8.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Sci-Fi | 100% |
Mystery | 23% |
Western | 14% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1, 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Danish, Finnish, Korean, Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Swedish
Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
Digital copy
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Fans of Westworld probably already know that HBO in all their wisdom has cancelled the series, and so some who haven't yet gotten
around
to watching this fourth season may wonder if it's worth it to even bother. I'd pretty strenuously argue that, yes, it is most definitely worth it, but
the
fact that the show has been cancelled is perhaps less of a "deal breaker" than it might be otherwise in that Westworld's seasons have
often
been structured as almost "self contained" collections, though there has obviously been a narrative through line tethering the story, and admittedly
this season ends with (another?) apocalyptic cliffhanger, so there's that. Speaking of apocalyptic cliffhangers, fans of the series will also
know that Westworld: Season Three ended in just such a manner, though rather
interestingly rather than showing the immediate aftereffects of an imminent war, season four actually picks up some years after the
conflict, showing characters already radically changed by the melee. Later in the season, things catapult even further into the future, but
as might be said, "everything new is old again", in that history (so to speak) seems to be about to repeat itself as this season draws to a close.
This fourth season
may in some ways also be rather oddly "ripped from the (fringe online) headlines" in that it presents a kinda sorta global conspiracy which secretly
controls
the lives of poor, hapless humans, and probably more saliently, those in the halls of power.
For those interested in our coverage of previous seasons, please click on the following links:
Westworld: Season One Blu-ray review
Westworld: Season One 4K Blu-ray review
Westworld: Season Two Blu-ray review
Westworld: Season Two 4K Blu-ray review
Westworld: Season Three Blu-ray review
Westworld: Season Three 4K Blu-ray
review
Westworld: Season Four is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of HBO and Warner Brothers Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer mostly in 1.78:1 (as with previous seasons, some scenes, notably involving Bernard, "expand" to 2.39:1). Westworld has been one of the more consistently remarkable television series from a visual standpoint in recent memory, and that tradition continues with another spectacular presentation on Blu-ray for this final (?) season. The series continues to offer superb detail levels despite a wide array of technologies utilized, and rather surprisingly given those variances, there's a pleasingly homogeneous look to things like palette and grain structure (whether real or simulated, just to get even more "meta" than this series already is). There are some interesting if frustratingly brief looks at how some of the special effects were achieved in some of the making of featurettes included with this release, and both practical in camera and CGI efforts help to keep the visuals filled with creepy sights, including everything from swarming virulent flies to the innards of horses. Some of the "Sublime" material is intentionally a little dreamlike and hazy, but detail levels are still often amazingly crisp. Compression encounters no major hurdles.
Westworld: Season Four features a really impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix which I'm scoring at 4.5 rather than 5 for the sole reason that I need to indicate in some form or fashion that the 4K UHD release has an arguably even more impressive Dolby Atmos option. If you think you're "settling" with this track, though, don't be overly concerned, because it offers the same sweeping immersion that the Atmos track does in several of the special effects sequences, as well as some floorboard rumbling LFE courtesy of both sound effects and an absolutely ingenious score by Ramin Djawadi. There's consistent engagement of the side and rear channels throughout each episode, and even some of the most cacophonous moments offer secure layering and prioritization. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional subtitles in English and several other languages are available.
Disc One
- The Auguries (HD; 5:45)
- Well Enough Alone (HD; 5:27)
- Annees Folles (HD; 6:16)
- Generation Loss (HD; 4:56)
- Zhuangi (HD; 5:11)
- Fidelity (HD; 4:44)
- Metanoia (HD; 4:22)
- Que Sera, Sera (HD; 5:03)
It's kind of interesting to note that the current Netflix phenomenon 1899, which bears more than a few passing similarities to at least some of the many plot strands woven through Westworld, repeatedly uses both the visual and actual spoken trope of "wake up!", and that's what Christina is shown repeatedly doing throughout this season. The fact that all of these characters are in various stages of "waking up" provides a common tether to what is a huge, sprawling enterprise that intentionally feeds on and both figuratively and literally reflects prior seasons. I've long associated the great Bad Robot production masthead with the late, lamented Lost, and in that regard, while many (including this reviewer) found that series' wrap up to be less than completely fulfilling, it at least got the chance to wrap up. I'm hoping maybe HBO reconsiders their cancellation decision, at least insofar as perhaps greenlighting a finale movie event which might help to tie up several dangling threads. Westworld has been an unusually challenging series, and that proclivity continues in this fourth season. Technical merits are solid and the supplements appealing. Highly recommended.
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