The Prodigy: World's on Fire, Live Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

The Prodigy: World's on Fire, Live Blu-ray Movie Review

I believe it is fair to say that The Prodigy have become for electronica/industrial/crossover what Nirvana was for grunge music. These guys have a massive following and unlike a few other UK bands that entered the scene and became big during the mid-90s, they never sold out. I am not a very big fan of their music, or attitude, but they have my respect because they are a tough bunch who never tried to please the industry or make up with those who criticized them.

I decided to take a look at World’s On Fire after I saw the footage The Prodigy had posted on their official web page from a recent show they did in India. To be honest, I did not even check the track list. I was simply curious to see whether the guys had changed because the last time I saw them perform live was approximately ten years ago.

The majority of the footage in World’s On Fire is from the Warrior's Dance Festival from July 2010, where The Prodigy performed in front of approximately 65,000 fans. According to various sources, it was their biggest concert ever.

The main show has a total of 15 songs (with an intro and outro). All of the band’s big hits are here -- “Breathe”, “Firestarter”, “Voodoo People”, “Take Me To The Hospital”, and the controversial “Smack My Bitch Up”. This is an uncompromising, raw show that delivers everything one would expect to see in a show by a band that is as loud and intense as The Prodigy. In other words, there is plenty of smoke and pyrotechnics, foul language, and moshpit fighting.

I liked the show, but I believe that there will be a good number of people who are likely to be somewhat disappointed by the film editing. Practically the entire show is shot with constantly moving cameras that make it quite difficult to concentrate on the performances. Additionally, some of the high-definition footage is mixed with noisy standard-definition footage to give the show a raw, edgier look.

Invaders Alive is an extra set of various festival performances, which can be accessed from the disc’s main menu --“Run With The Wolves” from Brixton Academy, London (December 2008); “Spirtfire/Mescaline” from Brazil (October 2009); “Breathe” from Slane Castle, Ireland (June 2009); “Poison” from Glastonbury, England (June 2009); “Warning” from T in the Park, Scotland (July 2008); “Smack My Bitch Up” from the Isle of Wight to Download Festival in England (June 2009); and “Voodoo People from Bestival, Isle of Wight and Paris, France (September 2010). There is also additional footage from various shows the band staged in the UK, U.S., and Japan.

Voodoo People

The Prodigy: World's on Fire, Live Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080i "live" transfer, The Prodigy: World's on Fire arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of The End Records.

Though the stylistic enhancements are very extreme, to the point of actually being somewhat controversial, the technical presentation is excellent. The wide framing, for instance, is great, allowing the viewer to get a good feel of the crowd's reactions to the music, as well as the elaborate pyrotechnics on the massive stage. During close-ups detail is also very good, though it is difficult to immediately appreciate it because of the constant camera bouncing. The raw black and white footage does give the entire show a rather gritty look, which is in sync with the intense performances. Some of the stage smoke is at times quite overwhelming, creating the impression that there is plenty of video noise, but the high-definition transfer is indeed very strong. Finally, color reproduction is practically flawless -- the variety of rich neon reds, blues, and yellows look fantastic. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

The Prodigy: World's on Fire, Live Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0. For the record, The End Records have not provided any optional subtitles.

Dynamic levels on the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track have a tendency to fluctuate. However, this should not be surprising, because maintaining a solid balance for a live show such as this one is, in my opinion, practically impossible. With the never-ending movement on the stage and the heavy pyrotechnics that are synced with the music, as well as the prominent crowd noise, these fluctuations are natural. This is not to say that there a serious audio dropouts - the sound is crisp, clear, and free of serious distortions. Additionally, the bass is rich while the high frequencies are not overdone. All things considered, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is as good as it could possible be.

I tested only two songs with the LPCM 2.0 track - "Firestarter" and "Smack My Bitch Up" - but was not overly impressed with it. The bass sounds somewhat flat, while the vocals are often pushed back a lot. There is nothing particularly wrong with it, but the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is definitely preferable.

The Prodigy: World's on Fire, Live Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Invaders Alive -
  
  -- Run With The Wolves from Brixton Academy, London (7 min, 1080i).
  -- Spirtfire/Mescaline from Brazil (11 min, 1080i).
  -- Breathe from Slane Castle, Ireland (6 min, 1080i).
  -- Poison from Glastonbury, England (8 min, 1080i).
  -- Warning from T in the Park, Scotland (6 min, 1080i).
  -- Smack My Bitch Up from the Isle of Wight to Download Festival in England (7 min, 1080i).
  -- Voodoo People from Bestival, Isle of Wight and Paris, France (6 min, 1080i).
  -- Japanese Film (6 min, 1080i).
  -- USA Film (6 min, 1080i).
  -- UK Arena Tour (7 min, 1080i).

• Photo Gallery - with music. (5 min, 1080i).

• CD - a bonus CD with the entire Live at Warrior's Dance Festival show.
  
  1. Intro
  2. Breathe
  3. Omen
  4. Colours
  5. Thunder
  6. Warrior's Dance
  7. Firestarter
  8. Run With The Wolves
  9. Weather Experience
  10. Voodoo People
  11. Omen Reprise
  12. Invaders Must Die
  13. Smack My Bitch Up
  14. Take Me To The Hospital
  15. Everybody In The Place
  16. Their Law
  17. Out of Space

• Booklet -

The Prodigy: World's on Fire, Live Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Prodigy: World's on Fire is easily the most intense live show I've seen released on Blu-ray. From start to finish, the energy on and off the stage is simply incredible. The presentation is somewhat controversial as the stylistic enhancements are at times overwhelming, but I would argue that they are very much in sync with the band's attitude. Considering the current price tag, I cannot see how anyone could be disappointed with The Prodigy: World's on Fire. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.