A Few Words About A few words about...™ Lucy -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

To double-dip, or not to double-dip?

That is the question.

Universal's Blu-ray of Luc Besson's (if you don't know his work, look him up, and start watching) Lucy was a favorite of mine, and now being able to view it in 4k mit HDR, brings back all of the thoughts I tried to contain during the first screening.

Only more-so.

As a film that went through post in full 4k resolution, Lucy literally pops off the screen in 4k, and HDR, which although it darkens the image, is never more of a negative than a positive.

Could the image, as projected, used an 15% or so of luminosity? Definitely.

But never were blacks crushed to a point at which shadow detail ended up in a void.

Black in this film is extremely important, and thanks to Universal's new 4k, we have it in spades.

What caught me this time, more that the initial viewing was the meeting of the two Lucys. An almost Kubrickian touch, where the whole is far greater than the sum of the parts.

For those who have not been exposed to the film, Scarlett Johanson, Morgan Freeman, and a plethora of special effects that come to life in 4k.

More highly resolved than the Blu-ray?

Absolutely!

Better color levels and blacks.

Yes!

Any problem with HDR in projection?

Slight, but never intrusive.

Will it look astounding on a high-end flat panel?

You betcha!

Worth the double-dip?

For those who either already have, or intend to go 4k...

Without a doubt!

A magnificent 4k UHD / HDR release, with pin-point audio placement courtesy of Dolby Atmos.


Image - 5

Audio - 5 (Dolby Atmos)

4k - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Worth the double-dip - Absolutely

Highly Recommended

RAH

 

[DavidMiller]

I have this one waiting for me to watch Sunday when I get home!

 

[Robert Harris]

I have this one waiting for me to watch Sunday when I get home!

Do you project or view on a flat panel?

 

[DavidMiller]

Flat panel, 85" Samsung

 

[Robert Harris]

Flat panel, 85" Samsung

It should shine!

 

[Ahab]

Beautiful looking film. Personally, I just could not ignore the film's premise that humans only use 10% of their brains and that increasing that percentage would give one the sort of powers Lucy has. One viewing was more than enough for me.

 

[Johnny Angell]

That 10% thing is an old wive's tale, but for the sake of entertainment, I'm willing to overlook that. SJ take on the character just seemed to be a vacant, deadpan face and I didn't believe in her.

 

[CraigF]

^ That's SJ's take/look for almost every character. If you listen to her talk off-screen she seems pretty darn sharp and intelligent actually, probably a nightmare for the PR people...

I was also bothered by the technical inaccuracies. These could have easily been modified to be more accurate. They could easily have said that somebody using that extra (e.g.) 10% of brain capability that other people don't have access to elevates them to something special. I mean, by definition, who knows what that part of the brain could actually do if we could use it? Instead of having phony-sci (i.e. 90% of brain unused) to hammer a point when it could be just as sci-fi and less demonstrably false. I know, I know, trying to use logic with movies...

 

[Tony Bensley]

^ That's SJ's take/look for almost every character. If you listen to her talk off-screen she seems pretty darn sharp and intelligent actually, probably a nightmare for the PR people...

I was also bothered by the technical inaccuracies. These could have easily been modified to be more accurate. They could easily have said that somebody using that extra (e.g.) 10% of brain capability that other people don't have access to elevates them to something special. I mean, by definition, who knows what that part of the brain could actually do if we could use it? Instead of having phony-sci (i.e. 90% of brain unused) to hammer a point when it could be just as sci-fi and less demonstrably false. I know, I know, trying to use logic with movies...

While I've never actually viewed this Film, I think your idea is brilliant, and it should be used!

CHEERS!

 

[B-ROLL]

While I've never actually viewed this Film, I think your idea is brilliant, and it should be used!

CHEERS!

I have the perfect title for such a revised version:

 

[CraigF]

While I've never actually viewed this Film, I think your idea is brilliant, and it should be used!

CHEERS!

Thanks, but I realized today after re-reading my post that this idea has actually been used numerous times, including fairly recently (not long before Lucy) e.g. Limitless is much along this line. I was writing from the POV of how the main plot driver could have been slightly changed to slightly less annoy some of us. Maybe they had to change the plot from what they wanted because of the other films...

Sometimes I need to stop a film (BD) and think: what's going on here? I do it a lot, it's why I like to watch a BD of a film I haven't seen before by myself at home first. I recall needing to stop Looper about a half-hour in to stop and think how the premise works, it was that twisted (at first). OTOH I had no prob following Inception even in the theater the first time, Looper is much more logically twisted (to me). Cloud Atlas also gave me pause, a few times, just to take it all in, more its ingenuity rather than "logical" complexity though. With Lucy it was almost the opposite: the premise basically didn't hold water, so I was unintentionally thinking of ways to get around it.

Anyway, my little "review" in my database I put Lucy had very good PQ and SQ and the movie was good but also very short. Maybe I just wanted "more" so it seemed short. Haven't revisited it since, but will.

 

[DavidMiller]

Ok, the movie itself may not be everyones taste (I do like it, if you just look at the 10% stuff you missed the story). I think this could be the one of the best UHD discs made so far. The blacks and contrasts where stunning. Wow! The level of detail and the pops of color where amazing. Highly recommend!!!

ohh, and the sound track!! Atmos demo material, deep base.

 

[CraigF]

^ That is great, but wonderful PQ and SQ don't make a story good. I've seen plenty of great PQ and SQ, and I'll say the emphasis on that in movies these days is what's making me go back and finding transfers of older movies that are actually good stories too. In case it wasn't clear (how?), I actually am quite the story guy. Stopping and thinking isn't missing the story at all. Not a "great" Besson film IMO, but entertaining enough, like some of his other recent offerings (I only have them with French audio).

 

[Keith Cobby]

Good film (excellent performance by Scarlett). Fabulous 4k disc