6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A journey into the lives of a mother polar bear and her two seven-month-old cubs as they navigate the changing Arctic wilderness they call home.
Narrator: Meryl StreepDocumentary | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
There are sweeping and enriching natural history documentaries and series, brimming with splendor and awe, and then there are educational exhibition documentaries. Those hurriedly shot, haphazardly assembled, celebrity-narrated short features parents feel obligated to drag their children to see while visiting IMAX-equipped museums, aquariums and zoos. (Guilty as charged.) To the Arctic is unfortunately one of the latter; a 40-minute docu-snooze so unremarkable that even Meryl Streep, a 3D presentation and the cutest, cuddliest polar cubs can't prevent it from slipping beneath the icy waters of familiarity and mediocrity.
To the Arctic 3D at least looks the part thanks to the IMAX feature's lovely 1080p/MVC-encoded 3D and 2D presentations. Neither is perfect -- faint macroblocking disrupts the skies, negligible banding invades the deep seas and light noise occasionally mingles with the refined grain field -- but, for the most part, Brad Ohlund and the filmmakers' snowcapped photography fares incredibly well, without any debilitating issues of note. Whites are stunningly bright, primaries pop, shadows are deep and satisfying, and contrast is vivid and reliable. Detail isn't hindered or diminished either, although mild but inherent softness does limit clarity every now and then. Fur and fine textures are surprisingly well-resolved and edges are crisp and clean. And the 3D experience? Depth and dimensionality are reasonably convincing, the image isn't prone to aliasing or crosstalk, and the only flat imagery to be had is the vintage documentary footage and alternate camera angles presented at various points via a framed inset window. I'd even go so far as to say the 3D experience is more commendable than the technical encode itself, although each one shares the same minor issues. All in all, though, both presentations are pleasant and proficient.
Warner's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track offers a solid sonic experience. Narration is intelligible, perfectly centered and prioritized, and snuggly grounded in the mix at all times, seasoned with crystal clear ambient effects and nestled within an immersive Arctic soundfield. Snow crunches beneath polar bear paws, waves slosh as animals slide in and out of the water, ice sheets crumble into the sea and cold winds rise without fail. The LFE channel steps forward wherever low-end weight is required (particularly as the ever-receding landscape shifts and changes), the rear speakers are mischievous and above all assertive, and dynamics are noteworthy. Moreover, Paul McCartney and Steve Wood's music surges and relents with ease, making for a relatively full and enveloping documentary soundscape.
To the Arctic left me wanting and my son fidgeting, neither of which tend to occur when the two of us sit down and take in a family friendly documentary, particularly a 40-minute IMAX feature. Cobbled together with a celebrity voiceover, the film struggles to strike a consistent tone, devotes too much time to vintage footage, retreads familiar ground and is more akin to a fraying patchwork quilt than a cohesive and compelling documentary. Ah well, at least Warner's Blu-ray release keeps its head above water. Yes, the film's slim 19-minute supplemental package doesn't amount to much. But between the quality of its video encode, the prowess of its 3D experience and the immersiveness of its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, the lack of extras is soon forgotten.
2011
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