GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Blu-ray Review

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital)

Release Date: August 22, 2017

Studio: Marvel Studios Home Entertainment

Video: 2.39:1 1080p Widescreen

Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, English DVS 2.0

THE RATINGS

The Movie Itself - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Video Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Audio Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Special Features - ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰

Overall - ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰

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THE FILM ITSELF Our Reviewer's Take
"I have famously huge turds!"

Reviewed by Gavin King

Marvel Studios and director James Gunn impressed with 2014's smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy and succeed yet again with their highly-anticipated follow-up, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, a film that's consistently action-packed, funny, and brimmed with an absolutely fantastic soundtrack, all mixed together in a wonderful crescendo of a big-budget major studio sci-fi flick. It's arguably an improvement over its predecessor, with tighter pacing, more engaging screenwriting, more emphasis on thoughtful character development, and brighter, more vibrant settings abound, whether it be zooming through space, in mysterious forests, or on a unique, eye-catching planet. In fact, it's a nearly flawless film that only ever-so-slightly (big emphasis on that ever-so there) pales in comparison to one other superhero movie that released this year. (The title of said movie will be revealed once it comes time to review that film.)

We're the frickin' Guardians of the Galaxy!

Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and a baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) are up to the task to protect the Sovereigns' highly vital batteries. They've been hired by the race's leader, Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), in which the Guardians earn her respect after defeating a giant monster known by the name of the Abilisk. All goes well on their mission, until they soon find out Rocket stole a few of their batteries for his own keeping. This in turns leads to the Guardians being attacked by a huge fleet of Sovereign drones. They're eventually crash-landed on a planet called Berhert, stranded and, for now, hopeless. Suddenly a mysterious ship enters towards the Guardians. It's Ego (Kurt Russell), Peter Quill's father, much to Quill's confusion. Him, Gamora, and Drax all enter Ego's ship and begin to learn the true meaning behind Peter Quill's parentage, all while Rocket, baby Groot, and a Ravager named Yondu (Michael Rooker) have plans of their own.

James Gunn crafts Vol. 2 in a way that every portion of the story weaves together organically without a single forced beat crammed in anywhere. Every character serves a purpose. Every location has a reason to be where it is. Every song gives meaning to the scene accompanying it. It's not a big mushy mess of forced action, phoned-in dialogue exchanges, or obligatory plot devices. In fact, it's the complete opposite. The story fleshes out beautifully and carefully on the screen, transforming what was a lesser known Marvel comic beyond its core roots and giving moviegoers a hugely entertaining, yet extremely diligent, superhero spectacle that's not all just big battles between good and evil - more on this in a moment - but also meticulously crafted storytelling that perfectly syncs the colorful on-screen visuals.

Father and son bonding time...

The film's soundtrack is its lifeblood. It's pretty much the reason the first film did so well, critically and commercially alike, and this sequel follows its predecessor's footsteps in gleefully toe-tapping, yet narratively essential, verve. The film kicks it all off with a truly amazing opening scene involving a baby Groot dancing to ELO's Mr. Blue Sky in what is, arguably, the best opening to a superhero movie in a long, long time. Things just get even better from there as the Guardians listen to Lake Shore Drive in their Milano ship, are greeted into Ego's Planet while My Sweet Lord runs in the background, and as Rocket takes out some bad guys to the tune of Southern Nights. After all, the music does play a hugely important role in the story, not just existing there in the movie to sell CD albums and win the hearts of classic music geeks. Awesome Mix Vol. 1 was after all a gift to Quill from his dying mom, and to keep the tradition of music going in his Walkman is something of not only true fan service but also care for following up on the first film.

Vol 2. sees a nice assortment of familiar faces and newcomers in the character department. The follow-ups enjoy a seamless, well-transitioned transfer from the predecessor, containing all of the lovable spirit that has made these characters an eventual tradition. Perhaps the most fleshed-out continuation here is the character of Drax, who was more or less a typical "tough-guy" in the first film. This installment sees the character's lighter side and, most importantly, more humorous. There's no shortage of wonderfully-introduced welcome additions here, too, whether Peter's mysterious father Ego or the much-welcome comic relief character of Mantis. Each of the film's big sci-fi battles never cease to entertain, with an abundance of seamlessly-integrated special effects that balance that very fine line, and very difficult to fight line, between appreciably campy and agreeably modern. This is fantastic stuff, a sequel that was totally worth the long-anticipated wait and improving upon its precursor in all the right ways.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Blu-ray - Video Quality

