BLU-RAY REVIEW

Blindspotting 4K Ultra HD

Featured In Issue 234, December 2018

Picture4.5
Sound4.5
Immersive1.5
WSR Score4.5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
55012
(MPAA Rating):
R
(Rating Reason):
Language throughout, some brutal violence, sexual references and drug use
(Retail Price):
$14.95
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-66)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
95
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
11/20/2018
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
Carlos Lopez Estrada
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD 7.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(Subtitles):

"Blindspotting" is story about friendship and the intersection of race and class set against the backdrop of Oakland, California. Colin (Diggs) must make it through his final three days of probation for a chance at a new beginning. He and his troublemaking childhood best friend, Miles (Casal), work as movers, and when Colin witnesses a police shooting, the two men's friendship is tested as they grapple with identity and their changed realities in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood they grew up in. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary with Director Carlos Lopez Estrada, commentary with Producers/Writers/Actors Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, "Blindspotting Director's Diary" (HD 17:11), upfront previews, and a digital copy.

The 1.85:1 1080p AVC picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, upconverted to 2160p with greater resolution and luminance, was photographed digitally using Panavision cameras and sourced from a 2K master Digital Intermediate format. The picture exhibits a commanding natural appearance with an air of grittiness. The color palette is naturally rendered with richly vibrant and warm hues. Often colors pop. Fleshtones are perfectly natural. Contrast is well balanced. Blacks are deep and shadow delineation is nicely revealingly realistic. Resolution is good but at times is a bit soft. Close-ups really magnify fine detail. In all cases, the realism and stylization segments are compelling. This is a terrific visual experience that smartly tells the visual component of the movie. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is quite compelling with a dynamic presences powered by sound effects and infused with interweaving segments of rap, hip hop, and spoken word. Atmospherics, as well as sound effects, are often aggressively enveloping in the surround field. The soundstage is often energized with panned sound effects. The music also aggressively extends to the four surrounds. Dialogue remarkably sounds integrated spatially. Deep bass in the .1 LFE is prevalent throughout and is effectively accentuated in the intense scenes. Everything sounds really real with excellent attention to sonic detail.

The Immersive Sound element is comprised of the occasional electronic synthisized sound effects and a whiz-bang effect. Unfortunately, the music is limited to ear-level surrounds. There are long scenes with no height layer sonics. As such, the soundtrack lacks an effective height layer.

This is a terrific holosonic® soundtrack that sounds dynamic with excellent fidelity, though, absent effective spherical height layer enhancements. (Gary Reber)