6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.1 |
Mysterious creatures terrorize crew members aboard a research station located seven miles below the surface of the ocean.
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel, Mamoudou Athie, T.J. Miller, John Gallagher Jr.Horror | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
For reasons which are frankly not entirely clear to me, I have long been fielding questions from interested readers as to if I know whether or not James Cameron’s 1989 opus The Abyss is due anytime soon on Blu-ray (and, more recently, 4K UHD). The short answer to those queries has been and continues to be "not really", but there have been repeated hints dropped through the years that Cameron and his team have indeed been intent on finishing a high definition master for The Abyss. In that regard, HBO has reportedly starting streaming the film in high definition beginning last year, which has only sent some fans into overdrive wondering if and when an actual disc might be available. As of the writing of this review, that eventuality is still a pipe (periscope?) dream, but the studio formerly known as 20th Century Fox (which released The Abyss theatrically decades ago) has come to a certain kind of rescue by offering Underwater, which is rather like The Abyss in at least a few ways, not the least of which is its, yes, underwater setting. Underwater isn't content to crib from only a noted James Cameron endeavor, however, and so the film also has several aspects that will certainly remind some (many?) viewers of another science fiction tinged classic with a kind of claustrophobic feel, Ridley Scott's Alien.
Underwater is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment* with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. The
film's closing credits feature the Alexa 65 logo, and the IMDb reports that this was finished at a 4K DI. This presentation does offer some relatively
remarkable detail at times, at least given surroundings that are often supposedly taking place in inky black waters (the making of featurettes disclose
some of the digital magic employed to create this illusion). That said, detail levels are all over the map here depending on conditions, and also
depending on how much "jiggly cam" hand held material director William Eubank and director of photography Bojan Bazelli proffer. A glut of extreme
close-ups helps to elevate fine detail, even in some otherwise fairly dark moments. The palette is often skewed toward cool blues and slate grays in
some of the non-water sequences. There is some pretty prevalent if minor banding on display throughout this presentation. The film opens with a
rather long
tracking shot which details what I assume is supposed to be the elevator tunnel leading miles down to Kepler, and with various light sources emanating
from the tunnel, you can see little "ripples" in hues emanating out from the center of the frame. The same sort of thing happens recurrently in a lot of
the water
sequences when, for example, someone's helmet flashlight tips toward the camera.
*I just reviewed The Call of the Wild 4K, which
was the first "20th Century Studios" film in my personal review queue, courtesy of the acquisition and rebranding of 20th Century Fox by Disney/Buena
Vista. I'm assuming this film will probably be the last "official" 20th Century Fox Release I'll be doing.
Underwater features an effective DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track that may admittedly rely on any number of monster movie clichés, but which provides near constant immersion (no pun intended, considering the film's title and locale). From the opening moments which blend washes of LFE with equally low end scoring, the surround channels are engaged, with the subwoofer quite frequently very active. The repeated cthonic (pun definitely intended) "thunks" that rattle various temporary sanctuaries the characters get to also reverberate with significant force. Dialogue is delivered cleanly and clearly throughout the presentation (Cassel has a bit of an accent, of course, but I had no problem understanding him).
- Design (1080p; 17:54)
- Production (1080p; 19:50)
- Creatures & Visual Effects (1080p; 19:56)
Have you seen Underwater before? Probably. There's no denying some of the more derivative aspects of this film, but if you simply concede that particular issue, the film does offer some anxious moments and features some generally well done special effects. I personally could have done with considerably less T.J. Miller here, but that of course will be a matter of taste for everyone. This is no undiscovered masterpiece, but fans of Stewart in particular may want to check this out. Technical merits are generally solid and supplemental material very enjoyable for those who are considering a purchase.
2019
2012
[•REC]⁴: Apocalypse / [•REC]⁴: Apocalipsis
2014
2013
1999
2018
20th Anniversary Edition
1998
1975
Original Unrated Cut
2005
1999
2009
1957
Trolljegeren
2010
Special Edition
2000
1977
1997
Collector's Edition
1995
2009
Lenticular Slipcover
2016
2005