8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.2 |
The adventures of a Ragnar Lothbrok: the greatest hero of his age. The series tells the saga of Ragnar's band of Viking brothers and his family as he rises to become King of the Viking tribes. As well as being a fearless warrior, Ragnar embodies the Norse traditions of devotion to the gods: legend has it that he was a direct descendant of Odin, the god of war and warriors.
Starring: Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, Clive Standen, Jessalyn Gilsig, Gustaf SkarsgårdAction | 100% |
History | 99% |
Adventure | 90% |
War | 67% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, French
Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Vikings has often been written off as a Game of Thrones wannabe, and even I haven't shied away from describing at least some tethers that some viewers
may see as connective tissues between the two series. One subliminal way the two shows may be related is that their final seasons may be
perceived as at least a bit of a letdown, especially for longtime fans who have stuck through the series for several years. Also much as with
Game of Thrones, Vikings has portrayed the often fractious family dynamics in a war torn environment, beginning in this case with
paterfamilias Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), and then continuing on with his heirs and assigns. Season 6 of Vikings was
split into two parts, and kind of interestingly from a broadcast perspective, Part 1 aired on History while Part 2 streamed on Amazon Prime,
something which may have given the impression that the series was being shunted off into some kind of virtual wasteland. This second part of
Season 6 picks up where Part 1 left off, and attempts to deal with a probably unmanageable number of characters and competing subplots.
Because of the necessities of expositional elements, these final ten episodes may not have the same kind of epic sweep and especially action
elements that some diehard fans of the series have probably come to expect.
As I mentioned in a previous review of Vikings, due to the vagaries of changing labels and/or distributors, as well as to our various
reviewers assigned to them, unfortunately we've only covered
the first season and then the fifth, before this final sixth
season. For the volumes we have reviewed, please click on the following links:
Vikings: The Complete First Season Blu-
ray review
Vikings: Season 5, Volume 1 Blu-ray
review
Vikings: Season 5, Volume 2 Blu-ray
review
Vikings: Season 6, Volume 1 Blu-ray
review
Vikings: Season 6, Volume 2 is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Warner Brothers Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. If the general narrative of these final ten episodes may strike some fans as lackluster, the cinematography and production design of the series continue to be absolutely top notch, and are more than capably supported by this often staggering looking presentation. As with all of the seasons that I've personally reviewed, there is a surplus of slate grays and cool blue tones on display, but as I've also mentioned with regard to some of the previous seasons, there can be sudden pops of warmth, in this particular set of episodes including both buttery interior moments and some really nicely suffused exterior scenes. There's actually a kind of evolution of palette on display over the course of these episodes, whether intentional or not, that sees things slowly warming. Detail levels are typically excellent, though this set of episodes once again indulges in a number of "arty" framings and/or techniques where things become intentionally gauzy, as can perhaps be made out in some of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review. I noticed no compression anomalies.
Vikings: Season 6, Volume 2 offers another nicely immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. While there are some set pieces in these final episodes, there may not be the same level (no pun intended) of huge battle effects, though the side and rear channels can still be regularly engaged, especially when the series ventures outside, which it does quite a bit of the time. There are some excellent placements of discrete ambient environmental effects scattered throughout virtually every episode, and the interesting score also fills the surround channels winningly. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available, and there are a few instances of forced English subtitles for various ancient languages.
Disc One
Note: There is a Play All option for the above four deleted scenes.- All Change Episode, Scene 06 (HD; 1:32)
- All Change Episode, Scene 13 (HD; 2:14)
- The Signal Episode, Scene 09 (HD; 4:07)
- Lost Souls Episode, Scene 09 (HD; 3:44)
- All at Sea Episode, Scene 20 (HD; 1:54)
Note: There is a Play All option for the above three deleted scenes.- The Last Act Episode, Scene 6 (HD; 1:38)
- The Last Act Episode, Scene 19 (HD; 2:33)
- The Last Act Episode, Scene 36 (HD; 2:05)
I frankly inherited reviewing Vikings and just as frankly did initially think it was simply going to be a Game of Thrones wannabe. I've found myself repeatedly nicely surprised by the series both for its visceral characters but also for its epic production design and typically very evocative aesthetic. These final episodes are not as exciting as I might have hoped, but at least those looking for a little "closure" may find some. Technical merits are first rate for those who are considering making a purchase.
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Director's Cut
2004
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Director's Cut
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The Final Cut
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Director's Cut
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Aoki Ôkami: chi hate umi tsukiru made
2007
Red Cliff Part II / Chinese Theatrical Version
2009