Avatar Blu-ray review

The blu-ray of Avatar is outstanding. After the jump you can read my review for this blu-ray/dvd combo pack.



Release Date: April 22nd, 2010
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 1080p
Runtime: 2hr 42min
Discs: 2 (blu-ray/dvd)

The Package: Avatar comes to us in a blu-ray/dvd combo pack. We get the movie on both formats. The disc art is very attractive, with Jake as his avatar on the blu-ray disc and Neytiri on the dvd. There is also a code, that when imputed at the Avatar website, you will gain access to special features.

The Picture: Fox has given us an outstanding 1080p transfer, framed at 1.78:1. The movie looks great here, with no edge enhancement or DNR. The colors are vibrant and alive. The picture also has a 3-D "popping" effect that makes the picture incredibly deep without 3-D enhancement.

The Sound: The 5.1 DTS-HD track is equally outstanding. The dialogue is clear and crisp. The surrounds get a nice workout, as does the subwoofer. I really enjoyed this track.

The Goodies: Unfortunately, there are no special features on either disc. There is a massive special edition coming out this holiday season that promises to be packed with special features.

The Film: Avatar is a grand achievement. Not only in terms of special effects, but also the way that we view movies. Before Avatar came along most movies that were shot in 3-D were horror and family movies that used the third dimension as a way "pop" things out from the screen.

Avatar took the process and, instead of having things "pop" out at the audience, it immersed the audience in the world of Pandora. We, as the audience, felt like we were there on Pandora. In fact, there were reports of people being depressed after viewing Avatar in 3-D because they thought that they were on Pandora. That's how good the 3-D was.

The blu-ray does not offer the 3-D version, but all is not lost. The movie is still a grand piece of filmmaking, taking us to a world that we have never been to before. Say what you will about the story (I love the story, even if it has been used many times before.), but Avatar is a great moviegoing experience.
The Scores

The Picture ****
The Sound ****
The Goodies zero stars
The Film ****

Overall score **** (not an average)