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Immortals (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

14K views 63 replies 30 participants last post by  Taranteacher 
#1 ·


The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )

Film:


Extras:


Audio/Video total rating:

( Max score: 100 )

92






Studio and Year: 20th Century Fox - 2011
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 110 minutes
Genre: Action/Adventure

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.85:1
Resolution: 1080p/24


Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Starring: Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Luke Evans, Frieda Pinto, Isabel Lucas, Mickey Rourke, John Hurt
Directed by: Tarsem Singh Dhandwar
Music by: Trevor Morris
Written by: Charles Parlapandies & Vlas Parlapandies
Region Code: A

Blu-ray Disc release Date: March 6, 2012







"The Gods need a hero"



Film Synopsis:


In this epic tale of vengeance and destiny, power-mad King Hyperion (Rourke) threatens to destroy all of humanity on his maniacal quest to obtain the ultimate weapon - the legendary Epirus Bow that gives the power to unleash war on both Heaven and Earth. But Theseus (Cavill), a heroic young villager chosen by the gods, rises up to stop Hyperion's brutal rampage. With supernatural help from the beautiful oracle Phaedra (Pinto), Theseus embraces his destiny and leads a fierce band of warriors in a desperate fight for the future of mankind.



My Take:


I have been a fan of Tarsem since reviewing The Fall on Blu-ray back in 2008. His penchant for visual storytelling is superb and in that regard Immortals has something to offer. The screenplay consists of a contemporary Greek Mythology tale spun against elements of love, hate, retribution and destiny. Neither the characters or story are developed enough to be substantial but what keeps interest going is the invigorating visuals and moderately diverting action. In the end I enjoyed Immortals for what it is but those looking for an engaging balance of action drama and visceral storytelling will be disappointed. My advice is to go in with low expectations, sit back and enjoy Tarsem's visually arresting artistry.



Parental Guide:


The rating is for sequences of strong bloody violence, brief nudity and a scene of sexuality.





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: 94


  • Dynamics:

  • Low frequency extension:

  • Surround Sound presentation:

  • Clarity/Detail:

  • Dialogue Reproduction:





Video: 90


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

  • Resolution/Clarity:

  • Black level/Shadow detail:

  • Color reproduction:

  • Fleshtones:

  • Compression:

Immortals comes to Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 33 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4.1 Mbps.

This film utilizes a stylized visual design that has a limited color scheme that works well for the subject matter. The color range is limited to shades of dark blue, gray, black and crimson set against a sepia toned aesthetic. Warm golden accents are used to break up the film's monochromatic essence. Uneven light and shading are prevalent. Contrast is spot on which empowers whites and grays with washing away detail. Whites are snappy and crisp and grays are multi-staged and layered. The film was largely shot against green screens which softened some of the background elements during wide angle pans but I never found it to be excessive or distracting. Overall I found the quality of the video to be high. It isn't always razor sharp but it was cleanly rendered with plenty of subtle refinement that increased the perception of fine detail. Blacks are dynamic and gradationally revealing and shadow detail is just as strong. I found myself enamored by the film's deep grays, rich contrast and intriguing use of color. Framed at 1.85:1 its images have incredible depth and a stimulating visual aura that look terrific on my large screen. I didn't note any deleterious signs of video related artifacts or compression noise.

This 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is fairly aggressive and features an active surround mix that has extended dynamic range that positively renders the bombastic nature of the elements in the recording. The action based sequences transform the listening area into a three dimensional sound field filled via immersive surround activity that mates perfectly with the events unfolding onscreen. Low frequency effects produce deep bass that rumbles with tactile authority as it pressurizes the room. Dialogue is reproduced with lucid expression and exacting clarity that produced just the slightest hint of sibilance in the upper registers. This is a wonderfully involving and dynamically rewarding sound design that features high level sonic detail, superb directional correlation and rhythmically charged bass extension. My advice is to crank this one up, sit back and enjoy.



Bonus Features:

  • (HD) Alternate opening - Young Theseus

  • (HD) Two alternate endings - This is our last embrace, Theseus kills Hyperion

  • (HD) Featurettes:

  • It's no myth - 5 minutes

  • Caravaggio meets fight club: (4 segments)

    1. Tarsem's vision - 5 minutes
    2. Visual effects - 5 minutes
    3. Stunts - 4 minutes
    4. Creating the score - 4 minutes
  • (HD) 8 deleted scenes

  • (HD) Immortals: Gods & Heroes (graphic novel)

  • Digital Copy Bonus Disc



Final Thoughts:


Immortals is a contemporary Greek Mythology tale spun against elements of love, hate, retribution and destiny. I didn't find much depth in its characters or story but found its beautifully crafted visuals and slick production to be worthwhile. Speaking of worthwhile, its high definition audio/video presentation on Blu-ray from 20th Century Fox makes for a rewarding home theater experience. The supplemental material offers a glimpse behind the scenes as well as the inclusion of several alternate takes and a graphic novel that are worth a look if you like the film. This isn't great cinema but has found its way into my collection based strictly on the merit of its high quality presentation. Give it a rent and see for yourself.















Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews





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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)

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Canton "Ergo" Series speakers

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SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)

APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector

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#3 ·
I guess I enjoyed this one much more than you--I found it quite entertaining and gave it 4/5--maybe I'm just easy.
For me, this was a nice addition to my collection.
 
#5 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by cinema13 /forum/post/21751755


A shame we couldn't get a 3D review. Wonder how well the visuals translate on the 3D edition.

Greetings,


Sorry about that. The 3D Blu-ray didn't show and I didn't want to put the review off any longer.




Regards,
 
#6 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Potts /forum/post/21751783


Greetings,


Sorry about that. The 3D Blu-ray didn't show and I didn't want to put the review off any longer.




Regards,

I agree. I too wish that you would have done a 3D review.


That being said, the reviewer at Bluray.com gave the visual 4.5 stars.


I blind bought the 3D version and was stunned by its sheer beauty.


I too loved the artistc visual presentation of the 3D movie. I found myself so busy looking at the scale and beauty of the film that I did not care about the storyline. It is just that kind of a movie. You just want to seat back, turn off the left side of your brain, and just bask in the rays of the pure visual artistry of this movie...


EYE CANDY!
 
#7 ·
Just saw the 3D version last evening and with exception of a couple scenes, I felt the movie was too dark for my tastes. There were lengthy periods where the movie had nothing but sound with black surrounded by blacker black, a little deep Navy blue and dark grays accented with 2-3 candle flames and an outline of a person's profile.

I want to watch it again on my panel 3D passive monitor to see if this film was just not made for 3D projection systems. There is also a 3D BD in the set and will compare to that soon too.


I have this theory that many producers of dark imagery 2D movies fail when it comes to making the 3D version and don't realize that with dark glasses, ALL 3D needs to be ramped up a bit in brightness to compensate and just bring the levels up to where they made the 2D version artistically. I came to this conclusion after watching many dark 2D movies and some of them are much much darker in the 3D version. Technically, there is no reason why a 3D cut should be viewed darker than the 2D cut.
 
#8 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by King_David /forum/post/21752161


I agree. I too wish that you would have done a 3D review.


That being said, the reviewer at Bluray.com gave the visual 4.5 stars.


I blind bought the 3D version and was stunned by its sheer beauty.


I too loved the artistc visual presentation of the 3D movie. I found myself so busy looking at the scale and beauty of the film that I did not care about the storyline. It is just that kind of a movie. You just want to seat back, turn off the left side of your brain, and just bask in the rays of the pure visual artistry of this movie...


EYE CANDY!

Greetings,


I have been assured that the 3D Blu-ray is coming and should arrive soon (no idea what that means). When/if it shows I will cover the 3D version as well.


Regards,
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the usual great write up Ralph!


Question now is do i get the 2D or wait for the 3D review?


This movie was without a doubt one of the best one's i've seen since 300. The battle at the end was just simply EPIC!


Makes me want to stay in the gym and workout the whole day. LOL!
 
#11 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Landis /forum/post/21752326


Just saw the 3D version last evening and with exception of a couple scenes, I felt the movie was too dark for my tastes. There were lengthy periods where the movie had nothing but sound with black surrounded by blacker black, a little deep Navy blue and dark grays accented with 2-3 candle flames and an outline of a person's profile.

I want to watch it again on my panel 3D passive monitor to see if this film was just not made for 3D projection systems. There is also a 3D BD in the set and will compare to that soon too.


I have this theory that many producers of dark imagery 2D movies fail when it comes to making the 3D version and don't realize that with dark glasses, ALL 3D needs to be ramped up a bit in brightness to compensate and just bring the levels up to where they made the 2D version artistically. I came to this conclusion after watching many dark 2D movies and some of them are much much darker in the 3D version. Technically, there is no reason why a 3D cut should be viewed darker than the 2D cut.

I didn't find the 3D version too dark at all. It looked very good on my 2.8 HP screen and Epson 6010 in 3D dynamic mode (calibrated) with 1900 lumens before hitting the 2.8 gain screen. For those who have projectors that have problems with showing some ghosting (like my 6010, but not my DLP) this movie has little to none. It looks great. Happy Feet 2 in 3D is a different story. A ghosting torture test for non-DLP 3D projectors!
 
#12 ·

Quote:
I have this theory that many producers of dark imagery 2D movies fail when it comes to making the 3D version and don't realize that with dark glasses, ALL 3D needs to be ramped up a bit in brightness to compensate and just bring the levels up to where they made the 2D version artistically

Producers threw "reference" out the window in favor of $$$. They know whats going on...

Theaters also running under powered the bulbs to reduce energy and bulb costs.


This bothers me because I'm used to a professionally calibrated display,
 
#13 ·
I honestly gave this movie a 1/5, and I wanted my money back.


Same plot that I've seen a thousand times over. Way too bloody (even though I like gore, this was just too much) and the scene where that guy's nuts were crushed.


The only thing I found cool were the fight scenes, but that wasn't enough for me.
 
#14 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverBlade /forum/post/21754428


I honestly gave this movie a 1/5, and I wanted my money back.


Same plot that I've seen a thousand times over. Way too bloody (even though I like gore, this was just too much) and the scene where that guy's nuts were crushed.


The only thing I found cool were the fight scenes, but that wasn't enough for me.

Completely agree on plot issues. Went to go see this with my brothers and we all just felt embarrassed afterwards.


It felt like every scene was just ripped right from one of a half dozen popular movies without any shame.
 
#15 ·
Remember that Immortals is a conversion. What you are viewing is fake 3D. In a side by side comparison, properly shot native 3D would blow any conversion out of the water.


Sorry to go on and on about these conversions, but I really do think they are killing the appeal of 3D and I want 3D to continue and improve with properly shot native 3D films.


Gae
 
#19 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by JamE55 /forum/post/21753102


Thanks for the usual great write up Ralph!


Question now is do i get the 2D or wait for the 3D review?


This movie was without a doubt one of the best one's i've seen since 300. The battle at the end was just simply EPIC!


Makes me want to stay in the gym and workout the whole day. LOL!

I would get the 3D version since it also includes the 2D version for the exact same price on Amazon.
 
#21 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Deja Vu /forum/post/21753888


I didn't find the 3D version too dark at all. It looked very good on my 2.8 HP screen and Epson 6010 in 3D dynamic mode (calibrated) with 1900 lumens before hitting the 2.8 gain screen. For those who have projectors that have problems with showing some ghosting (like my 6010, but not my DLP) this movie has little to none. It looks great. Happy Feet 2 in 3D is a different story. A ghosting torture test for non-DLP 3D projectors!

I use a Sony VPL VW 90ES which is normally so bright I have it cranked down but this film was so dark it brought my PJ at full brightness to it's knees. But then, I wasn't watching on a 2.8 gain HP screen. I use a 1.0 Matte white since I can't stand the hotspot these high gain screens do in order to achieve passive gain.
 
#22 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Landis /forum/post/21756755


I use a Sony VPL VW 90ES which is normally so bright I have it cranked down but this film was so dark it brought my PJ at full brightness to it's knees. But then, I wasn't watching on a 2.8 gain HP screen. I use a 1.0 Matte white since I can't stand the hotspot these high gain screens do in order to achieve passive gain.

Greetings,


I will report my findings once I have had a chance to see the 3D version.


Regards,
 
#23 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Potts /forum/post/21751366


I didn't find much depth in its characters or story but found its beautifully crafted visuals and slick production to be worthwhile. Speaking of worthwhile, its high definition audio/video presentation on Blu-ray from 20th Century Fox makes for a rewarding home theater experience.

Exactly the way I saw it on both video and audio, Ralph! I have the 3D and 2D versions and am glad to have it as a part of my video library. The 3D version looks especially nice considering that it's a post-conversion presentation.


Thanks for the review!
 
#24 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gae /forum/post/21755363


Remember that Immortals is a conversion. What you are viewing is fake 3D. In a side by side comparison, properly shot native 3D would blow any conversion out of the water.


Sorry to go on and on about these conversions, but I really do think they are killing the appeal of 3D and I want 3D to continue and improve with properly shot native 3D films.


Gae

I have to disagree somewhat with that - I'd say this film is one of the best 2D to 3D conversions out there, to date - I can visually see that 3D conversion skills are improving very rapidly with the more recent conversion films I've watched, compared to those of even a year ago. Of course they will never top native 3D, but I think the efforts in using fake 3D are still being developed and honed - just as any other new technology is continually tweaked and improved - and in short time will be of a quality level that can be very acceptable to most 3D fans.


With that said, I do want to see native 3D become the norm for new 3D movies, and the conversion efforts perhaps used more for just catalog releases in 3D...
 
#26 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by FieldingMelish /forum/post/21764681


User reviews on Amazon are unusually polarized, showing a near 50/50 in five stars versus 1 star.

That usually tells you a lot. To me it sounds like one of those movies that die hard movie buffs will be disappointed with, but your casual move watcher will like.


On another note...people complain about things being unoriginal, I'd like you to come up with an original idea for a movie. Just pitch anything. I bet it's a lot tougher than you think. It is very difficult to do something that hasn't already been done in some form. The trick is to do it better by making it better and just different enough to be engaging. There are many ways to tell the same story( see Disney sports movies like Miracle) and as long as it is interesting and somewhat original I will watch.
 
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