6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
At an archaeological dig in China with their parents, Josh and Ling discover a mournful dragon trapped deep inside a mystical temple. According to ancient legend, the dragon is missing its life force, a sacred pearl that is hidden away in a secret chamber. Josh and Ling must battle evil forces to return the magical pearl to its rightful owner.
Starring: Sam Neill, Li Lin Jin, Louis Corbett, Jordan Chan, Wang JiFamily | 100% |
Adventure | 58% |
Fantasy | 56% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English SDH
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy (as download)
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The Dragon Pearl is a joint Chinese/Australian venture directed and co-written by Aussie filmmaker Mario Andreacchio, who has a solid track record with family fare. The film was a 2011 release in Australia and the Far East and is just now being issued here on home video by Ketchup Entertainment, which, in partnership with ARC, has identified a niche market for youth-oriented films from overseas, both animated and live action, that have failed to secure American distribution. The Dragon Pearl is a fine example of the portability of such works, because, despite the exotic settings, it relies on story elements with universal appeal (at least to anyone brought up on the movies). Andreacchio and his co-writers may have set their story at an archaeological dig site in China and utilized figures from Chinese mythology, but their plot, which involves two kids visiting their parents for the summer, draws on tropes that blockbuster audiences from around the world will recognize: a chosen one (Star Wars ), the disconnect of divorce (E.T.), artifacts filled with riddles and booby traps (Indiana Jones ), and a transcendent but benevolent power that ultimately saves the day (see the previous three). The Dragon Pearl wraps these comfortingly familiar features with just enough novelty to keep them entertaining. The presence of Jurassic Park's Sam Neill adds a familiar face for Westerners, and Chinese film star Jordan Chan, in an uncharacteristically comic role as a flute-playing monk with hidden talents, will divert young and old with his physical grace (he trained as a dancer).
The Dragon Pearl was shot by award-winning Australian DP Geoffrey Simpson (Shine) with the Red system. The image on Ketchup Entertainment's 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray was presumably sourced from digital files, and it shows all the usual benefits of digital capture and post-production: a clean, detailed, noiseless image, with superior blacks and colors that have been fine-tuned to the requirements of each setting. Just look at the fine detail and color delineations on Josh Chase's advanced Rubik's Cube for an example of the image's quality, or study the fine lines on the ancient scroll from the box that everyone is so eager to interpret. With no real extras and a single language track, the 98-minute film compresses without artifacts onto a BD-25 at a healthy bitrate of 25.97 Mbps.
While not as aggressively active as an action film, The Dragon Pearl sports a modestly impressive lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 track that rises to the film's biggest set pieces, such as the dragon's major appearances and an elaborately choreographed fight scene involving the two Henchmen. Dynamic range is wide, and bass extension is deep and well-used (dragons hit low notes when they "speak"). The dialogue is always clear, unless you happen to have trouble with any of the accents (Australian and Chinese), in which case there are subtitles. (Some of the spoken Chinese is translated by non-defeatable subtitles, and some of it isn't meant to be understood.) The serviceable fantasy/action score is by Frank Strangio, who has written for numerous children's projects, including a season of one of Disney's Power Rangers TV shows. The score receives a considerable boost from the involvement of the Sh Drummers, who are seen playing during the closing credits and whose stirring beats are admirably conveyed by the Blu-ray's soundtrack.
The disc's only extra is the film's trailer (1080p; 1.78:1; 2:22). At startup, the disc plays trailers (in 1080p) for Space Warriors, Delhi Safari and Return to Nim's Island, which can be skipped with the chapter forward button and are not otherwise available once the disc loads.
Like many of the family titles being offered through ARC and its affiliated companies, The Dragon Pearl is currently offered only as a Wal- Mart exclusive, but it is scheduled for general release later this year. In the meantime, both new and used copies are already appearing on Amazon through third-party sellers. Whether one looks for it now or waits for wider availability, the title is well worth considering. Major Hollywood studios no longer make these kinds of films, or, if they do, they spend too much money, overdo the effects and cast the wrong actors in a vain attempt to guarantee their investment. The makers of Dragon Pearl have learned how to make decent popcorn fare for youngsters at a reasonable cost. Recommended.
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