[Jeff®]

Tears of the Sun (Blu-ray)

Reviewed by Peter M. Bracke

Quote:

"Sony Pictures Home Entertainment presents 'Tears of the Sun' in 2.40:1 widescreen and 1080p video, as per usual on Blu-ray. However, while the format has suffered its share of critical slings and arrows ever since its launch earlier this summer (and I've been among some of the most vocal), I can honestly say this is the first transfer I've seen on the format that has totally and unequivocally blew me away. Maybe it is just because my expectations were unfairly lowered these past weeks, but I really thought this is among the best high-def I've yet seen, and frame-per-frame, it is certainly an equal with anything I've yet reviewed on HD DVD."

Quote:

"I spotted approximately one single white speckle during the film's entire 121-minute runtime -- that's about as good as it gets. Blacks are dead-on and contrast excellent, with the image always perfectly balanced -- whites never bloomed and even the darkest scenes boast terrific shadow delineation. Colors are wonderfully saturated, from the lush greens of the jungle to the deep, midnight blues of the nighttime scenes. Fleshtones, too, are a perfect shade of orange, and thankfully not overpumped. And if that isn't enough, detail is exquisite, with the presentation never looking anything less than three-dimensional throughout. 'Tears of the Sun' is full of close-ups of grizzled military men, and you could spend hours just freeze-framing images and counting every last follicle of stubble on Bruce Willis' five o'clock shadow. Even a friend who popped over unannounced, and who is about as tech-saavy as my grandmother, couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, that is one #@$&! kick-ass picture!" Score a big one for Blu-ray."

This disc is encoded in mpeg2 btw.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/tearsofthesun.html

[ppltd]

I am hoping for the best with this title, not necessarily for BD help, but for getting more people to watch this much overlooked, and powerful movie.

Thomas Eisenmann

[Jerome Grate]

Interesting, maybe that explains why Sony is not as aggressive as we would want them to be in their releases as the pristine video may do all the talking. Good to see somebody at Sony got it right.

Quote:

This disc is encoded in mpeg2 btw.

That's also an interesting point as we believe that mpeg2 encoded discs are believed to be inferior discs in comparison to HD-DVD, yet this one suggests other wise.

[Paul.S]

Quote:

. . . but for getting more people to watch this much overlooked, and powerful movie.

Hear, hear.

If it wasn't for Training Day, I'd say this is Fuqua's best pic.

[RyanAn]

I really loved this movie and can't wait to see it in a HD format. I'm kind of sad that it won't be carrying over some of the bonus features from the SE DVD though.

Thanks for the review,

Ryan

[Paul.S]

Quote:

I'm kind of sad that it won't be carrying over some of the bonus features from the SE DVD though.

Agreed, even if for largely visceral reasons. I disagree with Peter's statement that the BD "combines the two [previous SD releases], retaining most of the key extras and discarding the weakest of the fluff." I think the BD would at least need to include the Director's Extended Cut for this to be true. I wonder if the PQ issues with the added footage (they have conspicuously different color timing on the Extended SD) were an issue in Sony's decision not to do the Extended on BD.

It's very frustrating IMO when studios don't use the technology available (seamless branching) to include both/all versions of a film. Sony was/is a noteworthy cuplrit in this regard with their early BDs (this and Black Hawk Down). Here's hoping The Patriot and CE3K signal a sea change.

[Aaron Silverman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul.S

Agreed, even if for largely visceral reasons. I disagree with Peter's statement that the BD "combines the two [previous SD releases], retaining most of the key extras and discarding the weakest of the fluff." I think the BD would at least need to include the Director's Extended Cut for this to be true. I wonder if the PQ issues with the added footage (they have conspicuously different color timing on the Extended SD) were an issue in Sony's decision not to do the Extended on BD.

It's very frustrating IMO when studios don't use the technology available (seamless branching) to include both/all versions of a film. Sony was/is a noteworthy cuplrit in this regard with their early BDs (this and Black Hawk Down). Here's hoping The Patriot and CE3K signal a sea change.

IMO the extended cut of this movie (which is not simply the original DVD's deleted scenes edited back in) is far superior to the theatrical cut, which I thought was only OK. I'm really disappointed to hear that the BD doesn't include it. No sale for me.

[Paul.S]

I also think it unfortunate that the unusually copious assortment of trailers on the first DVD (S.W.A.T., Bad Boys II, Hollywood Homicide, Basic, Anger Management, Black Hawk Down, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Radio and the terrific TOtS trailer using music from Gladiator ) neither was ported over to either the Extended SD nor brought back for the BD. It's not like there are rights issues with Sony including trailers of its own movies.