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Edge of Tomorrow 3D (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

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40K views 317 replies 110 participants last post by  lganz316 
#1 · (Edited)


Check out our review of this big ticket sci-fi action thriller that stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt pitted against a devastating enemy and a race against time that will take them to the brink. Their only hope lies in the replay of time, their reliance on one another and the secret they discover in a stronghold deep behind enemy lines.





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

Film:


Extras:


Audio/3D Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )

96



Details:

Studio and Year: Warner - 2014
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Feature running time: 113 minutes
Genre: Sci-fi/Action

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC/MVC
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24

Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio, Spanish/French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDG, Spanish, French
Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson
Directed by: Doug Liman
Music by: Christophe Beck
Written by: Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth
Region Code: A,B,C

Blu-ray Disc release Date: October 7, 2014


"Live. Die. Repeat "


My Take:

“Edge of Tomorrow unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop—forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again…and again. But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt). And, as Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.

I saw the teaser trailer for Edge of tomorrow/ months before its release and made a mental note, ‘looks too good to pass up’. It seemed like lots of time passed and every now and again I found myself wondering whatever happened to that Tom Cruise/Emily Blunt flick? Then I saw the theatrical trailer when the release was only a few weeks out and a trip to the theater was set for opening weekend. I have said it before and it bears repeating again, like him or not, there is no denying Tom Cruise’s dedication to his craft and his penchant for making entertaining big budget action films. Edge of tomorrow is no exception and is just plain good old fashioned popcorn fun from beginning to end.

Conceptually speaking there is nothing original about the storyline as its elements surrounding time bending, alien invasion, and man’s fight for survival against a formidable foe have been done before. Based on the novel “All you need is kill” by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, what we get here is a solidly crafted script, that develops the story’s layer peeling elements while maintaining an engaging balance between the action, suspense, thrills and wonderfully integrated levity. I like the fact that while there are hints of romance within the plot it doesn’t really ever become the focus but remains a contributing factor that motivates.

The action and thrills are palpable but what makes this rewarding is the evolution of the narrative as we see with every iteration how the construct pushes each forward while adding more depth to the central character of Cage and delineating the relationships between him and those around him. By the time you’re at a point where it has built to the final stage you’re immersed in the story and understand that it can really only have one outcome or can it? The ending was a little trite but you know what? I don’t care because it’s exactly what I’d hoped it would be and really took nothing away from the film. The production elements are all that you would expect from a big budget Tom Cruise flick and add to the entertainment factor. Speaking of which Emily Blunt knocks it out of the park and holds her own in every scene with Tom Cruise. I thoroughly enjoyed Edge of tomorrow both in the theater and during this revisit on Blu-ray.



Parental Guide:

The rating is for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language and brief suggestive material.



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.**


Audio: 100
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

  • Dynamics:
  • Low frequency effects:
  • Surround Sound presentation:
  • Clarity/Detail:
  • Dialogue Reproduction:
  • Low frequency extension * (non-rated element):


3D Presentation: 92
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


  • Depth (Onscreen):
  • Dimension (Beyond the screen):
  • Realism:
  • Clarity/Detail:
  • Color Reproduction:


Edge of Tomorrow 3D comes to Blu-ray Disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment featuring 1080p MVC encoded video and lossless DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 5.6 Mbps.

This film wasn’t shot natively in 3D but was converted in post-production. I didn’t see it in the 3D at the theater and wondered how the film’s effects and CG based elements would look. I was very pleased to see that the reproduction of the digital effects etc. translates as well here as it does in the 2D presentation. Presented in its original aspect of 2.40:1 detail is well preserved as the image retains its high level of clarity with objects and people within the frame appearing noticeably delineated and sharp. Depth of field is excellent as there is a natural sense dimension with regard to foreground/background spacing and movement. The cinematography utilizes near field camera perspectives that enhance proportional correlation. There are a plethora of sequences, usually associated with the elements of action that provide an in your face sense of dimension as things come at you, float or splatter beyond the screen’s borders. A film like this has the potential to make definitive use of the 3D platform and I enjoyed its implementation here as it made the experience more enjoyable. I didn’t notice any overt signs of ghosting/crosstalk. Compared to the 2D presentation I found this to be the more visually engaging as adding excellent three dimensional depth to the equation makes for a gratifying high definition experience that fans of the format will appreciate.


Having seen Edge of Tomorrow in the theater I had high hopes for its soundtrack in the home environment and I wasn’t disappointed. This lossless DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio soundtrack is demonstration quality and sounds terrific. This recording has wide dynamic range and boasts superlative clarity and high level detail that adds an enriching element. Dialogue is definitive and appreciably lucid through the center channel as it reaches far into the room. It’s located just slightly in front of the left/right speakers within the acoustic space it occupies within the soundstage. Front channel separation and imaging is spot on. This draws out both large and small sound elements and allows their directional correlation based upon the onscreen events to be readily definable. The mix makes effective and aggressive use of the surround channels especially when the action kicks in. The listening position becomes submerged in a rotating web of sound that combines sound effects and musical accompaniment.