Marvel Studios Blu-ray releases have generally been strong candidates for the Blu-ray format, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is most certainly no exception. It's another top-tier superhero movie presentation, with rich coloring and great detail abound. Each of the film's locations call for an abundance of pleasantly diverse color palettes. With vibrant golds in the Sovereign, lifelike greens in Berhert, neon reds and blues in Contraxia, and even bleaker grays inside the prison, Marvel's latest film utilizes its palette to incredibly varying effect, and it largely delivers. There's lots of strong detail to revel in here, too, with some of the finer examples being Quill's red jacket, the facets of wood on baby Groot, the giant gooey monster our heroes fight at the film's open, and rocky terrain in various places. Environments are sharp and span as well, making good detail out of every background element beyond the main, current focus of the camera. The digital source photography can push ever-so-mildly smooth in a handful of shots but overall the image maintains a crisp and clear facade. Skintones remain naturally representative of the surrounding environment and black levels always hold firm. An extremely minute level of banding can lightly be seen in a scene involving dense fog but it's cause for no alarm by any means. Another Marvel Studios Blu-ray, another top-tier 1080p presentation.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Blu-ray - Audio Quality

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is another one of those Blu-ray releases where the theatrical Dolby Atmos soundtrack is being reserved exclusively for the 4K release of the film. Still, it would be a lie to say that the included DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack isn't good, because this one's a beast, exceptional in practically just about every way. There's no beat missed in this one. Quite literally in some cases. The film's soundtrack sounds amazing here, with impressive stage handling as the track goes about its business with each musical number. It's all made even better with a great-sounding bass accompaniment; what's not to love if you're a hardcore fan? Of course, action battles are hugely enveloping. Whether emergency crash-landings, laser gun one-on-ones, an escape from a prison, or space escapes, listeners will feel part of the onscreen action, and it's all thanks to the sheer complexity that is this 7.1 track. The listen is also home to some excellent-sounding ambient effects that offer much-pleasing stereo separation. Birds chirp in forests, inhabitants party in Contraxia, and prisoners gather around in a jail, all of which place the listener into the location effortlessly and spotlessly. Of course, that essential dialogue is always clear, spot-on, and always 100% audible in that front-center spacing, enjoying the appropriate cross-channel effect when the scene asks. Crank this one up and have a blast.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Blu-ray - Special Features

- Bonus Round: The Making of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Consists of four parts:

In the Director's Chair with James Gunn The cast and crew sing their praises about the director, James Gunn. Gunn is also interviewed to talk up the film's elements.

Reunion Tour: The Music of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 This piece looks at how the importance of the film's soundtrack plays a vital part in the film.

Living Planets and Talking Trees: The Visual Effects of Vol. 2 A closer look at the film's wide visual spectacle.

Showtime: The Cast of Vol. 2 A run-through piece of the film's talented cast and the crew singing their praises.

- Guardians Inferno Music Video A catchy, fun little music video of Guardians Inferno by The Sneepers ft. David Hasselhoff. This is about as '70s as it gets, folks. Interlacing, 4x3 aspect ratio, cheesy special effects... oh, and can't miss that David Hasselhoff... er, I mean, Zardu Hasselfrau!

- Gag Reel The lovable Marvel tradition!

- Deleted Scenes include the following: Adolescent Groot Extended, Memorial to the War on Xandar, Kraglin and Quill Talk Tunes, and Mantis and Drax Feel the Sadness Extended.

- Audio Commentary Gunn's commentary is not only insightful and nicely detailed but is also a wonderful walkthrough through the film's behind-the-scenes elements, and is also great fan service. Enjoy this one!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Blu-ray - Overall Recommendation

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is, arguably, one of the best superhero movie sequels of all time. It's a total blast, populated with memorable characters, a fun and interesting plot, and plenty of sci-fi bravura throughout. Essentially, there's nary a misstep in here; it's an improvement over the first (at least, in this reviewer's opinion) and sure to make moviegoers of all kind with huge smiles all over their faces. Marvel's Blu-ray is excellent as well, featuring strong video, boisterously fun audio, and an all-around good smattering of supplemental material. This one comes highly recommended.

