BLU-RAY REVIEW

Anthropoid

Featured In Issue 211, November 2016

Picture4
Sound4.5
WSR Score4.5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
57181898
(MPAA Rating):
R
(Rating Reason):
Violence and some disturbing images.
(Retail Price):
$$29.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
121
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
(Disc Release Date):
11/1/2016
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
Sean Ellis
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(Subtitles):

Operation Anthropoid was the code name for one of World War II's most courageous resistance plots. Based on the extraordinary true story, Anthropoid follows two Czechoslovakian soldiers sent to Prague for a deadly mission to kill Hitler's third in command, the main architect behind the Final Solution, Reinhard Heydrich. Outmanned and facing impossible odds, the two men lead a group of Czechoslovak rebels toward a near-impossible mission that would change the course of history forever. (Gary Reber)

Special features include a making-of featurette (HD 30:15), storyboard-to-film comparisons, upfront previews, and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 2.38:1 1080p AVC picture was photographed on Kodak film stock and exhibits slight but noticeable grain. However, this is complementary to the period look of the imagery. The color palette exhibits a yellowish tint with other hues muted. this is particularly evident with respect to fleshtones. The muted colors enhance the constant sense of danger and tenseness. The interior scenes are darkest in character, while the exterior daylight scenes are most often under overcast grey skies. Black levels are generally deep and satisfactory. Contrast also is generally well balanced. The overall imagery is softly focused, which veils very fine detail. Still, the stylization is cinematic and quite visually pleasing. The resulting imagery nicely complements the period storytelling. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is dominated with quiet dialogue scenes, whether in mission planning segments or in interpersonal exchanges. But atmospherics, especially as they relate to street traffic and vehicle sounds effectively contrast with an eerie sense of danger at all times. Sound effects, such as the movement of vehicles, at times pan to the surrounds, as well as pistol and machine gunfire, which ricochets around the soundfield at intense energy. This final scene delivers the most intense and dynamic sonic realism of the soundtrack. The orchestral music score is quite nuanced but nicely recorded with a wide and deep soundstage that extends to the surrounds, but generally not aggressively. Dialogue sounds consistently natural with good spatial integration. While quite quiet throughout the early and middle parts of the film, the end scenes are reference-quality holosonic® in spatial dimensionality. (Gary Reber)