5.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Set in the near future in a colony of state-of-the-art humanoid robots. When its creator's daughter goes missing, he hires private investigator David Carmichael, to bring her home. David teams up with Jane, a highly advanced and self-aware A.I., to track down the missing daughter. Moving through the dangerous iron jungle, they rapidly piece together the mystery, uncovering a crime that leads them to question the origins of Zone 414 and the true purpose behind the "City of Robots."
Starring: Guy Pearce, Matilda Lutz, Jonathan Aris, Colin Salmon, Jóhannes Haukur JóhannessonForeign | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Sci-Fi | 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
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
If one were to merge Blade Runner with Escape from New York into a moderately budgeted Sci-Fi film made in the 2020s, the result would most certainly be Zone 414, Director Andrew Baird's film based on Bryan Edward Hill's script. The film is fine, mostly. It's a bit monotone and methodical. It's not a run-and-gun action film but rather something more cerebral. Mood and atmosphere, darkness and depth define it more than anything else, so audiences looking for the next quick fix adrenaline rush should turn away. However, anyone willing to give this hybrid film a chance will find a somewhat engaging but ultimately too stale picture that tries just a little too hard to be smart, clearly favoring brains over brawn, even if the brains don't always prove smart enough to let the picture stand on its own.
Paramount sends Zone 414 onto Blu-ray with a capable 1080p transfer. Viewers will note some troubling banding in an overhead shot featuring heavy fog to open the film. Some noise is at work, too. These issues are not persistent throughout the film, but they do linger in places. The picture is fairly dark; there's not a lot of color punch and dazzle, even when bright neon accents or colorful wigs and hair are present on the screen; the darkness and dreary color timing don't mute these tones, but they do render them less than brilliant. Still, they're fine within the larger color parameters. Detailing is fine, offering stable skin, clothing, and environmental textures. Again, there's nothing here worth writing home about, but viewers will find a capable bit of video engineering that handles duties admirably enough.
The included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack fares much like the video: it's largely proficient and engaging but it's not going to rewrite the Blu-ray audio record book, either. The sound design is not quite so muted and reserved as the video, but it's not full throttle at all times either. It has its moments of high intensity music and atmosphere, both of which offer excellent spatial awareness and depth, but not so much as to stand out from any other genre-type film. Action effects are few and far between; several gunshots do ring out with impressive boldness and depth. Most of the film is reliant on dialogue and the spoken word does come through commendably from the front-center. It is clear and well prioritized throughout.
This Blu-ray release of Zone 414 includes a pair of featurettes. No DVD copy is included with purchase. However, Paramount has included a
digital copy voucher. This release does not ship with a slipcover.
Zone 414 is worth watching, but it's not worth remembering. The film will please Sci-Fi fans looking for a fix of higher-minded moviemaking, but the sum total doesn't amount to a whole lot, particularly since it has little new to say. The film does look good and the performances are solid. It's in good working order; just don't expect the next great masterpiece in the Blade Runner style. Paramount's Blu-ray includes solid enough video and audio and a pair of featurettes. Rent it.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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