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GHOST IN THE SHELL (2017) Blu-ray Review

GHOST IN THE SHELL (2017) (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD)

Release Date: July 25, 2017

Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment

Video: 1.78:1 1080p Widescreen

Audio: English Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1 Core), French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, Portuguese Dolby Digital 5.1

THE RATINGS

The Movie Itself - ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰

Video Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Audio Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Special Features - ★ ★ ✰ ✰ ✰

Overall - ★ ★ ★ ½ ✰

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THE FILM ITSELF Our Reviewer's Take
Got Ghost?

Reviewed by Gavin King

Well... this was unexpected. The 2017 live-action adaptation of the classic anime feature film Ghost in the Shell spurred fairly strong anticipation from movie fans nationwide, hoping for a remarkable, faithful tribute to the ever-so-beloved manga. It should have been a film that won box office moolah, made fans more than satisfied, and achieved nothing but pure excitement leading up to release day in late March. Tragically, all of that didn't happen. In fact, it was pretty much the bare opposite. Contorversy arose thanks to questionable casting choices, mostly with Scarlett Johansson's portrayal of the main character, Major, with some considering her position as "whitewashed". Worse, its opening weekend box office debut was only a puny $18.6 million, and its reviews weren't great, either, aiming a meh 45% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer. Ouch. That's gonna hurt Paramount quite a bit. But, you ask, my opinion on the new live-action iteration? Far from perfect action movie fodder, but still decent popcorn-munching entertainment with a sprinkling of though-provoking themes throughout.

Major is my name, cyberterrorist preventing is my game...

Society has reached a point where the line between man and machine is practically blurred. Of these many machines, Mira Killian (Scarlett Johansson) is a survivor of a lethal cyberterrorist attack which deceased both of her parents. Her injured and damaged body is used as a test subject that utilizes her brain enclosed in a shell that integrates a human brain, rather than artificial intelligence. One year later, her body advances, and she meets an enchanced man name Batou (Pilou Asbæk) who she's partnered up with as part of an anti-terrorist allegience. The duo is sent on a mission that could change the way she thinks about herself.

The way the film builds its artifcial intelligence-centered universe is hands-down the most thought-provoking aspect of this new iteration of Ghost in the Shell. The film, as mentioned in the synopsis above, explores a pretty complex world where man and machine's line has become dissolved. Obviously there's going to be some expected changes in government but it's interesting to see what society would be built off of if the world was built off of a completely digital, completely machine-oriented arena where analog would be practically nonexistent. It's sort of like today's continuously digital-revolving age where, for example, movie theaters' traditional 35mm projection systems have been wiped by the supposedly "superior" 4K digital projectors. That's another good theme; what can we trust in an ever-growing digital world, and what's up for debate when it comes to what's lost and what's gained in these sorts of utopias? Themes like these are what really build Ghost in the Shell to enjoyable aspects, and not only that, but also biting ones that touch on today's society and how it could possibly grow in the near future, too.

That's Batou for you.

When talking about the film's core storyline, it's fairly standard-route. Two heroes are sent on a mission to undo the blasthemy that's plaguing said city/hometown/country/area. Of course, the action is there - gunshots, slow-motion standbys, heavily stylized set pieces - and they're essentially what moviegoers and popcorn-munchers expect from these 2017 action thriller spectaculars. Honestly, the plot is nothing we haven't seen before. It can easily be argued as a "standard entertainment" vessel, one that's less of a true edge-of-your-seat thrill ride (at least for general viewing audiences) and more of, somewhat, a rainy day Sunday Redbox (or Netflix, if that's how your boat floats) rental. Still, there's some general fun to be had scattered throughout, such as in that titular opening sequence with Scarlett Johansson's character crashing through a window and shooting a gun in slow-motion that was so heavily idolized in the film's trailers. In terms of overall plot originality, though, don't expect much revolution. It should also be noted that this reviewer has not (yet) seen the original Ghost in the Shell anime film, so most of my mild nitpicks are directed towards this film, and rather not the classic manga.

Scarlett Johansson, in her main role as Mira Killian, or Major, is actually pretty well done. Mind you, it's nothing breathtaking or mind-changing, but it's a more than servicable role, and she wrings out just enough emotional and superficial energy to make her interpretation of Major a fairly satisfying one and, better yet, one that really wasn't worth all of the hyperbolic controversy. Supporting roles help to balance out Johansson's front-and-center presence. The film is quite the visually alluring experience, with tons of appealing designs on exteriors as well as bright, yet intentionally bleak, interior stylistic designs. Pacing, however, can be an issue. It can be sluggish, espeically when the film crawls towards its sixty-minute mark where there's less action and more of a buildup to the film's final act involving a giant robot spider.