This is a dynamically charged sound mix that frequently utilizes the subwoofer to provide viscerally potent impact. The audio’s low frequency effects are applied authoritatively to underscore the bombastic and aggressive aspects of the presentation and it does so quite effectively. Its palpable presence is never in question as it contains refined bass quality that is appreciably superior and room energizing. I would recommend not starting out with reference volume levels as there is a sweeping seven to ten second low frequency tone right at the opening (about 30 seconds or so into the film) that reaches down deep and literally shook my room and beyond (my neighbor in the house next door texted me inquiring as to “what the heck was that!?”). It sounded so good I played it back three or four times. This could certainly be problematic for smaller subwoofers so use caution. This is a sophisticated sound design that is loaded with various sound effects, spatial cues, music, and dialogue. Each is clearly represented with enriching clarity, detail and appropriate sound field placement. I had a blast and enjoyed this audio presentation more at home than in the theater.



2D Video Quality:


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:


Edge of Tomorrow comes to Blu-ray Disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 25 Mbps.

This 2.40:1 framed Blu-ray Disc presentation features a solid looking video encoding that boasts stable contrast, bright, detailed whites, and gradationally enhanced grays. This coupled along with punchy blacks and delineated shadow detail gives images both light and dark excellent depth. The video is crisp and definitively resolved as fidelity appears to be intact. Wide angle shots have appreciable dimension with clear rendering of objects within foregrounds and backgrounds. Close ups reveal lots of subtle refinement as the intricate textures within facial features, clothing, and objects is easily discernible. This isn’t an overly colorful film. Many sequences have a filtered and de-saturated appearance that seems to coincide with the director’s intention. Deep shades of blue stand out nicely against the muted chromatic range and look great. Skin tones rarely yield any truly defining complexional characteristics but all appear natural within the scope of the source material. On occasion sharpness wavers however it appears innate and isn’t distracting. Overall quality is excellent as the video has a pristine and dimensionally strong perspective that is visually pleasing and reminiscent of what I saw during the theatrical presentation.


Bonus Features:
  • Disc 1: 3D Blu-ray - Edge of Tomorrow
  • Disc 2: 2D Blu-ray - Edge of Tomorrow (plus bonus material)
  • (HD) Operation downfall - Adrenaline cut (2 minutes)
  • (HD) Storming the beach – 9 minutes featurette
  • (HD) Weapons of the future – 8 minute featurette
  • (HD) Creatures not of this world – 5 minute featurette
  • (HD) On the edge with Doug Liman – 42 minute documentary
  • (HD) Deleted scenes – 7 minutes
  • Bonus DVD
  • Digital HD Copy



Final Thoughts:

Based on the novel “All you need is kill” by Hiroshi Sakurazaka Edge of Tomorrow is a thoroughly entertaining popcorn flick that takes conventional concepts and elevates them with apt direction, excellent scripting and the talents of big budget action star Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. It comes to Blu-ray from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment in this 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack that features faithful high definition video, reference quality DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound and an excellent 3D rendering that compliments the film quite nicely. Also included is a decent supplemental package that is worth exploring if you enjoyed the film. Edge of Tomorrow comes highly recommended and deserves a place in the collection of every genre fan and home theater enthusiast. Enjoy..!






Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews



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JVC DLA-RS4910 3D Ready 1080p High Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Calman 5 & C6 Meter from Spectracal)
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16x9 Screen
Carada Masquerade Horizontal Masking System
Marantz AV8801 11.2 Channel Audio/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-103D Universal Disc/3D capable Blu-ray Player (With Darbee video processing)
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
SVS PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
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#33 ·
I saw this at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Kalamazoo, MI of all places. My girlfriend flew in from LA for the weekend during my stay in K'zoo, and the allure of food and drinks (not the movie) got her to accompany me. It was a matinee, and we were the only ones in the cinema, so we had a gorging good time.

We both enjoyed the film greatly, and I was hoping it would be released before I had to break down our HT. Our house sold a couple of weeks ago, so we're packing like mad, and I just finished a three-day dismantling marathon on the HT. :( Everything is back in original boxes and ready to go.

I'm going to sublimate the desire to watch Edge of Tomorrow as soon as I get it, since it will have to be on a flat screen TV and stereo sound. It may be the first thing we watch once we move and a new HT is born.

I'm sure it'll be worth the wait to see and hear it done right.
 
