Blu-ray Review: The A-Team
Overall: 4.4 Stars (out of 5)
Synopsis
This updated feature-film take on the hit 1980s television show follows a group of Iraq War veterans on the run from U.S. military forces while they try to clear their names after being framed for a crime they didn't commit. Along the way, Col. Hannibal Smith, Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock , Sgt. Bosco "B.A." Baracus and Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck help out various people they encounter. Joe Carnahan directs this high-octane actioner. Cast: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Patrick Wilson
Director: Joe Carnahan
Blu-ray Release Date:
December 14, 2010
Subtitles:
English SDH, Spanish
Rating:
Overall rating weighted as follows:
Audio 40%, Video 40%, Special Features 20%,
Movie - its just our opinion so take it with a grain of salt
Audio (4.25 Stars)
Dolby and DTS Demo Discs used as basis for comparison
Subwoofer - 4.5 Stars
Dialog - 4.0 Stars
Surround Effects - 4.5 Stars
Dynamic Range - 4.0 Stars
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
With an action film like this, I expected to hear lots of deep explosions and room filling gun fire. This movie did not disappoint. The audio is so busy sometimes it left my head spinning. However, with all the action going on, and soundtrack going on, it's hard to hear the dialog at times. There were also some instances were the sound was a little muddled and a lacking the range I would like to see in an action film.
Video (4.7 Stars)
Spears & Munsil Benchmark Blu Ray Edition used as basis for comparison
Color Accuracy - 4.5 Stars
Shadow detail - 4.5 Stars
Clarity - 5.0 Stars
Skin tones - 4.5 Stars
Compression - 5.0 Stars
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC, Video resolution: 1080p, Aspect ratio: 2.35:1, Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
I have never seen a movie that made me want to stop shaving. Beard stubble looks fantastic on this Blu-ray. This movie is so clear, it was able to display tiny wrinkles on young Jessica Biel's face ... I didn't even think she had wrinkles. There are a few key action scenes that happen at night, they look great and still are able to produce vivid colors.
Bonus Features (4.0 Stars)
Theatrical Version
Extended Version
The Devil's in the Details: Inside the Action with Joe Carnahan
Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel
A-Team Theme Mash-Up Montage
Plan of Attack
Character Chronicles
Visual Effects Before and After with Commentary by Visual Effects Supervisor James E. Price
Theatrical Trailer
Movie (4.0 Stars)
If you are expecting this movie to be a serious satire on the state of government affairs or have melodramatic scenes where people cry, you will be disappointed. This is a fun movie with larger than life characters, physics-defying action scenes, with guns that never need reloading.
What really keeps this movie together is the cast. Not only do they look just like the original 80's A-Team, they made the friendships and synergy between the characters fun and believable. The plot of this movie tries to be more than it should be which sometimes left me questioning the multiple bad guys' motives.
The A-Team brought back some unexpected feelings of nostalgia. Seeing the black van, Hannibal's cigar smoke, B.A. Baracus' mohawk, and hearing someone being called “fool with such conviction made we want to put on some parachute pants and break-dance. Just like I did when I was a kid.