San Andreas 3D

San Andreas follows a rescue helicopter pilot (Johnson) and his estranged wife (Gugino) as they make their way to San Francisco to save their only daughter, after the infamous San Andreas Fault gives, triggering a magnitude 9-plus earthquake in California. But their treacherous journey north is only the beginning. And when they think the worst may be over…it’s just getting started. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary by Director Brad Peyton; the featurettes San Andreas: The Real Fault Line (HD 06:23), Dwayne Johnson To The Rescue (HD 09:24), and Scoring The Quake (HD 06:13); eight deleted scenes with commentary by Peyton (HD 04:40); a gag reel (HD 01:22); a stunt reel (HD 02:56); upfront previews; and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 2.41:1 1080p MVC 3D picture was converted from 2D to 3D by Stereo D, and exhibits exceptional dimensionality, depth, and perspective. Exceptional is probably not a strong enough description of the sense of realism and naturalness. The imagery is never exaggerated but naturally rendered throughout. People and objects show natural volume and weight, which heightens the realism. The flight scenes are spectacular, with the scale of the below landscape and buildings perfectly balanced, as are the massive destructive earthquakes and the tsunami. This is visually immensely impressive and frightening at the same time. The color palette is naturally hued throughout with a rich and warm presence. The red helicopter really pops. Fleshtones are naturally hued throughout. Contrast is perfectly balanced with deep blacks and revealing shadow delineation. Resolution is terrific, with fine detail exhibited in facial features, hair, clothing, and object texture, including all manner of debris, smoke, and fire, and heightens the realism of the extensive special effects. This is a truly reference-quality 3D picture that puts you there. While the 2D presentation shares the imagery quality attributes, there is simply no comparison to the 3D dimensionality and sense of realistic depth. For fans who appreciate 3D, this is a real winner. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel) soundtrack is extremely dynamic and system challenging, with enormous deep bass energy to below 25-Hz frequencies in the .1 LFE channel. The mayhem and destruction created by the intensified earthquakes is sonically powerful in all eight horizontal channels, with deep bass extended as well. Atmospherics are realistic throughout, with the subtle and powerful sounds of debris falling and flying all around the soundfield. Special effects are extremely powerful, with room-shaking low frequencies. The soundfield’s spatial dimensionality is enhanced by the two additional surrounds and height. The height signals add an overall sense of immersive volume to the soundfield. Such dimensionality is uncommon and a true statement of the power of sound design to create realism. Surround energy is extensively aggressive and directionalized throughout. Andrew Lockington’s orchestral music score is brilliant and enhances the emotional flow of the storytelling. The music is well recorded, with a wide and deep soundstage that extends dynamically to the surrounds. Dialogue is perfectly natural throughout, with excellent spatial integration. This is one of those truly rare holosonic® soundtracks that define the state-of-the-art. Reference quality throughout, this is sure to be the greatest challenge of a home theatre system and deserves a warning for its intense dynamics. (Gary Reber)