6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
All the rules are broken as a sect of lawless marauders decides that the annual Purge does not stop at daybreak and instead should never end.
Starring: Ana de la Reguera, Tenoch Huerta, Josh Lucas, Leven Rambin, Cassidy FreemanHorror | 100% |
Action | 13% |
Sci-Fi | 10% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
While The Purge franchise might not fit neatly into the typical "Horror" genre, the series nevertheless takes a horrifying look at a grim near future America in which radical government, ceaseless bloodlust, and decaying morality converge into the once-per-year "Purge" event in which citizens are free to murder one another (or commit other atrocities against people and property, save, of course, for those governmental entities who have given themselves immunity) with no repercussions. In what is now a franchise that just seems to churn out movies on a regular basis, the story has evolved in The Forever Purge to, as the title suggests, transition from one night of violence to a ceaseless cesspool of depravity, here with a goal of racial cleansing and purification. It's a movie that builds its narrative by pouring fuel onto the fire, and it's neither clever nor relevant in the way that it goes about it, leaving the movie, and the franchise, much like the bad actors who commit these crimes: being violent for violence's sake.
Universal unleashes The Forever Purge onto Blu-ray with a well rounded 1080p transfer. This Blu-ray is crystal clear. The digitally sourced production delights across the barren desert terrain where fine individual details on weeds and sand and pebbly dirt reveal excellent clarity. These opening moments are a treat and matched in quality by the content to come, which spans everything from a resplendent ranch home (looking like something out of Yellowstone) to bloody city streets where storefronts, signage, graffiti, and all variety of urban textures are presented clearly and on full display. Facial and clothing definition is terrific throughout as well. Colors are bold and precise, neutral in contrast and, especially during the daylight hours, showing off intense primaries and well defined gradations. Skin tones look healthy and blacks, obvious in low light interiors and nighttime exteriors, are appropriately deep. The picture is free of seriously bothersome noise and banding is only an issue on a few occasions; look at the sky at the 20-minute mark for one of the most obvious and egregious examples. Still, despite a minor flaw or two, this is a very high quality image from Universal.
Universal's Dolby Atmos soundtrack delivers from the get-go. A structure out in the middle of nowhere rattles around with impressive definition and detail with full stage engagement. The top end is audibly utilized as a latch above closes and water drips in the underground tunnel moments later. Overhead channels are not used so discretely throughout, but they do carry ample material to pull the listener into the chaotic "purging" that unfolds throughout the film. Traditional surround engagement is excellent; sound placement and prioritization could not be better. Clarity is first-rate too for gunfire, music, and dialogue; gunshots are impressively deep and particularly noteworthy for quality of output, even when many of them overlap during pitch battle scenes. Dialogue is clear and effectively positioned in the front center channel.
This Blu-ray release of The Forever Purge includes an alternate open, a deleted scene, a couple of featurettes, and a trailer. A DVD copy of the
film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.
Whatever creative spark and imaginative social commentary that drove the original film to modest success has been all but erased now, yeas later, with movies like The Forever Purge which is just another invention to make an excuse for pushing mindless violence onto the screen. To make matters worse the movie is dripping with stale political points that just fall flat under the inundation of violence. At least the big bad violent tales from the 80s didn't pretend to mean anything beyond the muscles and gunplay. Here it's just a movie trying to capitalize on the red-hot political fervor that has already damaged and divided the country. Universal's Blu-ray does deliver high end video and audio. Supplements don't inspire any real interest. For hardcore franchise fans only.
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