Search DVDBeaver |
S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
|
Machete [Blu-ray]
(Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis, 2010)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: Troublemaker Studios Video: 20th Century Fox
Disc: Region: 'A'-locked (as verified by the Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player) Runtime: 1:44:59.209 Disc Size: 41,176,905,776 bytes Feature Size: 34,229,581,824 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.60 Mbps Chapters: 28 Case: Standard Blu-ray case inside cardboard slipcase Release date: January 4th, 2011
Video: Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio English 4248 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4248 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Dolby Digital Audio English 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps Dolby Digital Audio French 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
Subtitles: English (SDH), English, French, Spanish, none
Extras:
• Optional Audience Reaction Track • Theatrical Trailer (1:56) • Theatrical Trailer - Red Band -(2:00) • Digital Copy 'How To' (3:35) • Sneak Previews ('A Team', 'Street Kings 2', 'Twelve') • LIVE Extras • Disc 2: Digital Copy
Bitrate:
Description: From director Robert Rodriguez (Grindhouse, Sin City) comes an action-packed, cutting-edge serving of carnage asada...with killer deleted scenes that deliver more guns, more girls and more Machete action! Set up, double-crossed and left for dead, Machete (Danny Trejo) is an ass-kicking ex-Federale who lays waste to anything that gets in his path. As he takes on hitmen, vigilantes and a ruthless drug cartel, bullets fly, blades clash and the body count rises. Any way you slice it, vengeance has a new name--Machete.
The Film: “Machete,” co-directed by Mr. Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis from a script by Mr. Rodriguez and his cousin Álvaro Rodriguez, begins with a massacre involving a naked woman and many severed heads, and it keeps on slamming and banging with a gleeful, nose-thumbing insouciance.
Making fun of itself as it goes along, this live-action comic book, with
roots in the pungent swamp of 1970s B movies, was foreshadowed in a fake
trailer Mr. Rodriguez made for “Grindhouse,” his 2007 collaboration with
Quentin Tarantino. The pace is swift, the tone playful, the screenplay
peppered with one-liners. Whether mowed down by gunfire or dispatched by
sheaves of blades, the bodies pile up in split-second blasts of carnage.
Image : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Like the Grindhouse retro-mode flics Planet Terror and Death Proof the image quality of Machete is heavily based in a style that attempts, and succeeds, to import the feeling of watching a less-cared-for 70's film with similar genre-based attributes. It has intentional scratches/damage and some heavy grain but less than we found in the first two Grindhouse retros. Because of this it is hard to critique the Blu-ray presentation for flaws - but on a personal level - I liked the thick, heavier look - and believe the 1080P transfer does a solid job of replicating the filmmakers intentions. This is certainly not glossy or pristinely sharp. Skin tones don't seem overly warm and contrast exhibits healthy, rich black levels. Daylight scenes are more impressive in regards to detail and there is some noise apparent in the darker sequences but overall I was impressed with my presentation. This Blu-ray has a 'mood setting' textured feel and I could appreciate the style appearance aspect. It is perfectly suitable for the film.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :Audio is impressive with a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 4248 kbps that carries the many aggressive bytes of the film flawlessly. The track has strong depth and some notable range and the mix is, at times, awesome. It's a fun movie and fun soundtrack enveloping the home theater space with its abundances. The original score by John Debney and Carl Thiel had some campy riffs that supported the film perfectly. There are optional subtitles and m y Momitsu has identified it as being a region 'A'-locked.
Extras : Extras are a little thin with only an optional 'Audience Reaction Track' which certainly exports a different feel when watching and there are about 10-minutes of 11 'Deleted Scenes' - that are kind of amusing in their own right. Fans of Machete will want to indulge. There are two trailers (the 'Red Band' one is very cool) a Digital Copy 'How To', 3 sneak previews ('A Team', 'Street Kings 2', and 'Twelve') and some untested LIVE Extras. Plus a second disc Digital Copy is included in the package.
BOTTOM LINE: Gary Tooze December 28th, 2010
|
About the Reviewer: Hello, fellow Beavers! I have been interested in film since I viewed a Chaplin festival on PBS when I was around 9 years old. I credit DVD with expanding my horizons to fill an almost ravenous desire to seek out new film experiences. I currently own approximately 9500 DVDs and have reviewed over 3500 myself. I appreciate my discussion Listserv for furthering my film education and inspiring me to continue running DVDBeaver. Plus a healthy thanks to those who donate and use our Amazon links.
Although I never wanted to become one of those guys who
focused 'too much' on image and sound quality - I
find HD is swiftly pushing me in that direction. 60-Inch Class (59.58” Diagonal) 1080p Pioneer KURO Plasma Flat Panel HDTV PDP6020-FD
Oppo Digital BDP-83 Universal Region FREE Blu-ray/SACD
Player APC AV 1.5 kVA H Type Power Conditioner 120V Gary W. Tooze ALL OUR NEW FORMAT DVD REVIEWS
|