Aloha Blu-ray Review
Score: 64
from 2 reviewers
Review Date:
Aloha's poor editing and lack of cohesion overshadow its beautiful Hawaiian scenery; however, the Blu-ray boasts excellent picture and sound quality with abundant extras.
Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 76
Aloha's Blu-ray transfer showcases a stunning 35mm source with rich colors and precise details, particularly in Hawaiian landscapes. Though occasional soft focus and lighting challenges exist, the 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode remains pristine, free from print wear and digital artifacts.
Audio: 71
Aloha's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track excels with immersive, dynamic soundscapes. Music enhances the film’s emotional depth, rich voice-over clarity shines, and effects from jet engines to forest ambiance add subtle yet powerful layers, making dialogue always crisp and clear.
Extra: 36
Aloha's Blu-ray Extras offer a comprehensive blend of insightful commentary from Cameron Crowe on Hawaiian culture, intricate production processes, and character development, complemented by artistically crafted documentaries, deleted scenes, and entertaining outtakes.
Movie: 56
Aloha stumbles through a convoluted plot, poor character chemistry, and rushed editing, despite having a strong cast, beautiful Hawaiian settings, and Cameron Crowe's lyrical touch; the Blu-ray package includes a well-designed presentation but can't rescue the film's inherent flaws.
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Video: 76
"Aloha" on Blu-ray impresses with its pristine 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode and 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Shot on 35 mm, the transfer balances a nostalgic filmic grain with modern clarity. From the beginning, viewers are treated to aged archival footage of Hawaii and rocket launches rendered in 1.33:1. These come across as intentionally flawed, but the transition to the primary 1.85:1 aspect ratio cleans up the image significantly. The Hawaiian landscapes are presented with remarkable detail—vegetation stands out, revealing subtleties down to individual leaves. Facial features and intricate clothing textures are crisp and well-defined, complemented by dynamic color balances that lean slightly warm, enhancing the lush blues and greens of the island scenery.
Director of cinematography Eric Gautier's distinctive documentary-esque style carries through effectively. The natural lighting employed often exacerbates details without introducing unwanted artifacts like edge enhancement, macroblocking, or banding. Despite scenes where the intense Hawaiian sun washes out details, this is due to the natural lighting conditions rather than any fault of the disc. Blacks are deep and true to life, while skin tones remain neutral but sometimes warm under specific lighting conditions. Gautier’s occasional use of soft focus serves artistic intent rather than reflecting any technical shortcomings.
Occasionally, specific scenes exhibit near-oversaturation from vibrant lighting setups, such as the Officer's Club party sequence. It's indicative of the film's chosen aesthetic rather than any flaws in the Blu-ray transfer. Overall, "Aloha's" release is a masterful representation of film on Blu-ray, respecting the original 35 mm source while optimizing for the best possible home viewing experience.
Audio: 71
The audio presentation of "Aloha" on Blu-ray features a highly engaging DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that truly enhances the film's overall experience. From the crackling, hissy audio at the film's opening, which accompanies vintage footage, to the rich, clear soundscapes that follow, every audio detail is meticulously crafted. Musical delivery is notably robust and dynamic, perfectly complementing Crowe's emotive storytelling. Whether it's the overlaid score or lively party beats, the music enjoys pinpoint definition with immersive spacing and substantial low-end support. The dialogue also stands out, with clear and lifelike center-channel delivery that never falters, regardless of background noise.
Ambient sounds are impressively integrated and play a crucial role in establishing the film's setting. The subtle hum within an aircraft cockpit, the rustle of leaves, the blowing wind in a jungle setting, and thunder in the distance contribute to an authentic auditory experience. More intricate soundscapes, especially during the action-packed third act, deliver a full and rich array of sounds through every channel, enhancing the movie's climax with a symphony of details. The effects blend seamlessly into the mix, with scenes set on a military base featuring jet engines, and jungle scenes bringing natural sounds to life. Each sound element is as effective as the next, creating a fully immersive audio environment.
