4K Ultra HD – Edition EN – Universal Pictures – 98 min – 23 January 2019
Video format
• Intermediate Master: 2K
• Standard HDR: HDR10
• Ratio: 2.35
Soundtrack
• English DTS:X
• French 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 – Prohibited friendship
The story of Harold, a young Viking with little ease in his tribe where fighting dragons is national sport. His life will be upset by his encounter with a dragon that will gradually lead Harold and his family to see the world from a completely different point of view.
Visually bluffing, this DreamWorks production by Disney defectors is a beautiful initiatory tale that subtly combines adventure and humor with a certain epic breath. The characters are endearing, the typical design of dragons fly, the aerial scenes are as spectacular as they are flirting and the whole is perfectly rhythmic. An animation jewel.
IMAGE – Up in the clouds
If the previous Blu-ray was a reference disc, this will not be the case with this UHD HDR10 transfer which certainly enhances the image of its counterpart 1080p SDR, but shows some compressive softness (a light colour banding in the darkest backgrounds).
The definition gains in sharpness (the texture of the decorations), the details in fineness (the beard of Stoik the Brute, the leatherasse of dragons) and the colorimetric palette in depth (vegetation, rock formations, the brown jacket of Harold, the blue sky, the multicolored skin of most large reptiles).
As for the contrasts, adjusted to accentuate the dramaturgy of the scenes plunged in the darkness but also the punch of the diurnal sequences (cf. the sun's radiation and the tenfold heat of the flames), they display denser blacks and brighter whites with the nuances found in the high luminances (the clouds).
SON – Fire all flames?
Well spatialised but less explosive than expected (a tamed dynamic), the VO encoded in DTS:X does not fail to control its fury while taking full advantage of the acoustic space granted to it.
The numerous sound effects rotate in the room (terrestrial and/or aerial movements of « Bebests », the hustle and bustle during the opening) thanks to the continuous use of each speaker, the integration of John Powell's superb score is more than successful, the environmental ambiances are long-lasting enveloping the audience (the noises of the flora, the light breath of the wind), the LFE channel grunts badly (especially during the final battle) and the voices are expressed with great clarity.
Even if more « brutal », the mid-flow VF cannot fight against its 3D consœur which pleases to take up height as soon as the narration demands it (the pique of the dragons, the flashes of Krokmou, etc.).
CONCLUSION – We fly...
To reach the Vikings of the island of Beurk, embark on a relaxing journey in the company of large fire-scashing animals better trained in 4K Ultra HD!
Artistic note
8
Video quality
8.5
Audio quality
8.5
0
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