly intense.
Other than the film's trailer (1080p, 1:51) and a DVD copy on disc two, The Divide contains only an audio commentary track with Director Xavier gens and Actors Michael Biehn, Michael Eklund, and Milo Ventimiglia. The participants jump straight in, discussing the process of shooting the opening scenes. They follow by speaking on the length of the shoot, the score, cut scenes, the work of the cast, the director's style, the film's gore and violence, the picture's structure and plot, and more. Gans' comments are a little more straightforward while the actors serve up a little more light and anecdotal commentary. The end result is a track that's both fun and informative. Fans of the film will want to give it a listen.
Simply stated, The Divide will frighten most every audience that gazes its way. The picture is endlessly brutal and absolutely unforgiving. It wreaks havoc on the mind more so than the body as its characters turn a safe zone into a living nightmare worse than anything that may be the realities of the world that nuclear holocaust suddenly and forcibly made them leave behind. If nothing else, The Divide may awaken figuratively sleeping audiences into the need to at least consider their world and look deep within themselves and decide how far they may fall or how tall they may stand in the face of absolute chaos, disaster, and despair. The film isn't for anyone without an iron will to see it through, but those audiences will be rewarded with an almost one-of-a-kind experience. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of The Divide offers quality video, strong audio, but only one extra of note. Despite the disappointing absence of a more thorough supplemental collection, The Divide comes highly recommended.
1982
2018
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Unrated Edition
2008
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1978
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Uncut
2019
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2010