8.2 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.2 |
It's the return of the Airbenders! Korra discovers that new Airbenders are popping up all over the Earth Kingdom. While she tries to find these Airbenders and rebuild the Air Nation, a group of dangerous criminals embark on a mission of their own.
Starring: Janet Varney, David Faustino, Seychelle Gabriel, J.K. Simmons, Mindy SterlingAdventure | 100% |
Fantasy | 97% |
Animation | 69% |
Action | 66% |
Family | 63% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Whew. Avatar fans certainly dodged a bullet this summer. As The Legend of Korra's third season neared its incredibly suspenseful endgame, Nickelodeon suddenly, and without warning, yanked the show off the network's broadcast schedule and announced it would release the remaining episodes online, prompting widespread panic and outrage among the series' fanbase. Was Korra being cancelled? Cut short before creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko could finish their planned four-part saga? Would Book Four be left to the imagination? Had Nickelodeon gone mad? Thankfully, Nick wasn't in the mood to completely alienate the faithful Avatar fold. The Legend of Korra: Book Four may only be available online, but it's available, and I couldn't be more relieved. Book Three is a spectacular season of thrills, laughs, heartache, sophisticated storytelling, masterful world-building, harrowing battles, shocking gut punches, staggering consequences and, true to its name, dramatic change. To think it all could have been hacked off at the knees, or that Korra's third journey -- which ends on a devastating emotional cliffhanger -- might not have continued... well, let's not dwell on the despair and disappointment that might have been. The Legend of Korra isn't merely alive and well, it's finally standing shoulder to shoulder with Avatar: The Last Airbender. No small feat.
So how does Book Three's AVC MPEG-4 video presentation fare? Unfortunately a bit worse than Book Two's decent but problematic 1080i presentation. Though encoded at 1080p via what appears to be inverse telecine processing (click here for further explanation), the most recent Korra release suffers from several issues; some familiar and not so surprising, some not-so-familiar and slightly irritating. First the familiar. Banding and macroblocking are back, and back with a vengeance, plaguing the series from start to finish and appearing everywhere from dark, moonlit environments to vibrant, warmly lit close-ups of our heroes. Neither is terribly debilitating, but each one is so prevalent that it's hard to ignore. The macroblocking is generally coupled with the banding too, which tends to exacerbate the unsightliness of it all. As to the more surprising anomalies, prepare to contend with pulldown lines, ghosting, and intermittent aliasing (most, if not all of which are consequences of the shift from 1080i/29.97fps to 1080p/23.98fps). The good news is that it's not that hard to get past all these nagging little mishaps. Taken on its own, each eyesore is rather easy to overlook. The bad news is that, together, those single eyesores amount to a collective distraction, and in an absorbing animated series like The Legend of Korra, being distracted is the last thing anyone needs, particularly in the midst of a climactic battle or as characters reach emotional crossroads.
Thankfully, other aspects of the presentation are spot on; to the point some will complain about my video score being too low. Color and contrast are bold, vivid and dazzling, boasting lovely hues, explosive primaries and satisfying black levels. Clarity is excellent as well, with crisp lines and well-resolved background textures and brushstrokes. Softness creeps in, but really only as the dynamic, often cinematic animation dictates. And quick comparisons reveal the differences between the Blu-ray and DVD presentations of Book Three are significant. Bottom line? It's worth admitting that most viewers won't notice 80% of the video issues mentioned above. Banding is apparent, but only those sensitive to ghosting and what not will be yanked out of the experience (and even then, only occasionally). That doesn't make the results any less disappointing, or the sting any less annoying, but the various issues also aren't crippling enough to suggest avoiding the release completely or holding out too much hope for an alternative. Proceed accordingly.
Like Book Two, Book Three's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is terrific, packing enough punch and power to convert the skeptical and impress the uninitiated. Dialogue is intelligible, carefully prioritized and neatly grounded in the soundscape. The LFE channel, meanwhile, grabs hold of every fight, battle and action scene, flexing its muscle at every opportunity. Fire erupts, the earth rumbles, wind thunders and water surges, all to outstanding effect. Not to be outdone, the rear speakers help create immersive environment after immersive environment, from the bustling streets of Republic City to the impoverished lower level of Ba Sing Se, the barren deserts of the Earth Kingdom, the serene peaks of the Northern Air Temple, the valleys of the air bison, and the vast mountains and canyons that serve as the stage for Korra's final battle with Zaheer. Directionality is precise, cross-channel pans are smooth and the entire experience delivers. Add to that the series' music, which ebbs and flows beautifully across scenes of peace and war alike, and you have a lossless track worthy of praise.
Book Three: Change is Korra's best season to date. With a near-perfect blend of exhilarating action, laugh-out-loud comedy, heartbreaking drama, striking animation and stirring music, the series has arrived at a whole new echelon. With Book Four bringing the entire saga to its conclusion in the coming weeks, The Legend of Korra might just achieve the same classic status as The Last Airbender. Sadly, Nickelodeon/Paramount's Blu-ray release is more hit or miss. While the 2-disc set's DTS-HD Master Audio track and its supplemental package are both excellent, its video presentation is riddled with issues; nothing disastrous, but certainly disappointing. Ah well. Even at its worst, the video presentation can't keep The Legend of Korra down. Don't avoid this release just because it suffers from a few eyesores. The series is getting far too good to pass up.
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