GHOST IN THE SHELL (2017) Blu-ray - Video Quality

Ghost in the Shell encapsulates on Blu-ray with a reference-quality 1080p transfer. The digitally-shot image is very clean though never simmers down to unlikable glossy facades, instead having the large benefit of a sleek but super attractive presentation that brings life to the Ghost in the Shell universe. One of the benefits of the sharp digital capture is the startling amount of details all across the board. A great example is at the beginning of chapter three. We can make out the tiny pores and facial features of Scarlett Johansson's character, as well as the ridges and creases on her hand as it moves into focus. This amount of textural power is evident all throughout the film's length, whether droplets of rain on a recycling truck, various apparel and clothing on certain characters, and mounds more. Colors remain a bit drained by creative intent but nevertheless enjoy a very natural, very lifelike representation of the futuristic world, with assorted brights and lights scattered around in the city being the obvious standout but also not skimping out on fiery oranges as well as dominant blue hues in a nightclub. Black levels play a big part in telling the story's elements and action, and they're consistently deep and inky throughout. Not a single compression artifact - not even banding, which would prove a troublesome eyesore in the film's darkest of scenes - was spotted in the midst of this high-definition presentation. It's safe to say that Ghost in the Shell's video presentation is easily the highlight of the Blu-ray disc.

GHOST IN THE SHELL (2017) Blu-ray - Audio Quality

Ghost in the Shell is the latest Blu-ray release on the market to feature a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, and it sounds really, really good. Don't expect a full-on barrage of overhead elements, but those upper channels help to refine and add a good sense of atmosphere to the film's many locations, such as the bustling digital cityscapes and other related ambient noises. The track makes excellent, powerful use of the film's many battle sequences, such as the opening scene where we see Major shooting her gun in slow motion. This scene among many others feature a wonderfully immersive and bassy oomph through various gunshots and action-esque elements, as well as a supportive surround element that isn't exactly an extension of the fronts but certainly gives the battle scenes a nicely empowering effect to them. Those aformentioned atmospherics feature strong surround-sound immersion, too, with citywide noises and a boat ride out on a lake offering up all of the spot-on fidelity and lifelike realism that the film's sound mixers have pushed into the track. The last-but-not-least conclusion to an already terrific track is crisp, well-prioritized dialogue and excellent stage representation of the film's score. This Atmos track for Ghost in the Shell is one that audiophiles all across the nation won't be disappointed with.

GHOST IN THE SHELL (2017) Blu-ray - Special Features

- Hard-Wired Humanity: Making Ghost in the Shell (1080p, 30:05) This is a very detailed, very thought-out piece that talks through the themes of the film, translating iconic scenes from the anime to the live-action film, casting choices, production design, and lots more. This is a featurette that fans are going to eat up.

- Section 9: Cyber Defenders (1080p, 11:29) A featurette that digs deeper into Section 9, the team that, in the film, is sent on missions to take out cyberterrorist attacks. There's also discussion on the characteristics of Section 9's members as well as how it was constructed in the film.

- Man & Machine: The Ghost Philosophy (1080p, 10:36) This featurette delves into the themes that make up the film, and how its themes of the line between man and machine could transfer into society's near future.

GHOST IN THE SHELL (2017) Blu-ray - Overall Recommendation

Ghost in the Shell is a film that never quite finds its true identity, pinballing back and forth between whether it wants to be a thought-provoking piece of science fiction or simply a time-killing popcorn flick. Both sides show their benefits, though the thought-provoking side of things expectedly sees to be the most substantive of the two viewpoints. Many of the film's themes are very interesting, peeking in to how future society could act upon, although the film has a few balancing acts to uncover, such as overcoming some mild issues associated with standard action flick fare as well as some pacing conflicts towards the middle of the film. As a whole, not everyone is going to appreciate Ghost in the Shell immediately, and it's not too hard to see why, but go for the biting themes and less for the standard action sequences and you'll find yourself with a mostly satisfying movie experience. Paramount's Blu-ray release doesn't disappoint. Unfortunately there's only three supplements, but at least they're interesting and fascinating, and the video and audio quality are top-notch. Recommended.

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