BLU-RAY REVIEW

After Earth

Featured In Issue 180, October 2013

Picture5+
Sound5
WSR Score4
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):
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
41741
(MPAA Rating):
PG-13
(Rating Reason):
Sci-fi action violence, and some disturbing images
(Retail Price):
$35.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
100
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A, B & C
(Theatrical Year):
2013
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
10/08/13
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
M. Night Shyamalan
(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 Digital 5.1, DTS HD Lossless 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

In After Earth, Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) and his father Cypher (Will Smith) set out on a routine mission that crash lands them on a hostile planet Earth. Now, 1,000 years after Earth has been quarantined, everything on the planet has evolved to kill humans. Unable to contact home, and forced to battle exotic creatures and dangerous terrains, Kitai and Cypher must fight together to survive. (Gary Reber)

Special features include a never-before-seen version of the movie's opening sequence (HD 02:19); six featurettes: A Father's Legacy (HD 08:51), 1,000 Years In 300 Seconds (HD 05:25), The Nature Of The Future, Building A World (HD 12:00), Pre-Visualizing The Future (HD 05:50) and The Animatics Of After Earth (HD 08:39); the XPRIZE After Earth Robotics Challenge winning video (HD 03:35); upfront previews; and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 2.39:1 1080p AVC picture was mastered in 4K. The image quality is exceptional, no doubt due to the conversion from the 4K master to HD. The picture is effectively sharper because the picture has been over-sampled. Resolution is incredibly defined with sharp image quality that depicts the future of earth with dramatic and engaging imagery. The color palette is naturally hued throughout with rich and warm, as well as vivid hues, which exhibit a wonderfully cinematic quality. Contrast is well balanced throughout with deep, solid blacks and revealing shadow delineation. Fleshtones are naturally hued as well. This is a spectacular visual experience that is pristine throughout and always engaging. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is expertly executed with dynamic contrast comprised of subtle, nuanced atmospherics and sound effects and strong energized action sequences, punctuated by deep, powerful sub-25 Hz .1 LFE bass. James Newton Howard's orchestral score is hauntingly dynamic as well, with eerie sonics spread wide and deep across the soundstage and extended to the surround. The surrounds are effectively subtle at times, while during more intense scenes aggressively directionalized and powerful. The result is a holosonic® presence that produces an immersive experience. Dialogue is naturally executed with good spatial delineation and excellent intelligibility. There is nothing to fault this superb reference-quality soundtrack experience. (Gary Reber)