BLU-RAY REVIEW

Jet Li's Fearless

Featured In Issue 118, March 2007

Picture4
SoundNR
WSR Score3
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):
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
62030283
(MPAA Rating):
Unrated
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$39.98
(Disc Type):
Dual Side/Dual Layer (HD DVD30/DVD9)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
103
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
1
(Theatrical Year):
2005
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
12/19/06
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Ronny Yu
(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
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(Subtitles):

After working and acting for more than 25 years and on 35 movies, "Jet Li's" final martial arts film "Fearless" tells the story of real-life martial arts legend Huo Yuanjia (Li). (Tricia Spears)

Special features include a deleted scene, a 16-minute documentary A Fearless Journey, and up-front ads. Additionally, you are given the option of watching the unrated or the theatrical version of the film.

With rich hues and well-captured details, the anamorphically enhanced 2.38:1 DVD can look quite good. Some pixilation and edge enhancement are noticeable at times, but do not become too much of a distraction. Fleshtones are slightly too hot, which gives them a sunburnt tone. Black levels and shadow delineation are good, which helps create a pleasingly dimensional image. The HD DVD version naturally increases the level of detail, as well as deepening the already vibrant colors. Color balance is good, and the dimensionality is impressive. (Danny Richelieu)

The DVD's Dolby® Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack can be too dependent on the center channel, with the corner full-range channels all but ignored at times. Dialogue is integrated well in the Mandarin track, and is understandably off in the dubbed English track. A high-pitched ringing can be heard from time to time, but is really only noticeable in the more quiescent scenes. The HD DVD's Dolby Digital Plus encodings are more revealing, as you can hear slight distortions in the effects that make them sound very unnatural. The same distortions can be heard in the DVD if you listen closely, but are much less audible. Dialogue is even more natural sounding on the HD DVD, and, as can be expected, the dubbed English sounds even less realistic. (Danny Richelieu)