Ralph Potts
08-11-08, 01:06 PM
<img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=116041&d=1216991315"hspace="12"align="left">
<b>The Review at a Glance: </b> (max score: 5 )
<b>Film:</b> <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109943&d=1210373647">
<b>Extras:</b> <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109945&d=1210373692">
<b> Audio/Video total rating:</b>
<p> ( Max score: 100 )
<font color=teal><b><h2>88</h2></b></font>
<br><br><br>
<b>Studio and Year:</b> Sony Pictures - 2005
<b>MPAA Rating:</b> PG-13
<b>Feature running time:</b> 101 Minutes
<b>Genre:</b> Action/Thriller
<b>Disc Format:</b> BD-50
<b>Encoding:</b> MPEG-4 (AVC)
<b>Video Aspect:</b> 2.40:1
<b>Resolution:</b> 1080p/24
<br>
<b>Audio Format(s):</b> English/French Dolby TrueHD 5.1
<b>Subtitles:</b> English, English SDH, French
<b>Starring:</b> Ice Cube, Willem DaFoe, Scott Speedman, Peter Strauss
<b>Directed by:</b> Lee Tamahori
<b>Music by:</b> Marco Beltrami
<b>Written by:</b> Simon Kinberg
<b>Region Code:</b> A,B,C
<b>Blu-ray Disc release Date:</b> August 12, 2008
<br><BR><BR><BR><BR>
<center><font color=Green><b><h2>"From convict to hero"</h2></b></font></center>
<h4>Film Synopsis:</h4></b></font><p>In this action-packed sequel to the box-office smash xXx, Ice Cube stars as Darius Stone, a thrill-seeking troublemaker whose criminal record and extreme sports obsession make him the perfect candidate to be the newest xXx agent. He must save the U.S. government from a deadly conspiracy led by five-star general and Secretary of Defense George Deckert (played by Willem Dafoe). Only a renegade xXx agent like Stone has the Xtreme skills to stop Deckert's dangerous military splinter group from taking over the government in America's capital.</p>
<h4>My Take:</h4></b></font>I liked the first xXx and while I like Ice Cube I just didn’t see him filling Vin Diesel’s shoes in this sequel. My suspicions were verified after watching <i>xXx: State of the Union.</i> Where the first film had over the top stunts and action sequences this one just didn’t have the same appeal and felt more like it was simply trying to one up the original. The topper being when Cube launches the speed boat up onto a bridge to take out a Police car. Afterward he strolls over and gets into a pick up truck while the police stand there like morons waiting for the Police car to explode. His escape from the Federal penitentiary in the film’s opening was just as ridiculous. The plot was weak and not nearly as much fun as the original where xXx has to go undercover to infiltrate the Russian mob. Ice Cube does fine as part of an ensemble but with him as the center piece he lacks the same charismatic appeal. The casting was quite good and featured some big names but that wasn’t enough to help drive the sub par screenplay. Some of the action based set pieces played out pretty well and I liked a few of the characters which made the film a bit more palatable.</p>
<h4>Parental Guide:</h4></b></font>The rating is for intense sequences of action violence and some language.</p>
<br><b>AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
</b><font color=DarkOrange><b>REFERENCE</b></font> = 92-100 / </b><font color=teal><b>EXCELLENT</b></font> = 83-91 / </b><font color=green><b>GOOD</b></font> = 74-82 / </b><font color=yellowgreen><b>AVERAGE</b></font> = 65-73 / </b><font color=red><b>BELOW AVERAGE</b></font> = under 65 </b>
<em>**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**</em>
<b>(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)</b>
<font color=teal><b><h4>Audio: 88</h4></b></font>
<b><ul>
<li>Dynamics: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109946&d=1210373692"></li>
<li>Low frequency extension: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109947&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Surround Sound presentation: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109947&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Clarity/Detail: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109946&d=1210373692"></li>
<li>Dialogue Reproduction: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109948&d=1210373699">
</b></li></ul>
<font color=teal><b><h4>Video: 88</h4></b></font>
<b>(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)</b>
<b><ul>
<li>Resolution/Clarity: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109947&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Black level/Shadow detail: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109947&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Color reproduction: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109948&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Fleshtones: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109947&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Compression: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109946&d=1210373692"</b></li></ul><p><b><I>xXx: State of the Union</I> comes to Blu-ray Disc from Sony featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 24 mbps and lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound that has an average bitrate of 1.5 mbps.