Cameron Crowe's signature use of music to heighten emotional impact is well-served by this track. Dozens of musical pieces dynamically resonate through all channels, uplifting his screenplay, actor performances, and cinematography. Cooper's voice-over narration is mixed to perfection, allowing the richness of his voice to shine and setting up the character's story compellingly. Despite varied background settings and elevated vocal levels, dialogue remains consistently crisp and clear. The sound-filled climax offers an enjoyable barrage of effects that envelops the viewer in a multi-channel audio experience akin to discovering a series of aural easter eggs.
Extras: 36
The Blu-ray release of "Aloha" offers an extensive array of bonus features, appealing to fans and providing deep insights into the movie's production. The highlight is the audio commentary by Writer/Director Cameron Crowe, which is an information-rich track that delves into Hawaiian culture, casting, real cultural elements, music, and technical aspects of the shoot. Added to this is an engaging making-of documentary, divided into three parts, that creatively captures the film's development and production hurdles. The set is rounded out with several featurettes covering various aspects such as the early stages of production, secondary characters, critical scenes, and more. Notably, there are also optional commentaries by Crowe on the original opening and alternate ending scenes.
Extras included in this disc:
- Audio Commentary: Crowe discusses casting, locations, technical details.
- The Untitled Hawaii Project: The Making of Aloha Documentary: Three-part documentary on production.
- The Land of Aloha: Covers early production stages and music.
- Hickam Life: Focuses on secondary characters and military base shooting.
- Gift of Love: Examines critical scenes and performances.
- Original Opening & Alternate Ending for Aloha: With optional Crowe commentary.
- The Awe of Space: Crowe on space travel.
- Ledward Kaapana: Music Is Everything: Discusses the role of music.
- Uncle Bumpy: Shares stories on interactions with authority.
- Mitchell's Film: Footage from a character's camera.
- Gag Reel: Includes outtakes with Alec Baldwin.
- Deleted Scenes: With optional Crowe commentary.
- Aloha Photo Gallery: With commentary by Photographer Neal Preston.
Movie: 56
Director Cameron Crowe’s "Aloha" offers a richly complex setup involving romance, redemption, and geopolitics but struggles under the weight of its own ambitions. The film centers around Brian Gilcrest (Bradley Cooper), a military contractor, returning to Oahu. He's haunted by personal failures and a history with an ex-flame, Tracy (Rachel McAdams), while forming a new connection with his military liaison, Allison Ng (Emma Stone). Despite the talent involved and the picturesque Hawaiian setting, the movie is marred by inconsistent pacing, lackluster chemistry among characters, and an overcomplicated narrative. The inclusion of Hawaiian lore and a subplot concerning a questionable satellite launch feel contrived, adding to the film's overall disjointed nature.
The pre-release controversy surrounding "Aloha," which includes criticisms from then-Sony Chair Amy Pascal and discontent over the casting choices, further shadows the film's reception. Its journey through development hell and a resultant lackluster execution stripped away the nuances and emotional punches typically found in Crowe's work. The rushed editing, reportedly driven by studio pressure, leads to a scattered mess that alternates between breakneck plot progression and indulgent character drama with little coherence. Bradley Cooper's portrayal of Gilcrest shows glimpses of depth and potential for redemption, but these moments are ultimately overshadowed by the jarring transitions and rushed narrative.
Despite its drawbacks, "Aloha" manages to capture some quintessentially Crowe-esque moments, particularly through its soundtrack that emotionally shapes the film albeit not in a supportive way but overshadowing the otherwise flat storytelling. The Hawaiian setting serves as an enchanting backdrop, yet even this visual splendor can’t salvage the film's muddled core. The climactic scene between Cooper and Danielle Rose Russell offers an emotionally satisfying glimpse into what the film could have been—a poignant moment that stands out amidst the chaos but unfortunately highlights missed opportunities throughout.
Total: 64
Cameron Crowe's "Aloha" is a film rife with expectations but, unfortunately, largely underwhelms. Despite its star-studded cast, stunning Hawaiian backdrops, and a couple of standout moments – particularly in its visually captivating finale – the film falters primarily due to its muddled storytelling and jarring editing. Original intentions appear to be lost amidst a hasty narrative, transforming what should have been a rich, heartfelt story into a disjointed sequence of scenes. While some audience members may find deeper layers of controversy, especially around its racial representation, the film struggles to maintain coherence throughout its duration.
Technically, however, Sony's Blu-ray release of "Aloha" impresses. The high-definition picture quality is simply stunning, capturing the lush landscapes and vibrant colors of Hawaii with exceptional clarity. The sound quality stands out as well, with the film's music swelling in all the right places to evoke the emotional undertones characteristic of Crowe's work. The array of special features included on the Blu-ray offers substantial behind-the-scenes insights and additional perspectives on the film’s production. These features provide valuable context and glimpses into what "Aloha" might have been before significant cuts were made.
In conclusion, while "Aloha" may disappoint from a narrative standpoint, Sony’s Blu-ray release ensures that fans and collectors will appreciate the movie's technical excellence and comprehensive special features. If nothing else, this edition showcases the film’s beautiful imagery and sound, providing a worthwhile experience for those interested in exploring Crowe's troubled yet visually magnificent journey through Hawaii.
Blu-ray.com review by Martin LiebmanRead review here
Video: 100
Black levels are impressively deep and accurate while skin tones appear effortlessly neutral, save for a few occurrences of understandable warmth under the right conditions....
Audio: 90
More involved elements, such as a fairly aggressive barrage of sound heard in the third act, prove full and rich with little details and big elements alike spilling through every speaker simultaneously....
Extras: 60
The Untitled Hawaii Project: The Making of Aloha Documentary (1080p): An artistically crafted but, much like the movie, somewhat jumbled journey through the making of the movie, divided into three pieces....
Movie: 40
Yet Aloha is a scattered mess, a film that's poorly paced and put together, victim of a needlessly complicated plot, and home to characters that largely miss at the core level and share almost no tangible...
Total: 70
Despite the pedigree of those involved, the gorgeous Hawaii location, and even a brilliant and beautiful finale, the movie scuffles throughout and fails to impress beyond its scenery and its final minutes....
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 80
Colorization is wonderful, but a specific scene dabbles on oversaturation that's also no fault of the disc....
Audio: 80
No matter the background noise created by the settings nor the amount of heightened vocal levels, the dialog is always crisp and clear....
Extras: 20
Like most gag reels, this one is pretty self-serving, although there are several great outtakes with Alec Baldwin....
Movie: 80
While the pursuit of a higher-paying job is no crime, this pre-narrative backstory shows his character's inability to be faithful to something that supported him and took very good care of him for years....
Total: 80
The massive amount of quality special features offer insight into the greatness of 'Aloha' that didn't make it into the theatrical cut....
Director: Cameron Crowe
Actors: Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams, Emma Stone
PlotBrian Gilcrest, a celebrated military contractor, returns to Hawaii for a new assignment after a career setback. Tasked with overseeing the launch of a privately-funded satellite, Brian must work with Allison Ng, an enthusiastic and driven Air Force pilot. As they navigate the complexities of both the mission and their partnership, Brian reconnects with his ex-girlfriend, Tracy, who now has a family of her own. The reunion forces Brian to confront his past decisions and the unresolved feelings he has for Tracy, which adds emotional complexity to his already challenging professional obligations.
As Brian and Allison delve deeper into their task, they uncover surprising information that could have broader implications. The mission's stakes grow higher, putting pressure on their blossoming relationship and testing their loyalty to their respective duties. The film explores themes of redemption, the clash between personal desires and professional responsibilities, and the impact of past choices on present circumstances. Through their journey, both Brian and Allison find themselves changed in unexpected ways, leading to revelations that shape their futures in profound manners.
Writers: Cameron Crowe
Release Date: 29 May 2015
Runtime: 105 min
Rating: PG-13
Country: United States
Language: English, Hawaiian, Russian