8.3 | / 10 |
Users | 4.4 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.4 |
The Walking Dead tells the story of the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse and follows a small group of survivors traveling across the United States in search of a new home away from the hordes of zombies. The group is led by Rick Grimes, who was a police officer in the old world. As their situation grows more and more grim, the group's desperation to survive pushes them to do almost anything to stay alive.
Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Chandler Riggs, Melissa McBride, Lauren CohanComic book | 100% |
Thriller | 92% |
Horror | 87% |
Supernatural | 83% |
Melodrama | 54% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Four-disc set (4 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Ain't nobody's hands clean in what's left of this world.
What is it about Zombie infestations, the walking dead, tearing up the living, shooting towards and running from the dead, hiding out, the
breakdown of
civilization, the dwindling of hope, the rise of fear, the takeover of terror that's so fascinating it's become a worldwide sensation? Forget wizards and
vampires and shades of gray; zombies are the king of the entertainment world, or they are at least a larger part of a new wave of TEOTWAWKI
(The End Of The World As We Know It)-themed entertainment that's all the rage anymore. Are survivalism, the collapse of society, or some major
deviation
from the norm sorts of fantasy escapes from the harsh realities of modern life, or are they merely very good storytelling devices? "The Walking
Dead," easily the pinnacle of the modern zombie craze, is a little bit of both. The show is endlessly entertaining and there is a certain appeal
to the world in which it operates. It's frightening as hell, sure, but the move away from blasé existences to a 24/7 survival mode would at least
make one feel alive again, well beyond the alarm clock, 9-5 cubicle job, frozen dinners, and Monday Night Football routine. But at the same time,
shooting zombies and living out of tents and scavenging supplies isn't all it's cracked up to be. As the series demonstrates, and in season two in
particular, life in a zombie-plagued world is one of real pain and doubt and suffering and loss. It's external fatigue and stress and internal destruction
of the mind and soul. "The Walking Dead" is a deadly serious program wrapped around the guise of a fantastical never-gonna-happen (knock on
wood) scenario. It deals in doom and gloom and real sacrifice and death, true grisly horror stuff and not the happily-ever-after TV ideal where,
even in a world flushed down the toilet, nothing truly bad ever happens. It does. And audiences will weep, become fiercely angry, and
experience all the doubts and fears and pains right alongside the characters existing in a devastated world that will never be the same.
There's no danger a Colt Python cannot handle in the world of "The Walking Dead."
The Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season features a dazzling 1080p transfer, presented in the series' original broadcast 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The image is defined by pale colors that yield a gray, bleak, hopeless sort of visual structure that reinforces the themes of despair and death and emphasizes the general end-of-days misery and defeatism that hangs over every frame. Certainly, the image isn't devoid of colors; natural greens, colored clothes, red blood, wooden accents, and monochromatic cars all offer identifiable shades, but audiences will note the almost overpowering gloom that rightly shapes the series. The other major element is the rather heavy grain structure which further adds to the negative feelings engendered by the series' visual appearance. The image is also never razor-sharp; there's a slight natural softness to it, but there's also no denying the intricate details that shape every close-up and the general stability that define medium- and long-distance shots. Skin textures and facial stubble are strongly pronounced, as are clothing lines, concrete surfaces, tiles, wood trim, and other elements in the farm house, the barn, and elsewhere. In low-light scenes, faces can go a bit pasty and details less defined. Color transitions from brighter to darker shades, particularly on faces, can be challenging, and blacks range from slightly washed out to somewhat overpowering. But it's only in the darkest scenes where the transfer suffers. Otherwise, this is a grade-A image that serves the series very well and should satisfy longtime fans, newcomers, and videophiles all.
The Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season debuts on Blu-ray with a stunning Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation excels in every area, from music to ambience, from splattering gore to thunderous shotgun blasts. The series' theme music blares over the opening credits with finely-tuned precision and clarity. Spacing is even, wide, and enveloping. The surrounds carry a good bit of the load. The haunting, heavy refrain has never sounded so good. The season is littered with superb ambient effects that pull the listening audience into each and every moment. Buzzing insects and hooting owls give sonic shape to the generally serene countryside locale where much of the season takes place. Rumbling vehicles, moaning dead, and other distinct sound effects easily immerse listeners into every episode, all playing with effortless clarity and pinpoint placement around the soundstage. Some heavier sound effects energize the listening area but don't lose the clarity and precision of the lesser effects. Jet fighters zoom overhead at the start of episode five, cutting through the listening area with a unique rumble and sonic signature. Distant explosions pack a good wallop, shattering glass rips through the speakers, and raging fires engulf the listening audience. There's plenty of gunfire about, too. Whether single shots or strings of fire from various weapons, the track handles all with amazing accuracy. Booming shots inside a closed-in school gymnasium at the beginning of episode three prove to be some of the most powerfully intense the series has to offer. Shotgun booms rock and rattle the entire stage. A target practice session in episode six offers very good spacing across the firing line, ditto a barrage of gunfire in one of the season's most critical scenes in chapter seven. Dialogue is even and smooth, playing from the center channel and always at an appropriate level. This is a rock-solid, exhilarating sort of soundtrack that's a great asset to a wonderful series.
The Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season offers up a host of extra content. The package includes an assortment of commentary
tracks spread across all four discs and deleted scenes, featurettes, and "webisodes" all on disc four.
The Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season dazzles with every moment, each new development, and all the wonder and terror it can muster, which is substantial. The series feels authentic and, at times, even plausible, not so much the specifics of the zombie infestation but rather the inter-character drama that stems from an end-of-days scenario that, in some form, is not out of the question in future generations or even in the coming years, months, or even days. It's a hard world out there, harder still when everything's turned upside down, and nearly impossible when broken-down and gored-up zombies are patrolling the streets. This is grade-A entertainment, and man had better hope it stays in the realm of the imagined and the world of fictional entertainment, no matter how badly it seems doom and gloom might be the cure for all that ails a troubled world. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of The Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season features superb video, reference-grade sound, and a good number of extras. This is one of the year's best releases and earns my highest recommendation.
2010
3-Disc Special Edition
2010
Special Edition with Mask
2010
Limited Edition
2010
Lenticular Cover
2010
Exclusive McFarlane Toys Zombie Statue Case
2011-2012
4-Disc Limited Edition
2011-2012
Lenticular Cover
2011-2012
2012-2013
Exclusive McFarlane Toys Governor's Aquarium Case
2012-2013
2012-2013
w/ Soundtrack
2012-2013
Combo Pack
2012-2013
5-Disc Limited Edition
2012-2013
2012-2013
2013-2014
Exclusive McFarlane Toys Tree Walker Case
2013-2014
2013-2014
Prison Key Edition
2013-2014
with Soundtrack
2013-2014
2013-2014
Digipack
2013-2014
2014-2015
2014-2015
2014-2015
with Funko Mystery Mini Daryl Dixon
2014-2015
Limited Edition
2014-2015
Exclusive McFarlane Toys
2014-2015
2015-2016
2015-2016
Lenticular Cover
2015-2016
with exclusive bonus disc
2015-2016
Limited Edition
2015-2016
2016-2017
2016-2017
Lenticular Cover
2016-2017
2016-2017
Limited Edition Spike Walker Statue
2016-2017
2017-2018
2017-2018
2017-2018
Lenticular Cover
2017-2018
2018-2019
2019-2021
2021-2022
Extreme Unrated Set
2007
2009
2007
2013
2010
Unrated
2011
2007
2005-2020
Director's Cut
1997
2018
Collector's Edition | + Theatrical Cut on BD
2004
2007
2016
2016
2018
Lenticular Slipcover
2016
2016
2002
2012
20th Anniversary Edition
2005