A lot hinges on the ending of The Book of Eli. Where you stand on this story, and your own personal beliefs, will be called into question. It challenges the material, its meanings, and its purpose. Nothing is particularly clear, and words spoken prior hardly match the beliefs of many.

This is all positive though, challenging the Hollywood norm, pushing into touchy religious territory, and turning a main character into some kind of violent, harsh savior. Eli (Denzel Washington) is quiet, the film immediately establishing the sense of isolation as he travels down barren roads, humanity nearly wiped out by a nuclear war.

He carries a bible, the last of its kind, Eli’s own stories telling of a past where they were burned and possibly the cause of the unseen war. That is what makes Book of Eli complex; this is not a story of a man simply trying to save or salvage the past. This is a man of faith, one who murders countless people on his quest to deliver this book to the west coast for reasons unknown. He is hunted by Carnegie (Gary Oldman), a ruthless small town leader who sees the book for its power, its ability to control the people and turn him into a god-like figure. His intentions are clear, Eli’s are not.

Eli looks fantastic, directed with flair by the Hughes Brothers. The first fight sequence, shown entirely in silhouette, is wonderful. Much of the film is lit very specifically, light playing a role in obscuring faces partially. Their technical merits are many, including a truly stunning master shot during a shoot-out in a house. The camera pans in, around, up and down the building, keeping key characters in frame with seamless digital transitions.

All of the camera trickery is impressive, but the messages of Eli are what matter. Eli is seen trading simple wet naps for a battery charge, the shopkeeper amazed at the sight. We are given a speech, preachy as it may be, about how we waste and do not value what we have. Despite the religious implications, Book of Eli is more about what we have, preserving it and remembering it. People of Eli’s world do not know of television, a lost aspect of the “old world,” much like the book he carries.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

Since much of Book of Eli is shot in shadow, the critical black levels must remain intact… they do. Warner’s VC-1 encode is superlative in keeping the image full of depth, and respecting the original photography no matter how grim. The first fight, with the hotly contrasted sky and characters cloaked in shadow is stunning. Not a hint of ringing is evident, and the effect is superb.

The bright contrast will remain for most of the film, rarely washing out detail. The biggest culprit is the Red One camera, which is what Book of Eli was shot on exclusively. For all of its impressive close-ups, the mid-range and long shots suffer. The first notable instance of that digital camera look is at 25:46, followed by numerous shots like 36:60 (Denzel’s face), and Mila Kunis at 46:55 who looks completely smoothed over. Long shots of the landscape are consistently appearing processed, such as the road at 45:28, all texture being lost.

It would not be the distraction it is were it not for the impeccable detail in other sequences and close-ups. You can see early, even with the dim lighting, that facial textures can be exceptional. Denzel sits alone at 9:25, and all of this facial features are evident. Scenes where texture shines are about 50/50 with those that don’t. One of the final shots of Denzel, a zoom at 1:40:50, is just amazingly rendered. Shots of Gary Oldman in the car after retrieving his prize are all flawless and reference in their clarity. The same cannot be said for those scenes in his office above the bar.

A flat, muted palette barely lets the film into the realm of color. The washed out browns and oranges are ugly, but appropriate. Late, the shots of the west coast introduce a minimal level of saturation, the flat greens and blue sky finally seeping into the frame. Black levels hold here as well, along with that blistering hot contrast. At least that is consistent.

Video ★★★★☆ 

An aggressive DTS-HD mix is evident from the early moments of the film. In the first fight, Eli slashes at his foes, at one point dismembering a man with a chainsaw. The blades are still spinning on the tool as the arm passes behind the viewer convincingly. The clarity of the clanging blades and spilled blood is magnificent. A bar fight later likewise does the same, showcasing the immense split of the stereo channels, along with breaking glass and tables.

Shoot-outs are pure audio bliss, gunfire aggressive in the positional channels and the low-end. Bullets pass from the front to the rears with precision, creating an immersive level of audio. The complexity of the master shot during the house stand-off is still maintained with the same level of accuracy and intensity. A single gun shot at 1:24:13 carries a moving echo effect, swirling around the soundfield with a dizzying factor.

