Blu-ray movie review, blu-ray review

Election (Blu-ray Review)

Panorama | 2005 | 99 mins | Not rated | May 27, 2009

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Blu-ray review

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Playback
Region free

Nominated for Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Johnnie To's gritty gangster drama "Election" (2005) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Hong Kong-based distributors Panorama. All of the special features are placed on a separate SDVD. Amongst them are exclusives interviews with Johnnie To and cast members, Making-of documentary and more. All of the supplemental features are perfectly playable on Region-A hardware. English-friendly and Region-Free.

Video



Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Johnnie To抯 Election arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Hong Kong-based distributors Panorama.

Generally speaking, I am pleased with how Panorama have treated Johnnie To抯 Election. As I noted in my analysis above, this is a film with a very complex construction where light has a very specific role. As a result, there are many scenes where heavy shadows cover the faces of the main protagonists. The intent is to further enhance the gloomy atmospehere permeating through Election. This being said, contrast, clarity and detail range from good to excellent. Mild edge-enhancement occasionally pops up here and there, but I don抰 think that it would affect your viewing experience. Macroblocking is not a serious issue of concern. I have not seen Election theatrically, so I am unsure how accurate the color-scheme is. Considering the overall tone of the film, however, I believe that a lot of the overpowering grays, light blues, light yellows, and bleached blacks are intentional. This being said, even though the print occasionally has a tendency to look a bit overcompressed, it looks good when blown through a digital projector. Finally, I noticed a few minor specks popping up here and there but did not see any disturbing scratches, debris, or dirt. (Note: This is a Region-Free disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

Audio

There are three audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1 and Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1. I opted for the Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the other two tracks for the purpose of this review.

This is the second disc I tested this weekend, after Junebug, that really impressed me with its audio. The Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is notably well mixed. Yes, there are a few loud action scenes that sound great, but I was more impressed with how well the Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track treats Lo Tayu抯 outstanding soundtrack - the dynamics are excellent. This said, the dialog is crisp, clear and very easy to follow. There are no balance issues that I detected either. I did not hear any disturbing pops, clicks, or hissings..

The Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1 track is not a match for the Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Listen to the music score and you will hear the dramatic difference in terms of dynamics between the two tracks. For the record, Panorama have provided optional English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

Final Words



There is a good reason why Johnnie To's films are often in competition at the Cannes Film Festival - they have a style and look of their own. Election is not an exception. It is a notably moody piece with great story. Don't miss it! Highly recommended.