7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
Torchwood follows the adventures of a team of investigators, led by the enigmatic Captain Jack. Set in the UK in the present day, the team use scavenged alien technology in a very real world to solve crime; both alien and human. Separate from the government. Outside the police. Beyond the United Nations. Everyone who works for Torchwood is young, under 35. Some say that's because it's a new science. Others say it's because they die young...
Starring: John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Kai Owen, Gareth David-Lloyd, Burn GormanSci-Fi | 100% |
Adventure | 84% |
Fantasy | 68% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD HR 5.1
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
He may have proven himself to be a daring immortal warrior, a sympathetic hero thrust into extraordinary circumstances, and a brilliant strategist who, for whatever reasons, has remained loyal to this tiny world we call Earth, but... how should I put this? Captain Jack can really be a bastard. In fact, I don't think I've ever encountered a television character who has developed into a more contemptible moral conundrum. Over the last two seasons of Torchwood, Jack has made some pretty questionable decisions, hitting series fans like myself with a string of shocking sucker punches and kicks to the bollocks. However, nothing... I mean nothing could prepare me for what I learned about the stalwart captain in Children of Earth, a riveting Torchwood miniseries that packs enough wallops into its five episodes to fill a dozen regular seasons. By the time all is said and done, key characters have been sent to meet their maker, safe havens have been left in shambles, an entire series teeters on the brink, and our dear, dear Captain Jack has discovered that, despite his best intentions, he's destined to repeatedly sell his soul to whichever devil makes the most enticing offer.
"We are coming..."
Children of Earth features a 1080i/VC-1 transfer that, at first glance, shares a lot in common with Torchwood: The Complete Second Season's stunning Blu-ray presentation. However, upon further inspection, the miniseries is plagued by debilitating artificial sharpening, rampant ringing, frequent aliasing, and enough shimmer to blind a Weevil, all of which continually threatens to derail the proceedings. Worse still, skintones are often dull or flushed, colors are muddier, and noise reduction has been applied to several scenes. I'm not sure why there's such a discrepancy between the quality of The Complete Second Season and Children of Earth (particularly since the series and miniseries have been cut from the same aesthetic cloth), but the differences are apparent and abundant. Luckily, the presentation isn't a complete bust. Fine detail is thoroughly striking at times, crisp textures abound, and hair and skin look great. Granted, soft shots lurk around every corner, but they're the result of the miniseries' original source, not some mysterious technical issue. As it stands, artifacting, source noise, crush, and banding have been kept to a minimum, black levels are satisfying, and overall dimensionality (while a bit inconsistent) remains impressive throughout.
Ultimately, Children of Earth may not have received the same polish and care as The Complete Second Season, but it still bests its standard DVD counterpart and delivers a decent interlaced presentation.
Their video transfers may be worlds apart, but Children of Earth's DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1 surround track (not to be confused with a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio offering) is comparable to The Complete Second Season's HR mix (the only difference being a slight boost in audio bitrate, from 2.0 to 3.0 Mbps). Once again, the experience is heavy and intense, yet shallow and abrupt. While it all sounds great at first (especially when the miniseries' kiddies begin chanting in unison), it eventually struggles to inject any substantial subtlety into the soundscape. The rear speakers aren't called upon as readily as I had hoped they would be, LFE output is somewhat simplistic, and the majority of scenes offer surprisingly front-heavy effects. Moreover, ambience is solid but generally underwhelming, and interior acoustics are convincing but slightly two-dimensional. Thankfully, dialogue remains clean, intelligible, and well prioritized throughout the miniseries, and musical cues, pillars of fire, alien declarations, droning children, and key action sequences leave a lasting impression. All things considered, Children of Earth sounds pretty good... just don't expect to be blown away.
Children of Earth doesn't feature a lot of supplemental material -- just a 32-minute behind-the-scenes "Declassified" documentary (presented in standard definition) -- but what it does offer is engaging and fairly extensive. While fans would be wise to finish the series first (since spoilers abound), it's definitely worth watching.
Like Torchwood's second season, Children of Earth hits hard and fast, relentlessly pursuing its story's inevitable conclusions in spite of the safety of its characters or the future of the series. Unfortunately, the Blu-ray edition isn't as strong. Its video transfer is burdened with a variety of technical issues, its DTS-HD HR audio track has some problems of its own, and its supplemental package is limited. Still, there's enough on tap to warrant a purchase. Fans will be chomping at the bit as every minute ticks by, and newcomers will find themselves inexplicably drawn into Torchwood's universe. Not a bad way to spend five hours.
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