BLU-RAY REVIEW

Perfect Stranger

Featured In Issue 123, September 2007

Picture4
SoundNR
WSR Score3
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):
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
19062
(MPAA Rating):
R
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$38.96
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
109
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
1
(Theatrical Year):
2007
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
08/21/07
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
James Foley
(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):
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

After her childhood friend is found murdered, Rowena (Berry) begins an investigation that involves Ad Executive Harrison Hill (Willis), the married man who was having an affair with her dead pal. Posing as a temp in his company, the Perfect Stranger manages to attract Hill's attention, as she sets out to prove who was behind the gruesome killing. (Tricia Spears)

Special features include the 12-minute Virtual Lives: The Making Of Perfect Stranger, previews, and up-front ads.

The anamorphically enhanced 2.38:1 DVD has a soft look to it, with the finest details all but removed from the picture. But black levels are deep and shadow delineation is good, which helps create good dimensionality in the image. Contrast is well balanced and the splashes of bright color are saturated nicely. Edge enhancement is minor, but some pixel breakup can be seen throughout. The H.264 AVC-encoded Blu-ray Disc looks much the same, with good black levels and shadow delineation. Details are captured well, although not perfectly, but this is still a very natural looking experience. (Danny Richelieu)

The Dolby® Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack uses each of the full-range channels fairly effectively to create a detailed soundfield, but phantom imaging on the sidewalls is limited. The surround stage can be impressive, though, with good imaging across the entire breadth, making for a natural-sounding experience. Dialogue fidelity is good, doing its part in making this an enjoyable soundtrack. The 5.1-channel linear PCM encoding on the Blu-ray Disc features very good fidelity, which, when combined with good front and rear stage, can make for an engrossing experience. It is a shame the two stages couldn't be better integrated. (Danny Richelieu)