4K Ultra HD – US Edition – 20th Century Fox – 132 min – May 15, 2018
Video format
• Intermediate Master: 4K
• Standard HDR: HDR10
• Ratio: 2.36
Soundtrack
• English DTS-HD MA 5.1
• English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Surround
• French (Parisian) SDR 5.1
Subtitles
• English
• French
It is brought to the attention of our dear readers as well as the viewing equipment specified and used by each tester of the MaG team, the rendering may differ from one installation to another, whether or not it is calibrated, as well as personal preferences and expectations may influence the rating. Moreover, the images in the article are not representative of the edition tested.
WORK – The Infernal Tower
John McClane, a New York cop, arrives in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his wife. But at the same time, the tower that houses the Christmas Eve is invaded by a group of terrorists. Residents of the building are taken hostage. Everything was calculated to the nearest millimeter. Everything but one detail... McClane.
A great classic of 80s cinema action that redefined the codes of the genre and brought into the legend John McClaneThe mythical New York police lieutenant. The purely geometric staging at CinémaScope flamboyant is an example of clarity (a consistency with John McTiernan), scenario « claustrophobic » which is very clever celebrates the reversals of situations not without a perfect dose of humor, the performance of the actors gives body to characters characterized with care (secondary included) and the shooting scenes, all more haleting one than the other, are never free and only highlight the right moment. To see and see again, wouldn't this cult movie be the best Christmas movie?
IMAGE – Don't take the elevator!
With a brand new 4K remastering, the transfer of this Ultra HD Blu-ray presents a Crystal Trap somewhat modernized (the contribution of HDR and WCG) which fortunately respects the technical characteristics of its shooting (anamorphosed images on a 35 mm film and SFX supervised in 65 mm). The cinematographic rendering of the work is therefore preserved with a very fine silver grain (no DNR here) and many plans with fluctuating focus. As a result, the blurred areas of the frame did not become clear by magic. It's important to know before you scream at the scandal. Nevertheless, the gap with the aging Blu-ray (output in 2008) grows without difficulty.
The piqué is much more precise (the pores/wrinkles of the faces, the fabrics of the clothes, the objects that decorate the offices), the feeling of relief is more pronounced thanks to a better cut of the elements, the colorimetric palette is more alive (the impulse given to the primaries), the contrasts are rebalanced (the places appear less underexposed while the real blacks are deeper), and the light sources shine with a new intensity (the sunset, the lights of the different parts, the gyrophars of the vehicles of intervention and passing) by offering details that were up to now « puffed » by the high lights (the contour of the sparks, the delineation of the neons, the metal parts inside the headlamps).
SON – Welcome to the Comrade Party!
No upgrade to the soundtracks that remain the same as the Blu-ray. Either a VO DTS-HD MA 5.1 primarily frontal if it is during the action scenes where the surrounds activate with precision (gunshots, explosions), and a VF DTS 5.1 extinguished (while the VO is very dynamic) captured an unfortunate cavernous rendering.
In both cases, spatialization is restricted and sounds dated. A little rejuvenation would have been welcome.
CONCLUSION – In the wrong place, in the wrong time
If it is true that « waiting music » The 40 floors of the Nakatomi Plaza have been beautifully renovated, keeping the stamp and authenticity of this period building (a beautiful restoration without affecting the visual integrity of the signed photograph). Jan de Bont). Christmas magic hit again!
Artistic note
9
Video quality
8
Audio quality
6
0
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