- Joined
- Jul 3, 1997
- Messages
- 66,795
- Real Name
- Ronald Epstein
While I completely understand the fact that Mel Gibson, as a person, is not someone who is widely admired -- I continue to be a huge admirer of the films he directs. It's very hard to argue that some of the greatest films of this generation include those directed by Mr. Gibson: Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto.
When watching Hacksaw Ridge, one can't help but think that Mr. Gibson hasn't lost his touch. Hacksaw Ridge is one of the most riveting, gut-wrenching and emotional stories centered around World War II. Most importantly, it's a true story and Gibson does a superb job of not only keeping faithful to that story, but showing what war really is, complete with unfiltered scenes of gore and horror.
Visually, this film is not an easy watch. It's filled with many cringing moments that show the realism of war. All of it is presented in stunning detail thanks to a transfer that is absolutely pristine. While some people are migrating to 4k, I was just amazed at how great the picture looked projected on a 110" screen in 1080p,
The most important aspect of this particular release is the inclusion of Dolby Atmos. This is a format that I believe is still widely underrated, for the fact that it hasn't been adopted as quickly as 4k, nor have the studios widely included it on their Blu-ray releases.
Yet, when watching Hacksaw Ridge -- particularly its numerous battle sequences -- the level of immersement is astounding. Outside of 3D, when watching films on the big screen, I have yet to find anything that massages the senses as intensely as a Dolby Atmos mix. Hacksaw Ridge has one of the most robust mixes I have heard to date. When you listen to this pounding mix, with its careful placement of effects to each individual channel, your heart begins to race. The overheads do a masterful job of carrying the sounds of "zinging" bullet above the head, or wide-scale military attacks where rock and other debris explode in every direction. There is even a scene that takes place in a foxhole at night, that is almost completely silent with the exception of a few whispers of ambiance added across all the channels for added effect. The silence is almost chilling.
It's not often a presentation like this comes along. I am very thankful to Lionsgate for continuing to include Atmos on their Blu-ray releases. Studios like Fox have delegated Atmos exclusively to their 4k releases. That's a lot of thanks to the early adopters, like myself, who embraced Atmos but have yet to upgrade to 4k.
Do yourself a favor and watch Hacksaw Ridge. It's an extremely moving film that had me shedding tears right before the end credits rolled.