The score carries the same beefy low-end, a powerful thud from drums always clean and smooth. At 12:53, a woman’s dialogue appears soft and a bit distorted, the only instance of note. Otherwise, all of the spoken lines carry the expected modern level of fidelity. Exceptional.

Audio ★★★★★ 

Warner’s Maximum Movie Mode returns here, with around 34-minutes of pop-up content that can be viewed separately. Behind the Story is split into two sections of making-of material, around a half hour total. A digital comic serves as a prequel to the film, and a brief selection of deleted/alternate scenes run under two minutes. A featurette on the soundtrack runs five minutes, and Warner’s BD-Live access remains.

Extras ★★★☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Book of Eli Review

“I’m just a civil service engineer!”

Yes, Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) is just a civil service engineer, but he’s also capable of chasing down a villain through the crowded streets of New York because the police were unable to. Good for him.

The Taking of Pelham 123 is directed by Tony Scott, and comes with all of his usual and annoying camera tricks, from nauseating spins, heavily saturated colors, jump cuts, and more. It is an acquired taste, one that will either draw you in or push you out in 10 minutes.

John Travolta is always a great villain, with a hateful smirk and psychotic side that anyone can buy. He has decided to hijack a New York City subway train, holding it ransom for $10 million, although the plot does go deeper than that.

Despite knowing almost nothing about the hostages themselves (none of them are developed), Scott delivers some legitimate tension, although logic problems ruin much of the fun. If you need to deliver the money to the train before hostages are killed (on the other side of the city), why would you put it into a police car to dangerously maneuver through crowded streets? Was the helicopter guiding and escorting the caravan not a more logical solution?

Of course, if that happens, the audience wouldn’t be treated to multiple inter-cut car crashes. Unfortunately, Scott couldn’t contain the story, choosing to push Denzel out of his small booth and onto the streets for a final showdown. It’s a shame, because the interplay between Travolta and Washington behind a microphone is excellent thanks to believable performances. The final act is one that feels out of place and unnecessary, despite leading to a fun face-off moment as the two meet for the first time.

Truthfully, this is a small story, a simple hijacking that has been overblown more than it ever needed to be. The original Walter Matthau classic back in 1974 handled the material with less gloss, which is what it needed. Pelham is fine for what it is, but toning this down would have led to increased intensity the shameless and needless car crashes cannot produce.

Movie ★★★☆☆ 

Tony Scott’s usual array of saturated colors are (mostly) beneficial to the disc. Aside from some minor red push, everything carries a glossy, gorgeous pop. Flesh tones are accurate, and the bright contrast is perfectly calibrated.

Blacks are rich and deep, with minimal crush. Shadow delineation is generally superb. Facial detail is well defined, if inconsistent. A minor interrogation between John Tuturro and Denzel Washington shows a definite flatness, softening up for the entirety of the conversation. Sporadic shots throughout also share the same problem.

Film grain is nicely handled and unobtrusive. Noise is barely noticeable. Some significant ringing over the opening credits is worrisome, but non-existent for the rest of the film.

Video ★★★★☆ 

A DTS-HD mix is surprisingly effective despite the heavy amount of the dialogue. The subway system is lively, with echoes and a constant stream of trains moving through the speakers. Gunfire likewise rings out in all channels, with bullets slightly cranked up as they miss their mark in the rears.

The subwoofer gets a mild workout from the throbbing, bass-filled soundtrack. A run-away train at the end of the film generates a sufficient rumble as it barrels down the tracks. The unnecessary chase sequence has a few moments to shine, including multiple collisions that feature shattering glass across the soundfield .

Audio ★★★★☆ 

Two commentaries could have been combined, but nonetheless, Tony Scott leads the first one solo, while writer Brian Helgeland and producer Todd Black helm the second. A fine half hour making-of titled No Time to Lose details the struggles of shooting everything in New York and the troubles it caused to the city.

The Third Rail is half that length, detailing the subway system itself. From the Top Down is a featurette on the film’s hair stylist that comes off as an advertisement for a Beverly Hills hair salon, but it still unique amongst extras.

BD-Live support includes the solid Movie IQ, where filmographies about the actors and people involves can be pulled up on the fly. CineChat support is included, along with the usual Sony online splash page which contains additional trailers not found on the disc itself.

