Carriers Blu-ray - Chris Pine

directed by David Pastor, Àlex Pastor
USA 2009

Four kids are driving through the desert on the way to the beach, their faces anything but cheery: this isn't Spring Break. They're trying to outrun the end of the world and each other. In Alex and David Pastor's Carriers, no one is safe from the viral pandemic threatening to wipe out the human race. Determined to elude the deadly virus, Danny (Lou Taylor Pucci), his brother Brian (Chris Pine), his girlfriend Bobby (Piper Perabo) and Danny's school friend Kate (Emily VanCampo) speed across the Southwestern U.S. to reach a place of possible safety. Over the course of four days, the group is faced with moral decisions that no human should ever be forced to face. They discover that their greatest enemy is not the microbe attacking humanity, but the darkness within themselves.

***

When a virus threatens to wipe out humanity, Danny (Lou Taylor Pucci), his brother Brian (Chris Pine), and their friends Bobby (Piper Perabo) and Kate (Emily VanCamp) set out across the desert in the Southwest, trying to elude the pandemic. Over the course of several days, the four friends learn that the darkness within themselves may prove deadlier than any microbe.

Poster

Theatrical Premiere: August 18th, 2009 (Fantasy Filmfest)

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Comparison

Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Splendid - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

1) Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) Splendid - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Cover
		Also available in a special edition Blu-ray from Germany:
Distribution	Paramount Region 1 - NTSC	Splendid - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:24:24	1:24:46.915
Video	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.9 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	Disc Size: 21,617,124,393 bytes Feature Size: 18,643,101,696 bytes Average Bitrate: 19.97 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray VC-1 Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Bitrate Blu-ray
Audio	Dolby Digital 5.1 (English), DUB: Dolby Digital 2.0 (Spanish)	DTS-HD High-Res Audio English 3840 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3840 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DUB: DTS-HD High-Res Audio German 3840 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3840 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English (SDH), Spanish, French, None	German, Dutch, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Paramount Aspect Ratio: Original - 2.35:1 Edition Details: • Previews DVD Release Date: December 29th, 2009 Keep Case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Splendid Disc Size: 21,617,124,393 bytes Feature Size: 18,643,101,696 bytes Average Bitrate: 19.97 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray VC-1 Video Edition Details: • B-Roll (9:01) • Interviews with cast and crew (17:18) • Film Clips (2:56) - 3 scenes in German DUB • Trailer (2:14) Blu-ray Release Date: August 28th, 2013 Transparent Blu-ray case Chapters 12

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Splendid - Region 'B' Blu-ray (September 2017): Looking closely at the comparison capture it is easy to see the improvement of the 1080P resolution, The closer you investigate the more pronounced the superiority - tighter, richer, colors - more depth etc..

NOTE The Blu-ray is the 'unrated cut' with a few seconds worth of longer scene violence. (Thanks Nigel!)

We get very robust DTS-HD Master, surround, tracks (24-bit) in both original English and a German DUB. It's a significant leap over the SD in terms of both separation and depth. This has a remarkable impact on the film presentation augmenting the tension and fear. There are optional German or Dutch subtitles offered (sample below).

Supplements include 9-minutes of, inconsequential, B-Roll footage and 17-minutes of cast and crew interviews (obviously in English) with Lou Taylor Pucci, Chris Pine, Piper Perabo, Emily VanCamp talking about the film and their involvement, plus there are 3 scenes in a German DUB running for 3-minutes. Lastly is a trailer.

I'm so glad that this is on Blu-ray - which wins on every front - video/audio/extras. It's a favorite apocalypse film - making our list. Very real - both sad and hopeful. Easily recommended!

***

ON THE DVD: Critics dismissed Carriers - I loved it. Let's get that out of the way. I'm both huge on Chris Pine and apocalypse films. This is not, by any means, a 'zombie flic' - it expresses a future possibility where a deadly virus has devastated the earth. It's, by no means a new topic, but has become very popular in the past decade - and the film is not recognized as a science-fiction. It confronts the psychological aspects of dealing with this potentiality; survivalism, conflict and how baser we can get as a species.

It's single-layered, anamorphic and progressive in the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and looks excellent although I will pick up the Blu-ray to compare. The image seems intentionally a shade saturated bookended by faux-Super16 family footage. It's clear and consistent, with depth and I was impressed with the SD quality.

Lossy Dolby surround track in English and a stereo Spanish DUB are available. The film has plenty of, less discreet, separation - and a buoyant, aggressive, score by Peter Nashel (New York, I Love You). There are optional English (SDH), Spanish or French, yellow, subtitles (see sample below) on the NTSC DVD.

No extras save some preview trailers, including the Pine Star Trek.

As I said, I really liked this and have watched it a few times. I think it's a genuine, less contrived, apocalypse film. Obviously, I was very entertained. Stay tuned for the Blu-ray coverage.

- Gary Tooze

DVD Menu

Splendid - Region 'B' - Blu-ray