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Detachment (Blu-ray)
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray B - United Kingdom - G2 Pictures Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (23rd October 2013). |
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The Film
 ***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** Detachment is a visually and emotionally striking film from director Tony Kaye (American History X), featuring a powerhouse performance by Academy Award winner Adrien Brody (The Pianist) as a teacher who takes a substitute job in a brutal high school. As he attempts to get to grips with the troubled students and disillusioned staff his life is dramatically changed by his relationships with three very different women. The film features a host of brilliant turns from a supporting cast including Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Lucy Liu (Kill Bill), Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock), Academy Award nominee James Caan (The Godfather) and three-time Emmy Award winner Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad).
Video
In what seems to be the norm for British distributor G2 Pictures, Detachment is presented with a 1080i/50 transfer in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Unfortunately, although the transfer indeed has its moments, it is quite messy. The first thing you'll notice, is the horrendous amount of banding in the first few scenes. This does die down a little, but is quite prevalent throughout the entire run time and is easily the most disappointing element of this transfer. Also quite distracting, is the amount of aliasing that runs throughout several scenes. It is most obvious as Brody walks towards the school entrance for the first time, but does rear its head often in later scenes also, such as the flooring of the bus, or on distant characters. Focus appears to be kind of odd. Characters go in and out of focus for tenths of a second, and although this may be a creative decision, it was rather irritating. Detail is a mixed bag. At times, close-ups look great, with every skin dimple perfectly visible. However, it is more often the case that sharpness and clarity is lacking and shadow detail is non-existent. There were a couple of minute blink-and-you-miss-them scratches towards the end when Brody and Hendricks are alone in the classroom, and some scenes have a rather disturbing amount of noise. I'm guessing there was no quality control for this transfer of Detachment. Quite frankly, it deserves much better. The disc is a BD25 and the feature runs 93:37.
Audio
A single track is available for selection on this release: - English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Considering how poor the transfer is, let us just be thankful that the audio doesn't suffer from any problems. It might be a rather uneventful track, but it is technically sound. The surrounds are used mainly for the score, with the occasional subtle effect of ambulance sirens, or general chatter and school noise. The LFE never does anything to impress, but there is the occasional low rumbling for the intensifying moments in the score. There are no audio dropouts or scratches, and I noticed only minor background hiss in a single scene. Dialogue is clear at all times, but is devoid of the pinpoint clarity that Blu-ray can offer. Optional subtitles are available in Danish, English, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish.
Extras
Start-up Trailers: - "Transit" (2:05) - "Everything Must Go" (2:31) - "The Lost Coast Tapes" (1:51) Theatrical Trailer (2:05)
Overall
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