Extras ★★★★☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

The Taking of Pelham 123 Review

The entire scene is one step above campy, although Pelican Brief descends into a messy chase about the 40 minute mark that does stoop to that level. Julia Roberts goes under attack from an assassin, who does his job with all of the subtlety of a killer from a slasher movie.

The story, that of the assassination of two Supreme Court Justices, is a clunky mess of a thriller, with one of the key characters absent for the entire first act of the film. Gray Grantham (Denzel Washington) is a reporter who believes a brief filed in regards to the murders by Darby Shaw (Roberts) has some merit. Grantham is left out of the film until needed, portraying the typical movie journalist who is stuck with an editor (John Lithgow) that does not believe he has a worthwhile story.

As it turns out, the plot happens to make it all the way to the president, who is played as an idiot by Robert Culp. This is a character more concerned about his dog in the oval office than any issues of the day. This is not the fault of Culp; he is simply handling the material as it is given to him.

Alan J. Pakula directs Pelican Brief well, including some wonderful tracking shots that tell the story of each murder. An effective chase inside a parking garage is notable, if not generic.

Oddly, the core of Pelican Brief is similar to Pakula’s earlier The Parallax View, in which a reporter investigates the assassination of a political target that leads him to believe a corporation is responsible. Stick with that 1974 minor classic.

Movie ★★★☆☆ 

Brief comes to Blu-ray from Warner in a rather flat, lackluster encode. Much of the film carries an over processed look, possibly from a light application of DNR. Edge enhancement is noted early, and sporadically throughout. Smearing is a regular problem, further making the case for DNR. Artifacting is noted against a solid wall close the 15-minute marker.

Brightness and contrast are strong, although not enough to make up for lost detail. Denzel Washington’s face at the hour and forty-nine minute mark is near perfection, and sadly the only time that can be said of this presentation. Depth, detail, and sharpness are outstanding, and it becomes a mystery why the rest of the film fails to keep up.

Audio ★★☆☆☆ 

A car explosion is example of this TrueHD tracks meager abilities. The high end is strained, and the low end almost non-existent. Oddly, the music by James Horner provides some excellent low end thumps. The subwoofer remains quiet otherwise. Surrounds come into play during a trip through Mardi Gras and another party sequence. This is dialogue driven otherwise.

Audio ★★★☆☆ 

Warner includes a theatrical trailer and nothing more.

Extras ★☆☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

The Pelican Brief Review

Courage Under Fire is a memorable military drama, told from a number of angles that keeps the story unique. Denzel Washington is almost always guaranteed to provide something worth watching, and undoubtedly elevates Courage to another level on his own.

When a helicopter goes down during a rescue mission in Operation Desert Storm, the Captain is killed in action after an overnight struggle. That Captain, played by Meg Ryan, is about to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, but Nat Serling (Washington) feels there’s something more to the case.

What’s unique about this script is that instead of focusing solely on Serling’s investigation, Serling himself is also undergoing his own personal struggle, also based around a Gulf War incident. The concurrent problems propel this story, keeping the plot interesting and engaging. It also gives Washington more to do on screen than interview people, and his character a purpose for wanting to know more.

Action is prevalent as each survivor details their story. Each sequence is slightly different, but never any less intense. Edward Zwick was already experienced with war after directing Glory and Legends of the Fall. His first (and to date only) modern attempt is as effective as his historical works. It can feel repetitive, but the slight changes to each new version make them worthwhile.

Also interesting is the various scenery used in each of the interviews Serling conducts. All of them have something different in terms of visuals going on, whether a sickly-looking Matt Damon is at a pool or Lou Diamond Phillips is taking boxing lessons. It breaks up the monotony of what could have been dull talking head pieces, and it loses none of the drama or impact for it.

Courage is a Gulf War film that never feels manipulative or trying to capitalize on current events. Even now, into a second Middle East war, the film doesn’t feel aged which is impressive and testament to the staying power Courage offers. Still relevant and engrossing.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

A rarity for a ‘90s catalog release, Courage actually looks great on Blu-ray. Colors provide excellent pop, the contrast is superb without any noticeable fading, grain is left intact, detail is wonderful, the print is perfect, and it’s reasonably sharp. On the negative side, there are soft shots scattered throughout, edge enhancement is far too prevalent, and artifacting is a constant problem.

