4K Ultra HD – Edition EN – Pathé – 108 min – 16 February 2022
Video format
• Intermediate Master: 2K
• Standard HDR: CSD
• Ratio: 2.39
Soundtrack
• French Dolby Atmos
• French DTS-HD MA 2.0
Subtitles
• 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 – Was it built out of love?
Having just completed his collaboration on the Statue of Liberty, Gustave Eiffel is at the top of her career. The French government wants him to create something spectacular for the Universal Exhibition of 1889 in Paris, but Eiffel is only interested in the metropolitan project. Everything changes when he recreates his youthful love. Their forbidden relationship inspires us to change the horizon of Paris forever.
Far from the dusty reconstitution, this great romantic fresco on the background of construction of the famous Tower is a flamboyant popular film carried by the very glamorous Romain Duris (a hero as passionate as tormented) and Emma Mackey. Romanesque on all floors and immerse us in the 19th century Paris, this great show « French » is a great success.
IMAGE – Steel beauty
From a 2K master (while the work was captured in 6.5K) and presented in SDR (so-called to respect the atmosphere desired by the conductor and the director), this UHD transfer which conforms of course to the aesthetic biases of photography ( granular texture, dimmed lighting and sepia hues) shows almost no difference compared to its HD counterpart...
The contribution in definition is non-existent, the calibration of (magnificent) colors is identical, the contrasts voluntarily in the restraint do not vary much and the light sources are no more radiant (which damage in view of the splendor of natural lights).
There is only a small amount of detail, slightly less chiselled (but always excellent) as it is leaving behind the tiny reinforcement of the contours present in 1080p, and the digital noise (visible from there), less sensitive (the compression HEVC is not for nothing), that this Ultra HD Blu-ray gets rid of small meters.
Don't be mistaken, the images are splendid all along. But for a few euros less, the Blu-ray moves the same turns (hence the removal of a few points to the note)! What are you thinking about?
SON – I love you.
Extremely well distributed and ample when the time comes (on the construction site), this Dolby Atmos soundtrack, which is illustrated by an elegant score (signed Alexandre Desplat) and ultra-realistic urban ambiences (the passage of motor vehicles) has more than once the opportunity to shine (the completion of the first floor).
The dialogues are clear and never swallowed up by the other elements of the mixing, the environmental atmospheres and/or effects due to the men generously invite themselves to the back (the crowd) and regularly in the heights (pigeons, wind, metal gnashing), the symphonic music flows through all the channels and bass know how to be felt in places (increased pressure to evacuate water from the foundations).
CONCLUSION – Lady of Iron or Lady of Heart?
XXL, like the Eiffel Tower, the great works that led to the finalization of the Parisian monument, founded in rose water, rise in 4K Ultra HD even if the window is only moderately busy (cf. the absence of an HDR encoding).
Artistic note
8
Video quality
7
Audio quality
9.5
0
[...] with a chivalrous fergue and unfeigned ambition. The staging of Martin Bourboulon (Eiffel) is bold (the plans-sequences), the casting involved (especially François Civil, Vincent [...]