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4K views 0 replies 1 participant last post by  Ralph Potts 
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The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )

Film:


Extras:


Audio/3D Video total rating:

( Max score: 100 )

87






Studio and Year: IMAX - 2010
MPAA Rating: NR
Feature running time: 58 minutes
Genre: Documentary

Disc Format: BD-25
Encoding: MVC/AVC
Video Aspect: 1.78:1
Resolution: 1080p/24


Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD High Resolution 5.1, LA Spanish, French, German, Japanese Dutch, Arabic, Czech, DTS 5.1, Danish, Polish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, LA Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Arabic, Czech, Icelandic, Polish, Slovenian
Starring: Richard Rider, Chloe Hollings
Written & Directed by: Pasqual Vuong & Ronan Chapalain
Music by: Frank Marchal
Region Code: A,B,C

Blu-ray Disc release Date: November 15, 2011






"Journey to a prehistoric world"



Film Synopsis:


Join Julie, an imaginative young woman, as she travels from a modern-day aquarium to the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Explore an amazing underwater universe inhabited by larger-than-life creatures - including the powerful Liopleurodon, long-necked Elasmosaurus and gigantic Shonisaurus - which were ruling the seas before dinosaurs conquered the earth. Thanks to state-of-the-art ultra-photorealistic imagery, see science come alive in a unique and entertaining manner. Immerse yourself in a lost age, 200 million years back in time, and get ready for a face-to-face encounter with the T-Rex of the seas!


My Take:


Written & Directed by Pascal Vuong and Ronan Chapalain, Sea Rex: Journey to a prehistoric world is a documentary film that focuses on the prehistoric ages, more specifically the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods of the Mesozoic Age when reptiles roamed the earth and large sea creatures held sway over the waters. The documentary is told in an educational context via a scripted storyline that involves a student names Julie that meets the ghost of famed French paleontologist Georges Cuvier while visiting an aquarium. She is guided back through time (about 240 + million years) via the use of CGI based recreations of the landscapes, seascapes and animals, both land and sea, of the various time periods. The film also includes supporting commentary from some of today's leading authorities on the subject matter. This documentary presents very well thanks to wonderfully crafted computer generated imagery that reinvents the time period. I didn't care much for the scripted concept featuring Julie/Georges Cuvier but the information proved informative and mildly entertaining. While I wasn't always engaged by the source material the striking visuals held my attention over the course of the film. I suspect that this film will find an audience in those with an interest not only in dinosaurs etc. but marine life as well.



Parental Guide:


This documentary is appropriate for general audiences.





AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**


(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


Audio: 84


  • Dynamics:

  • Low frequency extension:

  • Surround Sound presentation:

  • Clarity/Detail:

  • Dialogue Reproduction:




3D Presentation: 90


(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

  • Depth (Onscreen):

  • Dimension (Beyond the screen):

  • Realism:

  • Clarity/Detail:

  • Color reproduction:

Sea Rex: Journey to a prehistoric world 3D come to Blu-ray Disc from Universal Studios Home Entertainment featuring 1080p MVC encoded video and DTS-HD High Resolution (HR) 5.1 channel sound.

This 3D film presentation boasts superlative depth and an abundance of high level detail. The earth toned hues and underwater grays/blues are vivid and natural. Contrast balance is spot on as the various shades color blended the multi-staged whites and grays are gradationally revealing with crisp highlights that preserve detail. Blacks are delineated, deep, and rich, which provides low level images with excellent perspective and depth of field. The wealth of CGI imagery makes excellent use of the 3D platform. There are a variety of sequences that provide an engaging reach out and touch sense of dimension. Objects onscreen have a discerning sense of depth with natural degrees of separation that impart a defining perspective relative to their virtual placement. Resolution is strong as the vastness and scope of the recorded elements offers transparently rendered detail, eye pleasing color, and a rewarding sense of depth and dimension that simply looks terrific in high definition. I didn't notice any signs of ghosting/crosstalk or 3D related anomalies. This one disc Blu-ray offering also includes an AVC encoded 1080p 2D presentation for viewers that havent yet made the move to 3D. Comparatively speaking the 2D presentation is on par with the 3D version in terms of resolution, color reproduction, contrast, and black levels. 2D Video Quality = 88.

The lossy DTS-HD HR soundtrack renders the elements contained in this documentary film with aplomb. The narration is rendered with clear articulation and smooth intonation. It probably could have been a bit more forward within the front soundstage but otherwise presented well. The front three channels are integrated nicely and combine high level detail/clarity with pinpoint imaging. The surrounds are effectively used to generate an enveloping soundscape that simulates the undersea world and its various sounds. Bass response is appropriate in that it lends low level extension in support of the recorded sounds and music. This isn't an aggressive surround mix but makes for an invigorating audio presentation that sounded great and mated perfectly with the source material.



Bonus Features:

  • (HD) Sea Rex Featurette - 4 minutes

  • (HD) Filmmaker interviews - 4 minutes



Final Thoughts:


Sea Rex: Journey to a prehistoric world 3D is a wonderfully presented visual adventure with an educational flavor that documents the time when the world was young and inhabited by varying species of dinosaurs. I found it to be a little on the bland side but entertaining enough to keep me interested. Originally presented in IMAX 3D it offers high quality imagery that makes for an entertaining in home 3D experience for fans of the format. If you enjoy documentaries based on prehistoric era animals/sea life you can't go wrong with Sea Rex.















Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews





Reference Review System:



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Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100 16x9 Screen

Onkyo PR-SC5508 THX Ultra 2 Audio/Video Processor

Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier

Oppo BDP-93 Universal Disc/3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Panasonic DMP-BDT310 3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

System Controller: Apple iPad/iRule Pro HD Universal Remote Control

Canton "Ergo" Series speakers

Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers

SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)

APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector

Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator

Wireworld, Better Cables (Silver Serpent) - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling

Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
 
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