7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A documentary that follows the Manassas Tigers football team, a severely underfunded and underprivileged football -- who were even hired out as a practice team for more successful schools -- as they reverse their fortunes thanks to coach Bill Courtney.
Starring: Bill Courtney, Montrail 'Money' Brown, O.C. Brown, Chavis DanielsDocumentary | 100% |
Sport | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Football reveals character.
One of the most famous quotes in sports goes, "winning isn't everything; it's the only thing." For the Manassas Tigers, a small school from a poor area
of Memphis, Tennessee, winning wasn't everything, it was nothing, at least until volunteer coach Bill Courtney took the reigns in a noble effort to steer
the misguided ship out of the bottom of the standings and towards excellence on the field -- and off of it. At the beginning of his tenure, winning
wasn't everything, it was a step towards something greater. Winning wasn't everything, but it was a means to a greater end; towards building up the
body, the mind, the heart, and the soul; for preparing some of Memphis' most vulnerable youth for the realities of life and setting them up for success
rather than for failure. Undefeated is a heartfelt Documentary about a football program on the rise and, much more importantly, lives on the
mend, a community led down the right path, and futures capturing a glimmer of hope. The film demonstrates the power of football to impact lives
beyond the line of scrimmage, to build character, to shape a future, to make a difference. It's a powerful film because it shows the powers of
dedication, faith, and an understanding of what it means to lead and what it means to believe. It's a light in a darkened world, a sign of hope in
troubled times, an inspiration for those who play, those who coach, those who watch, and those who may see in it from the outside the life-changing
positives that start with an honest goal and end with the faith, future, and direction that only teamwork and principled living -- on and off the field --
can build.
Getting good news.
Undefeated may be Oscar material, but its Blu-ray transfer won't win any awards. This is a simple, no-frills high definition presentation sourced from cameras a few steps lower than the top-of-the-line Hollywood digital video equipment. The result is a somewhat rough but satisfactory HD video image. Light aliasing, a few jagged edges, and occasional banding are evident. Detail is rarely striking; shots of the football field leave grass looking clumpy and mushy rather than distinct and lifelike. Facial details are rather revealing in close-up shots, but otherwise definition and detail are adequate at best. The image is at least consistent and rather crisp. Colors are handled well enough, whether the patchy grass practice field that offers a mix of green and tan blades, bright blue practice jerseys, or casual clothes seen inside the school. The palette isn't electrifying, but it's clear and accurate nonetheless. Black levels are fair and flesh tones consistent, the former never washed out or showing crush, the latter never too warm or too pale. The image suffers more from the limitations of the source rather than a sloppy Blu-ray release; it's a watchable image and fine for what it is but demo material this is not.
Undefeated powers not Blu-ray with a good, but hardly great, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The film's sound design is limited by nature and won't put speakers and audio gear through their paces, but the end result is a fair listen that handles the film's limited needs well enough. Music plays with a fair front end spread and light surround support. Clarity is adequate and bass, while light, helps give body and presence to the music. Some of the more upbeat moments -- such as when Manassas starts playing well partway through its second game -- offer a little more sonic verve. Dialogue is the main ingredient here; clarity is fine, placement remains in the center, and no other elements drown out the spoken word. Some scratchy small town AM-quality radio broadcast clips are deliberately sloppy but welcome in context. This is a forgettable listen, but Anchor Bay's track gets the job done with minimal effort.
Undefeated contains a short but quality assortment of extras, including a fine commentary track and a selection of deleted scenes.
Undefeated feels so authentic that audiences might forget they're watching the story unfold through the camera lens and believe they're there on the practice field, in the school auditorium, or at home with the coach or his players. It's a wonderful technical accomplishment but more importantly a powerful, uplifting, and maybe even life changing Documentary about the power of positive thinking, dedication, and success not on the scoreboard or the stat sheet but rather in life. These are not new ideas but the difference in Undefeated is the authenticity of the experience, the passion of the coach, and the arc of the players from rough outlines to fully matured human beings with an understanding of life and a clear path towards the future. This is a film that's not to be missed. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of Undefeated delivers fair video, good audio, and a few supplements. Highly recommended on the strength of the film.
Films 01-30
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25th Anniversary Edition
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First: The Official Film of the London 2012 Olympic Games
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