Upside Down Blu-ray Review

The 2D Blu-ray presentation of "Upside Down" excels in delivering a visually captivating experience. The 1080p transfer maintains a strikingly film-like appearance, highlighted by a fine but unobtrusive grain structure that enhances the overall texture. Detailing is impressive, with every frame capturing pristine clarity and authentic textures, from facial features to clothing and backgrounds. The color palette showcases dramatic shifts, navigating through cool tones dominated by blues and grays, to warm and vibrant scenes filled with whites, golds, and reds. This variation is replicated with precision, ensuring natural color reproduction across various sequences. The black levels are deep and flesh tones are true-to-life, further complementing the visual fidelity. A minor instance of aliasing is noted in chapter four but does not detract significantly from an otherwise excellent transfer that embodies an authentic cinematic feel.

The 3D Blu-ray transfer of "Upside Down," while good, does not reach the same heights as the 2D version. Notably, the 3D experience is characterized more by depth than by elements extending out from the screen. Sprawling locations like the two-sided office or exterior city shots are where the depth effect is most effective, providing a sense of spatial immersion. The transfer's quality remains consistent with the 2D version in terms of detail and color reproduction, avoiding significant dimming despite the film's naturally dark scenes. However, the post-conversion nature of the 3D introduces some limitations, particularly in darker scenes where clarity suffers, and the overall impact of 3D is subdued compared to native 3D productions. While not a standout reference for 3D enthusiasts, it remains a solid and reliable presentation, benefiting from the inherent visual strengths of the film's unique environments.

The Blu-ray audio presentation of "Upside Down" is a standout feature, utilizing the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack to its full potential. Listeners will immediately notice the detailed, wide, and clear soundstage. From the delicate ambient noises—like a rattly bicycle, chirping birds, and dripping water—to the booming heavier effects such as gunshots, which provide a highly immersive experience with precise placement and authentic spatial representation. The naturalism of the environmental audio enhances the film's atmospheric settings, adding to both the visual and emotional impact. Music flows seamlessly to the sides, offering balanced surround support that never overpowers dialogue, which remains crisp and centrally positioned.

The quality of the 5.1 Dolby True HD mix is exceptional, utilizing rear speakers effectively for an engaging surround experience. There's a remarkable use of directionality and impeccable mix balance that provides an immersive feel without becoming intrusive. Neither dialogue nor music dominates; both coexist harmoniously, allowing every spoken word and musical note to be delivered with clarity. Throughout the film, there are no glitches or dropouts that detract from the listening experience. Additionally, for those who prefer or require it, an alternative Stereo 2.0 track is available, along with subtitles in English SDH and Spanish.

In short, this technically polished and exhilarating audio track substantially supports the film, elevating the immersive experience through expert sound design and flawless execution.

The Blu-ray extras for "Upside Down" offer an insightful collection of behind-the-scenes content and technical featurettes. These extras provide a thorough deep dive into the film’s unique production process, conceptualizations, and challenges faced by the director and crew. The principal extra, "The Making Of", sheds light on various aspects such as the film's origins, plot, supporting themes, and metaphors, as well as detailed discussions on special effects and stunts, presented in both English and French with subtitles. The deleted scenes and previsualizations enrich the viewer's understanding of the creative process, complimented by commentary from director Juan Solanas. Significant technical details such as storyboard comparisons and conceptual drawings further illustrate the meticulous planning that went into crafting the movie’s visually arresting scenes.

Extras included in this disc:

• The Making Of: Comprehensive look at film's creation.
• Deleted Scenes: Two uncompleted scenes.
• History of the World: Commentary on a storyboarded alternate opening.
• Juan and Jim: Brief aged footage of men on set.
• Preliminary Sketches: Collection of conceptual drawings.
• Tango Storyboards: Scene with corresponding storyboard.
• Missing Forest Storyboards: Storyboards with director's commentary.
• Sage Mountain Previz: Director's commentary on previsualization.
• Office Previz: Key visual scene with previsualization.
• Final Shot Previz: Previsualization of final shot with commentary.
• Previews: Additional Millennium Entertainment titles.

"Upside Down" challenges viewers with an intricately conceived world where the laws of gravity are as head-over-heels as its romance. The film's premise is both its greatest strength and weakness, depicting two societies existing in parallel yet inversely affected by gravity. The movie's three cardinal rules—matter is pulled by its native world's gravity, weight can be countered by inverse matter, and inverse matter contact will eventually combust—offer a foundation for the narrative. This results in visually striking juxtapositions: an ascendant, prosperous upper world versus a deteriorating, bleak lower world. However, the elaborate setup sometimes confounds more than it intrigues, particularly regarding the logic of the worlds' interaction points and their spherical nature.

Visually, "Upside Down" is impressive, with digital effects that seamlessly illustrate the stark contrasts between the two realms. The cinematic artistry deploys light and visual differentiations to underscore thematic divides—prosperity versus decay, love versus separation. Unfortunately, while arresting visuals are complemented by Dunst and Sturgess's palpable chemistry, they can't fully compensate for a plot that feels contrived and hollow. Despite its grand tapestry of visuals and ambitious world-building, the narrative falters with its reliance on a predictable love story and underwhelming plot devices like spontaneously combusting matter from cross-world interaction.

The movie's attempts to layer dramatic tension through these contrived mechanics come off as forced rather than organic, detracting from the romance and character development. Scenes intending to blend humor with peril often miss the mark, further underscoring a mismatch between the film’s conceptual heights and its execution. As a cinematic experience, "Upside Down" excels in visual innovation but leaves much to be desired in storytelling depth and coherence.

"Upside Down" presents a visually stunning cinematic experience, underpinned by a remarkable dual-gravity universe that captivates its audience. Director Juan Solanas crafts an imaginative setting that is both visually extraordinary and conceptually unique. The film features compelling performances by Kirsten Dunst and Jim Sturgess, who bring sincerity and energy to their characters, adding depth to the otherwise conventional love story. The intricate design of the dual-world, alongside impressive special effects, contributes significantly to the film's overall impact, providing a visually immersive experience.

However, despite its visual grandeur, "Upside Down" suffers from a narrative that feels overly familiar and somewhat predictable. The storyline, while set in an exceptional environment, follows a rather cliché romantic arc, failing to fully leverage its novel setting. Emotional moments are handled with a heavy hand, particularly at the beginning and end, resulting in an overtly dramatic tone that detracts from the film's potential depth. Even so, the creative concept and visual achievements manage to keep the viewer engaged throughout.

Technically, Millennium Entertainment's Blu-ray release of "Upside Down" is impressive, offering top-tier video and audio quality. The 2D and 3D versions are both exquisitely rendered, allowing viewers to fully experience the film’s visual sophistication. The disc also includes a set of pertinent extras which enhance the viewing experience and provide additional insights into the production process. This high-quality home media presentation ensures that fans can appreciate the film’s artistic strengths in the best possible format.

In conclusion, "Upside Down" is an ambitious film that excels in its visual execution but falters somewhat in its storytelling. While it doesn't fully escape its narrative shortcomings, it remains a noteworthy endeavor for its originality and heartfelt performances. Highly recommended for those who prioritize visual innovation and unique cinematic landscapes.