#35 ·
Tom Cruise had been on a tear lately: MI4: Ghost Protocol, Jack Reacher, Oblivion
^This. I loved all of the above movies and have seen them all a handful of times. I don't give a rip about his personal life...this guy can act and chooses roles that are perfect for himself. I haven't seen this movie yet, but it is a blind buy for me based on this review. Despite a lot of hate and meh about the technology, I still really love 3D, so the fact that this got a good rating for 3D has me excited. I decided to skip on the turd-fest Transformers movie and wasn't expecting anything good for a while and then this movie turns up. Sweet! Thanks again, Ralph, for the review! :)
 
#36 · (Edited)
Thank you Ralph! as always great review. This will be a definite buy for me. I enjoyed this one in Vmax (Huge Screen) + Dolby Atmos surround fantastic.
 
#41 ·
While it is being listed that way most places online the official word is it hasn't been changed. With that said for practical purposes it has been.
 
#43 ·
Ralph, you precisely articulated how repetitive scenes can work in the hands of a great storyteller when you said:

"The action and thrills are palpable but what makes this rewarding is the evolution of the narrative as we see with every iteration how the construct pushes each forward while adding more depth to the central character of Cage and delineating the relationships between him and those around him."

Great review of a great sci-fi movie! The special effects people who worked on this film should also get a round of applause. Sets, editing, CGI, acting, storytelling and the 3D conversion -- it all came together with this one into one amazing package.
 
#46 ·
Ralph,

Thank You for another fine review!

I enjoyed reading this review and it will be on my watch list for sure. Even though the film was not shot in native 3D it's nice to see they did a wonderful job with the conversion.

As for the sound getting a 100 score it tell's me my eye's will be a little jealous of my ears, but that's alright with me! :D

It must feel good knowing you have a neighbor who will check up on you when he hears or feels something strange. :)


Discone
Greetings,

Thanks Deja Vu and Discone...! :)


Regards,
 
#44 ·
Ralph,

Thank You for another fine review!

I enjoyed reading this review and it will be on my watch list for sure. Even though the film was not shot in native 3D it's nice to see they did a wonderful job with the conversion.

As for the sound getting a 100 score it tell's me my eye's will be a little jealous of my ears, but that's alright with me! :D

It must feel good knowing you have a neighbor who will check up on you when he hears or feels something strange. :)


Discone
 
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#48 ·
I found this movie just confusing enough to make me forget about all the 'likely impossible' physics that make the plot possible.

normally with a movie like this, I get too caught up in the "oh c'mon! i'm supposed to believe ?" moments, but I found myself spending too much time trying to figure out what was going on to focus on those moments :p

not sure it's worth a re-watch, but i'm very glad I watched it the first time
 
#54 ·
Great review as always Ralph, I have not yet watched this on BD......really looking forward to seeing this movie.

PS. No need to have written the review........ you had me at "Emily Blunt":):p:):p

Paul
Wonderful review, Ralph - I was already planning on getting this release on blu-ray, but your review helped me decide between the 2D and 3D version (3D, of course!).
I just saw this in my HT (got an early sample) and I must agree with Mr Potts here, perfect audio and almost perfect picture and a very good movie. I saw the 2D version and give it a total of 8/10 for the movie 9/10 for picture and 10/10 for sound.:)
Greetings,

Thanks everyone. I am glad to hear the excitement over this as well as the positive feedback from those that have had the chance to check it out on Blu-ray..:cool:


Regards,
 
#53 ·
I just saw this in my HT (got an early sample) and I must agree with Mr Potts here, perfect audio and almost perfect picture and a very good movie. I saw the 2D version and give it a total of 8/10 for the movie 9/10 for picture and 10/10 for sound.:)
 
#65 ·
I've already been waiting for months to see this, pre-ordered it right away, and reading this review just made the wait even harder!


Thanks a lot, Ralph... ;)
 
#73 ·
I passed on this movie when it was released in theaters, but thanks to Ralph's review, this movie makes my Netflix rental queue without a doubt. I am looking forward to the super low bass at the start of the movie. Thanks for the head's up Ralph. If not for your warning, I would definitely have paused the movie and spent precious time trying to figure out what was wrong with my home theater set up!
 
#75 ·
On the topic of watching this at home versus watching at the theater. I just could not wait and caved. It was possibly the worst viewing experience I have ever had. I almost left b.c the quality (sound and audio) was so bad at the theater I went to.

With that said, I cannot wait until Tuesday!
 
#76 ·
sort of similar to source code. I watched the early release digital version on amazon and thought it was awesome. Well worth buying imo. I'm not a Tom Cruise fan but he is turning out to be a good sci fi actor.

Ralph is one of my favorite movie reviewers. His ratings are very accurate with my opinion of a movie.
 
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