The low bit-rate MPEG-2 transfer shows through, particularly bothersome during the sequence around the 52-minute mark. Michael Moriarty’s face is a mess of pixelization. There are numerous other scenes with the same problem, although this was the most evident. With better compression and lack of artificial enhancement, a re-release could be stellar.

Video ★★★★☆ 

While the opening action scene seems like this will be a demo worthy disc, it’s quickly apparent the dialogue is mixed ridiculously low. You’ll constantly be fiddling with the volume to try and equalize everything, but it’s not possible. Trying to raise the volume to understand the words only means the action will put you one step closer to deafness.

That said, the combat does sound great. Surrounds are aggressive, and bass is phenomenal. Tank fire and helicopter engines provide the sub with plenty to do. Tracking is excellent as vehicles move through the sound field. There’s also some ambiance, such as birds chirping during a forest conversation. Sounds great, but the equalization is inexcusable.

Audio ★★★★☆ 

Surprisingly, the movie never had a true special edition. Edward Zwick provides a solo commentary that’s quite detailed, but sadly there’s no behind-the-scenes footage to go along with it. A trivia track provides no details about the film itself, but deals with stuff like post traumatic stress syndrome instead.

Extras ★☆☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Courage Under Fire Review

You can’t do a time travel story unless you’re willing to take the time to explain the rules clearly. In the fast paced sci-fi thriller, Déjà Vu, Tony Scott speeds though the explanation to get to a rousing car chase sequence and eventual villain showdown. However, as convoluted as the time travel issues are, there’s a solid movie underneath it all.

While Scott’s use of slow motion is initially aggravating, he stops using it as the film moves on. Déjà Vu opens in grand style with a ferry explosion before settling down into a standard crime drama. Things change drastically when star Denzel Washington learns about time travel technology dreamt up by the government that lets people see into the past.

Eventually things take a turn for the worse when people are transported back into time. While this does lead to exciting finale, in the end, there are more questions than answers. The Hollywood ending feels tacked on and illogical.

Still, Scott handles the material with care, and Washington remains one of the best actors working today even with this messy script. The film’s highlight is undoubtedly the car chase in which Washington, in the present, chases the ferry bomber who is in the past. If it sounds confusing, it is. However, the action is energetic and by that point of Déjà Vu, you’ve stopped trying to make sense of it all.

Like the ending, the entire the time travel concept also feels out of place. What opens the film is a typical, albeit well done, investigation. Everyone’s character is skilled at what they do, and it’s not hard to see the killer coming into custody without the sci-fi babble. Instead, time travel is used to lead to the happy ending and keep the star actors alive until the final credits.

Credit is due to the makers of the film for at least trying something unique. Whether it works or not, with the aid of suspension of disbelief, this is an entertaining piece of filmmaking. It’s colorful, fast paced, and the illogical mystery is still intriguing. Déjà Vu is seriously flawed, but still fun.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

Blu-ray helps this movie shine. This is a nearly flawless transfer, capturing Scott’s trademark style of color filters, grain, and quick cuts. Detail is nothing short of phenomenal, coming down to individual stitching on clothing. Deep contrast is created to give the film that HD “pop” fans look for, and the colors remains bold throughout. The print is free of imperfections, and the minor uses of additional grain add to the atmosphere.

Video ★★★★★ 

The ferry explosion is a masterpiece of home audio design. The initial blast rattles the room through the subwoofer, and lasting debris lands in the water from every possible direction. The car chase is likewise a powerful piece of audio, featuring cars driving and crashing through every speaker. Gun fights are loaded with ricocheting bullets.

Audio ★★★★★ 

The Surveillance Window opens up the extras section of the disc. This nifty and smoothly done picture-in-picture feature delivers raw behind-the-scenes footage from key shots. There are 10 in total, and they run for around 40 minutes. They can also be viewed separately outside of the main film.

Five deleted scenes and three extended ones offer an optional Tony Scott commentary. Oddly enough, Scott does not provide a commentary for the main film. Lastly, Disney’s standard movie showcase takes the viewer directly to the best looking and sounding scenes.

Extras ★★★☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Deja Vu Review