7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Veronica Mars has put Neptune and her amateur sleuthing days behind her on the eve of graduating law school. While interviewing at high-end law firms, Veronica gets a call from her ex-boyfriend Logan who has been accused of murder. Veronica heads back to Neptune just to help Logan find an attorney, but when things don’t seem right with how Logan’s case is perceived and handled, Veronica finds herself being pulled back into a life she thought she had left behind.
Starring: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni, Christopher Lowell (IV), Percy Daggs IIIComedy | 100% |
Teen | 93% |
Mystery | 2% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Crime | 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 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
I am one of the 91,585, a number few dreamed possible and even fewer anticipated. Among them, refreshingly humble Veronica Mars creator and scribe Rob Thomas, series star Kristen Bell, her willing co-stars and, really, every one of the dearly devoted Mashmallows who sat at their laptops biting their nails, nervously awaiting the launch of a Kickstarter campaign aimed at reviving a short-lived show long thought dead. Could a grass roots internet fundraiser accomplish what TV networks and executives could not? Or would not? Would fans actually step up and put their hard-earned cash where their mouths were? Would there be enough support to drum up Thomas' Kickstarter goal of $2 million? Would the campaign mark a new milestone in TV or another failed attempt to rally fandom to action? The air was thick with anticipation and fear. No one knew that Veronica Mars' passionate fans were about to make television history and set a precedent that would fundamentally alter the rules of the game.
But then came that number: 91,585. That's the number of backers that not only wanted to see a Veronica Mars movie, but were ready to crack open their wallets to ensure it would happen. Series fans didn't take their sweet time getting organized either, nor did their enthusiasm dwindle as the Kickstarter campaign neared its end. Thomas and company passed $2 million in less than 10 hours -- 10 hours, chew on that for a moment -- broke numerous Kickstarter crowd-funding records, and breezed across the 30-day finish line with $5.7 million, almost triple the amount Warner Bros. needed to green-light production. The resulting film will always be overshadowed by the means that gave it life, but is that such a bad thing? Thomas set out to deliver two hours of fan service and, to that end, he succeeds. Excels even. The succinctly titled Veronica Mars is a pitch-perfect series sequel in terms of tone, pop culture wit and general snarkiness, and only falters in the sluggishness of its exposition-laden first act, quasi-TV production values and two-dimensional whodunit. Ultimately, it plays like the second coming of Mars, and those who've so diligently held out hope all these years will have a difficult time containing their joy.
The Blu-ray edition of Veronica Mars features a lovely little 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation free from any troubling issues. Shot with Arri Alexa HD cameras, the film boasts lifelike colors, naturally saturated skintones, bold splashes of primary strength and satisfying contrast. (Black levels are a bit muted every now and then, sure, but each instance is inherent to the digital source.) Detail is quite striking too, without any significant noise, debilitating crush or distracting softness to muck up the proceedings. There's still a hint of noise and crush, but again, so goes the film's photography. Edges are crisp and clean (no aliasing or ringing to report) and textures are nicely resolved, with nothing in the way of smearing or hyper-sharpening. There also isn't any artifacting, banding or other nonsense of note, making Veronica Mars' video presentation the high point of the disc.
Veronica Mars' DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is more problematic, if only because the film's sound design tends to be slightly erratic and a bit unreliable. Prioritization is decent but too spotty at times, dialogue is clean and clear (minus a few instances, the worst of which occurs during an early car ride with Bell and Colantoni) and the clarity and weight of sound effects follow suit. Closed sets and more controlled environments are Thomas' friends; open locations and cramped quarters, not so much. That said, LFE output lends nice heft to the soundscape and the rear speakers have enough fun to make the soundfield reasonably immersive. It all comes together to create a decidedly TV-esque atmosphere, but considering the film's budget, tight production schedule and other challenges, it isn't as much of a problem as my initial impression might suggest. All told, fans will be more forgiving than audiophiles. Be sure to adjust your expectations accordingly.
Veronica Mars isn't a second coming, just a return to form. But it's a welcome return to form, one that, after a touch-and-go start, settles into old, familiar rhythms fans will gladly devour. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching the original series, though, prepare to be simultaneously overwhelmed and underwhelmed. This is for the people, by the people filmmaking; a passion project addressed to all those who believed they were capable of resurrecting a cult-favorite show cancelled before its prime with little more than donations and devotion. Thankfully, Warner's Blu-ray release delivers... for the most part. A more remarkable DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track would have been a boon (although that would have required more remarkable sound design) and some extra supplemental oomph -- a spirited commentary or two -- would have gone a long way. But it's a solid disc with a first rate video presentation. Serious complaints will be few and far between.
2014
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