</b></p><p>The soundtrack for this film is the type that most big budget action based movies provides. There are explosions, car chases, varying types of gunfire, helicopters and even a tank battle. The mix is pretty aggressive and it showcases the track’s bombastic nature rather well. Bass is well extended with a solid bottom end that aptly delivered the film’s heavier action sequences. This is an active surround mix that provides an immersive atmosphere that was engaging at times. The sound field had a 360 degree aura as sound effects emanated from multiple directions to envelop the sweet spot. Dialogue was crystalline so that intelligibility even during intense sequences was excellent. Good tonal balance and lossless audio’s higher resolution ensured that distinction between the various weapons and vehicle sound effects was apparent. </p><p>The video presentation was on par with the audio and looked great overall. The image was quite sharp with high level detail and vibrant deep color saturation. Edge enhancement was visible here and there if I looked for it but images were not adversely affected. Blacks were dynamic with excellent depth and quiet solidity. Skin tones had ample delineation and lifelike tonality that left them looking natural and quite pleasing. Grain was present and in fine layers that appeared well preserved and unobtrusive. I didn’t notice any video related anomalies.</p>
<h4><b>Bonus Features:</b></h4></font>
<p>The bonus supplements were ported over from the 2005 DVD release and feature commentary tracks, a making of feature that is broken into two segments, and three short documentary pieces two of which offer a look at some of the film’s special effects. 3 deleted scenes with optional Director’s commentary and BD-Live options round out the package. Access to BD-Live will be available by release date. </p>
<ul>
<li>Filmmakers commentary </li>
<li>3 Deleted scenes with optional Director’s commentary </li>
<li>Visual effects commentary </li>
<li>From convict to hero: Making of xXx SOTU- Part I Boot camp – Part II Special Ops </li>
<li>Bullet Train Breakdown featurette </li>
<li> Top secret military warehouse featurette</li>
<li>xXx: according to Ice Cube featurette</li>
<li>BD-Live enabled </li></ul><img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=116548&d=1218474133"hspace="6"align="right">
<h4>Final Thoughts:</h4></b></font>
<p><i>xXx: State of the Union</i> is a typical action film sequel that offers a few thrills but doesn’t live up to the original. Its debut on high definition Blu-ray Disc is a good one and its high quality audio/video presentation is sure to please fans. If you have never seen it than a rental is the place to start. </p>
<img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109949&d=1210373731" align=left>
<br><br><br><br>
<br><b>Ralph Potts</b>
<em>AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews</em>
<br><br><b>Reference Review System:</b>
<strong>
JVC DLA-RS1x 1080p High Definition Front Projector
Carada Precision Brilliant White 96" Screen
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Panasonic DMP-BD30 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Marantz DV7001 Universal Disc Player
Denon AVR 5308CI THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Outlaw Audio Model 7700 seven channel amplifier
B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 seven Channel amplifier
Canton "Ergo" Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
</strong>
<b>The Review at a Glance: </b> (max score: 5 )
<b>Film:</b> <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109943&d=1210373647">
<b>Extras:</b> <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109945&d=1210373692">
<b> Audio/Video total rating:</b>
<p> ( Max score: 100 )
<font color=teal><b><h2>88</h2></b></font>
<br><br><br>
<b>Studio and Year:</b> Sony Pictures - 2005
<b>MPAA Rating:</b> PG-13
<b>Feature running time:</b> 101 Minutes
<b>Genre:</b> Action/Thriller
<b>Disc Format:</b> BD-50
<b>Encoding:</b> MPEG-4 (AVC)
<b>Video Aspect:</b> 2.40:1
<b>Resolution:</b> 1080p/24
<br>
<b>Audio Format(s):</b> English/French Dolby TrueHD 5.1
<b>Subtitles:</b> English, English SDH, French
<b>Starring:</b> Ice Cube, Willem DaFoe, Scott Speedman, Peter Strauss
<b>Directed by:</b> Lee Tamahori
<b>Music by:</b> Marco Beltrami
<b>Written by:</b> Simon Kinberg
<b>Region Code:</b> A,B,C
<b>Blu-ray Disc release Date:</b> August 12, 2008
<br><BR><BR><BR><BR>
<center><font color=Green><b><h2>"From convict to hero"</h2></b></font></center>
<h4>Film Synopsis:</h4></b></font><p>In this action-packed sequel to the box-office smash xXx, Ice Cube stars as Darius Stone, a thrill-seeking troublemaker whose criminal record and extreme sports obsession make him the perfect candidate to be the newest xXx agent. He must save the U.S. government from a deadly conspiracy led by five-star general and Secretary of Defense George Deckert (played by Willem Dafoe). Only a renegade xXx agent like Stone has the Xtreme skills to stop Deckert's dangerous military splinter group from taking over the government in America's capital.</p>
<h4>My Take:</h4></b></font>I liked the first xXx and while I like Ice Cube I just didn’t see him filling Vin Diesel’s shoes in this sequel. My suspicions were verified after watching <i>xXx: State of the Union.</i> Where the first film had over the top stunts and action sequences this one just didn’t have the same appeal and felt more like it was simply trying to one up the original. The topper being when Cube launches the speed boat up onto a bridge to take out a Police car. Afterward he strolls over and gets into a pick up truck while the police stand there like morons waiting for the Police car to explode. His escape from the Federal penitentiary in the film’s opening was just as ridiculous. The plot was weak and not nearly as much fun as the original where xXx has to go undercover to infiltrate the Russian mob. Ice Cube does fine as part of an ensemble but with him as the center piece he lacks the same charismatic appeal. The casting was quite good and featured some big names but that wasn’t enough to help drive the sub par screenplay. Some of the action based set pieces played out pretty well and I liked a few of the characters which made the film a bit more palatable.</p>
