More Apocalypse-related films on Blu-ray and DVD reviewed (click review buttons to also see comparisons where applicable) from our article Films From The End of the World:

Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

• 'Knowing' All: The Making of a Futuristic Thriller (12:35 in HD!)

• Visions of the Apocalypse (17:15 in HD!)

• BD-LIVE capable

Bitrate:

 

Description: A single father and chairman of his town's historical society is summoned when a time capsule buried behind an elementary school in 1958 is prematurely unearthed because of a water-main break. The man, whose son attends the school, sifts through the contents and finds drawings of what 1958 tykes predicted the modern world would be like. It's all flying cars and fantasy stuff, with the exception of one chilling entry. One child predicted some of the most horrible events in recent history, and there's one that hasn't yet occurred, which the man attempts to prevent.

 

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

Audio :

The DTS-HD Master 5.1 audio at 3793 kbps is as strong as the image - and that is saying a handful. Bass response in some of the more destructive-laden scenes is window-rattling. I actually found it a shade overly aggressive a it tended to advance beyond the normal range of dialogue volumes. Explosions sounded as if they were tearing my speakers apart. The infrequent music as well in Knowing, like Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, was so clean and crisp it generates a warm encompassing mood distant from the film. This audio mix is quite exceptional - one of the most advanced that I've heard in a long while. There are optional English and Spanish subtitles and my Momitsu tells me this disc is Region 'A'-locked.

Extras :

Supplements include a decent audio commentary by director Alex Proyas. He covers a lot of production ground and we can easily accept the enormity of such a project with all the minute details that are exposed. He paces it well and has a lot to say - it's certainly worth listening to. There are 2 HD featurettes. 'Knowing' All: The Making of a Futuristic Thriller runs 12.5 minutes and is standard fare with input from the filmmakers while the 17-minute Visions of the Apocalypse has a few high-brows contemplating some 'end-of-world' prophecies - it's quite interesting and educational. I enjoyed it. The disc is also BD-LIVE capable.

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BOTTOM LINE:
I think this is a very good film although some may find it bites off a bit more than it can chew. It can be classified as science-fiction but relies a lot on some horror conventions - and they are done very well. Certainly this Blu-ray is filled with demonstration quality scenes - especially the destruction sequences with hypnotic video and floor-rumbling audio. This is a keeper and we give a strong recommendation! 

More Apocalypse-related films on Blu-ray and DVD reviewed (click review buttons to also see comparisons where applicable) from our article Films From The End of the World: