Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Get ready for breathtaking action in this thrilling epic adventure about a legendary gorilla captured on a treacherous island and brought to civilization, where he faces the ultimate fight for survival.

Peter Jackson went the big Hollywood route with his follow up to the epic Lord of the Rings films. Kong is a huge production with incredible visual effects and a staggering production budget. This was one of the biggest HD DVD exclusive titles and has long been one of the most anticipated catalog releases from Universal for Blu-ray. Rather than just a simple port over they have included the extended cut of the film via seamless branching. This new cut adds two new action sequences on the island and some minor character development here and there. Both cuts are long (3+ hours) but I liked the new cut better with the additional action. While this blockbuster does take a bit to develop and can be a bit corny at times, it is still a great popcorn experience that delivers intense action and special effects.

The HD DVD release of Kong was probably one of the best video presentations on the format. Detail, depth, and dimensional were all incredibly strong and the cinematography on display is gorgeous. This Blu-ray looks pretty much identical to that release. There is still some very subtle banding in the fog sequence when they get to the island but that is literally the only real issue I could spot. Some of the live photography doesn’t blend in with the VFX that well, which can be distracting, but that is more of a production limitation. Fine detail is impeccable in this release and the sense of depth and dimension in the transfer is nearly without equal. Contrast levels are strong with inky blacks and gorgeous shadow detail. Visual presentations don’t get much better than this.

While the HD DVD release featured a very strong Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 mix, this new DTS-HD Master Audio mix definitely takes it a notch higher. This is without a doubt one of the best sounding discs I’ve had the chance to review. Everything about the sound design excels. The highlight is the surround soundstage. Surround use in this film is nearly without equal with exceptional imaging along the sidewalls and rear soundstage without the need for a 7.1 mix. Imaging is incredible within the soundstage and panning effects are seamless. Dynamic range is incredible and sound effects never sound fake or gimmicky. Low bass extension is very deep with some infrasonic touches that lend to the ominous tone of the film and really put you in the action during the more intense battle sequences. This is a pure demonstration quality mix.

Universal serves up more of its U-Control features for this one. There are two Bonus View features. One is a running visual commentary with cast and crew interviews and some behind the scenes footage from the set. The other is a collection of pieces from the art gallery that you can compare to the finished product. Both of these are limited to the extended version of the film though. There is also a feature commentary with the director and co-writer of the film. This disc is also BD-Live enabled allowing you to share clips with friends or check out other Universal promos.

I was glad to see Universal do a new presentation for this one on Blu. Adding the extended mix makes this an easy recommendation for those on the fence about replacing their HD DVD versions. The A/V presentation is pure reference material making this one a must own.