SVOD – Platform EN – Prime Video – 99 min – 26 August 2022
Video format
• Intermediate Master: 4K
• Standard HDR: HDR10+
• Ratio: 2.39
Soundtrack
• English Dolby Digital Plus 5.1
• English Dolby Digital Plus 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 MaG team tester, SVOD tests are performed with the minimum flow required on each platform. Moreover, the images in the article are not representative of the source tested.
WORK – Demolition (Old) Man
At the age of 13, Sam Cleary suspects that his mysterious and lonely neighbour, Mr. Smith, is actually a legend that hides in the open. Twenty-five years ago, Granite City's superpowerful vigilante, The Samaritan, was declared dead in a warehouse after a tragic battle with his rival, Nemesis. Most people think the Samaritan has perished in the flames, but some people, like Sam, are confident that he is still alive...
Closer to Hancock (more social humour) than the MCU, The Samaritan is an entertaining B series inherited from the 80/90s (dry violence and punchlines) where Sylvester Stallone beats naughty (caricatural) as in the right era. And while it is true that its limited budget limits its ambitions (over-thinking, classical narrative and limited action), it breaks the myth of the superhero by penetrating into a reality where, voluntarily, « excluded » He will have no choice but to return mass by hand (a symbol far from being annoyed) to complete his redemption. A Stallonian work (the old glory in retirement that a last fight awaits) friendly even if minor.
IMAGE – Granite City the powder box
Dived regularly in the rain, the image from a DI 4K and broadcast in HDR10+ has all the advantages of a modern digital capture (in 3.4K in this case) with some compressive traces (a little noise in the background).
The definition remains stable all the way, the planes are piqued (the worn face of Stallone, the alleys not so familiar), the clarity is constant, the cold (on the outside) and warm (on the inside) colours are perfectly calibrated, the contrasts are sustained (between whites asserted and dense blacks) and the light sources, systematically stinging (the ceiling lights, daylight, flames), shine with impressive brightness.
SOUND – Repair Rather than Destroy
With deep bass (the deflagration of grenades) but devoid of a real dynamic (it is only moderate), this soundtrack with a wide score naturally uses surround channels (urban atmospheres, pyrotechnic effects during fighting) for a conclusive immersion. Apart from a somewhat prominent dubbing, VO and VF struggle with equal weapons.
CONCLUSION – Need a new vigilante?
Bringing a wind of freshness to an increasingly sclerotic genre, this new « original production » Premium Video (a recovery to tell the truth following the acquisition of the MGM by Amazon) will not fail to charm the fans of Sly (for intimates), old breaker always quick to resume service if it is necessary!
Artistic note
6.5
Video quality
8.5
Audio quality
8
0
[...] bright neon lighting, raw off-board textures and raw close-up) by David Ungaro (The Samaritan with [...]