Risen

Risen is the faith-based drama, which follows Clavius (Fiennes) a powerful Roman military tribune, and his aide Lucius (Felton, who are tasked with disproving the rumors of a risen Messiah in the weeks following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (Curtis) and to prevent an uprising in Jerusalem. This epic Biblical story of the Resurrection is told through the eyes of a non-believer. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary with Patrick and Paul Aiello; five deleted scenes (HD 04:24); four featurettes: The Battle Of The Zealots Deconstructed (HD 05:03), The Mystery Of The Resurrection: Making Risen (HD 11:14), Creating A.D. Jerusalem (HD 09:29), and Script To Screen (HD 03:57); upfront previews; and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 2.40:1 1080p AVC picture, though, digitally sourced with the Arri Alexa camera system, appears cinematic, with excellent resolution throughout. The production design concerning structures reveals fine detail in roughly textured stone and pavement, sandy and pebbly terrain, rocky desert terrain, facial features, hair, frayed garments, and object textures. Such detail is especially apparent in close-ups. The characters often appear scruffy and blood stained, along with worn armor, swords and spears, and other instruments of death. The color palette is mostly subdued, though, there are scenes that appear vibrant, with rich and warm hues. The earthy beige hues appear natural. Red accents are particular standouts but overall the production design tends to be subdued. Fleshtones in the light appear perfectly natural. Contrast is well balanced with deep blacks and revealing shadow delineation. Light noise is barely apparent. Overall, this is a solid visual experience that will please. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is not particularly boisterous during battle scenes, but then these are scenes of hand-to-hand fighting. Atmospherics are nicely realistic, with excellent Foley effects. Sound effects center around armaments, combat clashes, desert winds, a swarm of birds, and earthquake rumblings preceding Christ’s death, enhanced with .1 LFE energy. Dialogue is consistently clear and generally well integrated spatially. Roque Banos’ orchestral/choral score is the sound element that really succeeds, with a wide and deep soundstage that aggressively extends to the surrounds, to deliver a holosonic® soundfield presence. The music is well recorded with excellent fidelity. Other than the music, there is a limited amount of sound effects that aggressively extend to the surrounds with directionality. This is a satisfying soundtrack with a wonderful music score. (Gary Reber)