<h4>Parental Guide:</h4></b></font>The rating is for intense sequences of action violence and some language.</p>
<br><b>AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
</b><font color=DarkOrange><b>REFERENCE</b></font> = 92-100 / </b><font color=teal><b>EXCELLENT</b></font> = 83-91 / </b><font color=green><b>GOOD</b></font> = 74-82 / </b><font color=yellowgreen><b>AVERAGE</b></font> = 65-73 / </b><font color=red><b>BELOW AVERAGE</b></font> = under 65 </b>
<em>**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**</em>
<b>(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)</b>
<font color=teal><b><h4>Audio: 88</h4></b></font>
<b><ul>
<li>Dynamics: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109946&d=1210373692"></li>
<li>Low frequency extension: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109947&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Surround Sound presentation: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109947&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Clarity/Detail: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109946&d=1210373692"></li>
<li>Dialogue Reproduction: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109948&d=1210373699">
</b></li></ul>
<font color=teal><b><h4>Video: 88</h4></b></font>
<b>(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)</b>
<b><ul>
<li>Resolution/Clarity: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109947&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Black level/Shadow detail: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109947&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Color reproduction: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109948&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Fleshtones: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109947&d=1210373699"></li>
<li>Compression: <img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109946&d=1210373692"</b></li></ul><p><b><I>xXx: State of the Union</I> comes to Blu-ray Disc from Sony featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 24 mbps and lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound that has an average bitrate of 1.5 mbps.</b></p><p>The soundtrack for this film is the type that most big budget action based movies provides. There are explosions, car chases, varying types of gunfire, helicopters and even a tank battle. The mix is pretty aggressive and it showcases the track’s bombastic nature rather well. Bass is well extended with a solid bottom end that aptly delivered the film’s heavier action sequences. This is an active surround mix that provides an immersive atmosphere that was engaging at times. The sound field had a 360 degree aura as sound effects emanated from multiple directions to envelop the sweet spot. Dialogue was crystalline so that intelligibility even during intense sequences was excellent. Good tonal balance and lossless audio’s higher resolution ensured that distinction between the various weapons and vehicle sound effects was apparent. </p><p>The video presentation was on par with the audio and looked great overall. The image was quite sharp with high level detail and vibrant deep color saturation. Edge enhancement was visible here and there if I looked for it but images were not adversely affected. Blacks were dynamic with excellent depth and quiet solidity. Skin tones had ample delineation and lifelike tonality that left them looking natural and quite pleasing. Grain was present and in fine layers that appeared well preserved and unobtrusive. I didn’t notice any video related anomalies.</p>
<h4><b>Bonus Features:</b></h4></font>
<p>The bonus supplements were ported over from the 2005 DVD release and feature commentary tracks, a making of feature that is broken into two segments, and three short documentary pieces two of which offer a look at some of the film’s special effects. 3 deleted scenes with optional Director’s commentary and BD-Live options round out the package. Access to BD-Live will be available by release date. </p>
<ul>
<li>Filmmakers commentary </li>
<li>3 Deleted scenes with optional Director’s commentary </li>
<li>Visual effects commentary </li>
<li>From convict to hero: Making of xXx SOTU- Part I Boot camp – Part II Special Ops </li>
<li>Bullet Train Breakdown featurette </li>
<li> Top secret military warehouse featurette</li>
<li>xXx: according to Ice Cube featurette</li>
<li>BD-Live enabled </li></ul><img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=116548&d=1218474133"hspace="6"align="right">
<h4>Final Thoughts:</h4></b></font>
<p><i>xXx: State of the Union</i> is a typical action film sequel that offers a few thrills but doesn’t live up to the original. Its debut on high definition Blu-ray Disc is a good one and its high quality audio/video presentation is sure to please fans. If you have never seen it than a rental is the place to start. </p>
<img src="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=109949&d=1210373731" align=left>
<br><br><br><br>
<br><b>Ralph Potts</b>
<em>AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews</em>
<br><br><b>Reference Review System:</b>
<strong>
JVC DLA-RS1x 1080p High Definition Front Projector
Carada Precision Brilliant White 96" Screen
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Panasonic DMP-BD30 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Marantz DV7001 Universal Disc Player
Denon AVR 5308CI THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Outlaw Audio Model 7700 seven channel amplifier
B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 seven Channel amplifier
Canton "Ergo" Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
</strong>