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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Ruins, The

    Featured In Issue 134, September 2008

    Picture3
    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):
    Paramount Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    13860
    (MPAA Rating):
    Unrated
    (Rating Reason):
    (Retail Price):
    $39.99
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    93
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    Not Indicated
    (Theatrical Year):
    2008
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    07/08/08
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Carter Smith
    (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 TrueHD 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):

    After his brother goes missing amid some Mayan Ruins close to Cancun, Mexico, German tourist Mathias (Anderson) sets off to find him with a set of newfound friends. With only a hastily drawn map to guide them, the group soon finds they are ill prepared for what lay ahead—angry Mayan villagers who threaten the group with violence and a mysterious, and perhaps deadly, vine growing on a nearby mountainside. Based on the book by Scott Smith. (Stacey Pendry)

    Special features include commentary by Director Carter Smith and Editor Jeff Betancourt; the following featurettes: Making The Ruins (14 minutes), Creeping Death (15 minutes), and Building The Ruins (six minutes); four deleted scenes available with director's commentary; an alternate ending; the original theatrical trailer; and previews.

    The anamorphically enhanced 2.32:1 exhibits good sharpness, with fine textures resolved well. Black levels are deep and shadows are delineated well. Fleshtones appear too contrasted, and contrast in general is overly hot. The color scheme is overly bright, and colors are generally desaturated. Edge enhancement is noticeable throughout. The VC-1-encoded Blu-ray Disc shows many similarities, although the resolution is not quite as good as in the better high-definition releases. The image often looks flat, even though shadow delineation and black levels are solid. Contrast is overpumped still, and colors aren't very well saturated. (Danny Richelieu)

    The DVD's Dolby® Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack can sound somewhat constrained in the front stage, but the surrounds are used very well to create an engaging experience. The LFE channel is incorporated nicely both for effects and to build suspense. Dynamic range is broad, with subtleties recorded well and quick changes in level captured and played back nicely. Fidelity is pure, with voices, effects, and music sounding very natural. Phantom imaging is generally impressive around the room. The Blu-ray Disc's lossless Dolby TrueHD encoding improves overall fidelity, with bass tighter and voices more articulate. The mix is still superb. (Danny Richelieu)

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    Lloyd Marshall
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