7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
While a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan.
Starring: Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Jung Yu-mi, Choi Woo-sik, SoheeHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 54% |
Thriller | 10% |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Korean: DTS:X
Korean: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Korean: Dolby Digital 2.0
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (384 kbps)
Korean/English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (384 kbps)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Train travel, for all its perceived peacefulness, isn’t for the faint of heart. While the trappings of locomotives have had technological upgrades over the course of the century plus this mode of transportation has been in use, there are still some undeniable facts that have to be taken into consideration if one is considering traveling this way. First of all, things obviously take longer on trains, even “new, improved” high speed offerings like the Acela. Second of all, the ride can often be at least a little choppy, meaning if you’re on one of these vehicles for more than a day, sleeping can be a bit of a challenge (I say this from repeated personal experience). No matter what the passing inconveniences of choosing this way to get from Point A to Point B might be, they probably pale in comparison to the conceit that drives (no pun intended) Train to Busan: a “zombie outbreak” on board a high speed train on its way to the titular destination. The film utilizes its inherently claustrophobic setting to up the ante of a zombie horde attempting to attack innocent bystanders (and/or by-riders, as the case may be), but it also has a kind of interesting subtext which seems to be alluding to some socioeconomic issues that South Korea is facing. The film is often viscerally exciting, even if it ultimately tips into Grand Guignol territory as well as indulging in a liberal slathering of schmaltz in its endgame.
Train to Busan is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Shot with Arri Alexa XT cameras and finished at a 2K DI, the transfer looks nicely sharp and well detailed, with some of the practical effects work in terms of make-up for the zombies looking quite impressive and suitably bloody and ragged. There's a kind of peculiar color grading going on in some of the interior train scenes where flesh tones look kind of sickly green (and these are the non zombies, mind you), but otherwise things look "natural", at least as natural as a zombie infested train tends to. There are occasional slight deficits in shadow definition in some dark scenes (notably a tunnel scene toward the end of the film), and occasionally the CGI can look a bit soft when compared to the bulk of the presentation. There are no issues with image instability and no compression problems to detail.
Note: Our database is being updated to include Korean: DTS:X. When it's updated, the specs above will be amended.
Train to Busan features a blistering DTS:X (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 core) track in the original Korean that provides consistent immersion
despite the closed off setting of much of the film, as well as some really impressive LFE. While typical effects like panning accompanying some of the
train's journey are a regular occurrence, the track really has some smart and very specific placement of individual effects, including things as "minor" as
the whoosh of the automatic doors between various cars. There are a couple of probably needless explosions and the like which also offer great blasts of
sonic energy. Dialogue is presented cleanly and is well prioritized on this extremely enjoyable track. For the record, an English dub is available in DTS-HD
Master Audio 5.1, and in sampling it, it provided excellent surround activity, though I wasn't overly impressed with the voice work.
Train to Busan is that rare film that doesn't shy away from any number of genre conventions (including both disaster and zombie genres), but which still manages to do something new with the material. "The Narrow Margin" setting gives this film some really nicely claustrophobic anxiety levels, and the developing relationship between an estranged father and his little girl offers some unexpectedly moving emotional content. If the film falters at the very end, the rest of the journey is exciting and often quite scary. Technical merits are strong, and Train to Busan comes Highly recommended.
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