Warcraft

In Warcraft, the peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilization faces fearsome race of invaders: Orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another. As a portal opens to connect the two worlds, one army faces destruction and the other faces extinction. From opposing sides, an unlikely group of heroes is set on a collision course that will decide the fate of their families, their people, and their home. (Gary Reber)

Special features include the featurettes: The World Of Warcraft On Film: Origin Story (HD 04:54), The World Of Talent (HD 05:35), The World Of VFX (HD 05:09), Outfitting A World (HD 06:16), The World Of MO-CAP (HD 06:50), and The World Of Stunts (HD 05:06); The Fandom Of Warcraft (HD 06:36); Bonds Of Brotherhood Motion Comic (HD 53:47); The Madame Tussauds Experience (HD 07:32); ILM: Behind The Magic Of Warcraft (HD 02:59); Warcraft Teaser—2013 (HD 02:23); six deleted scenes/extended scenes (HD 13:57); a gag reel (HD 03:25); upfront previews; and an UltraViolet digital copy. Also available as a 4K UltraHD release.

The 2.43:1 1080p AVC picture features a spectacular combination of live action, digitally photographed using the Arri Alexa XT Plus camera system, and extensive CGI throughout. The CGI elements are impressively rendered with exceptional detail displayed in complex and intimately animated textures. The color palette is deep in rich and warm hues that often pop. As a fantasy, the colorized imagery is quite colorful, including the greenish and bluish Stormwind neon hues created by magic. The forested scenes are rich in earth tones, such as tree bark and dense green foliage. The hues are strongly saturated throughout. Human fleshtones reveal a generally natural, though, slightly reddish, appearance. Orc tones are greenish. Contrast is excellent, with deep, black levels and revealing shadow delineation. Resolution is superb throughout, with complex and intricate detail evident throughout. Orc skins reveal impressive detail and are always fascinating to study. Armaments and attire also exhibit excellent detail. Object textures display intricate interior accents. Also, facial features and hair are well resolved. This is an impressive endeavor and a showcase for digital artists to create other worlds. This is a fascinating and engaging visual experience that will not disappoint. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby HD 7.1-channel soundtrack, while mastered in the three Immersive Sound formats, is nearly always ear-level focused, using the height layer to provide nuanced height dimensionality. The soundtrack is wonderfully holosonic® with aggressive battle scenes throughout that fully energize all of the channels. Atmospherics and sound effects are awesome, both nuanced and powerful. They nicely define the worlds and enhance the intense battle scenes, magic, and the general mayhem that occurs throughout. Sound effects often are aggressively directionalized. Unusual animals and horses are effectively voiced and weighted in their movements. Deep bass is extended to sub-25 Hz in the .1 LFE channel, which adds convincing and exciting weight to the goings-on. The orchestral score is wonderfully dynamic, with a deep bass foundation and a wide and deep soundstage presence that extends aggressively to the surrounds. Dialogue remains natural with generally good spatial integration. This is an exciting and immersively engaging sonic experience with reference qualities. (Gary Reber)