6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Carol Danvers gets her powers entangled with those of Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau, forcing them to work together to save the universe.
Starring: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Samuel L. Jackson, Zawe AshtonComic book | 100% |
Adventure | 99% |
Action | 96% |
Fantasy | 83% |
Sci-Fi | 82% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Not to mix super hero publishing house metaphors, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe evidently does have its own kryptonite. While the film under discussion is probably a salient example of a "franchise" (if the MCU can be so described) having at least moments of weakness, some with longer memories may remember a television series with at least a tangential relationship to this film, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which admittedly stuck around for several seasons but which saw its audience numbers decline pretty precipitously throughout its run. Another even lesser remembered but still somewhat linked effort, the 1998 television movie Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D (with the inimitable David Hasselhoff essaying the title role), was roundly decried and did not lead to its evidently planned on series. Nick (Samuel L. Jackson) is on hand again in this enterprise, in a film that tries to throw everything but the kitchen sink at the screen to see what will stick. That includes offering a combo platter of both big screen and television characters from the MCU, in a kind of meta-"crossover episode" that offers some intermittently winning humor but which is simply too chaotic to ever gel completely.
The Marvels is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Disney / Buena Vista and Marvel Studios with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. The IMDb lists Arri Alexa cameras but perhaps just a little surprisingly given source capture resolutions of over 4K, only a 2K DI. That said, this is another stellar looking release of an MCU production, one that offers secure and at times kind of jaw dropping detail levels on practical items like sets and costumes, but which also has some rather nicely rendered CGI, though if there are any qualms to be had in terms of overall sharpness, they're probably going to be aimed mostly at some of the VFX work. There's a beautifully wide array of hues suffusing the palette (so much so that I'd personally recommend those with the appropriate setups to opt for the 4K UHD release), and everything from some of the rather subtly graded material, as in the opening vignette with Dar-Benn which has a kind of cool slate gray to blue ambience, to some of the more brightly lit and naturally graded Earthbound outdoor scenes all offer superbly vivid tones and remarkably consistent levels of fine detail.
The Marvels features a wonderfully immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track that offers clear surround activity from the get go, though rather interestingly this is a somewhat intricately designed surround track that almost offers "teases" in terms of what permeates various channels, so that, for instance, some of the booming thuds and weird ambient whistling noises in the opening sequence can dot various speakers just for a moment before "moving on" to somewhere else. The glut of action scenes and some flying material (including both spacecraft and individuals at various times) also offers great opportunities for enjoyable panning effects. The interweaving of sound effects with Laura Karpman's score is also very artfully handled and adds to the layered quality of the track. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout, even in some of the noisier action scenes, where it's nicely prioritized. Optional English, French and Spanish subtitles are available.
It's kind of amazing that a film that takes in close to $200 million at the box office is still considered a "failure", but the fact that The Marvels' budget was considerably more than even that tidy sum may indicate at least allusively to how overstuffed the feature is. There's a lot to look at and listen to in the film, but as a wise Bard once opined, the film may well be a tale "told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing". Technical merits are first rate and the few supplements enjoyable, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.
Cinematic Universe Edition
2017
2023
Cinematic Universe Edition
2019
2022
Cinematic Universe Edition
2018
Cinematic Universe Edition
2015
2013
2017
Cinematic Universe Edition
2012
2022
2021
Cinematic Universe Edition
2019
2019
Cinematic Universe Edition
2016
2017
2011
2019
2018
plus Theatrical Cut on standard Blu-ray
2016
2014