Black & White Episode 1: The Dawn of Assault Blu-ray Review

"Black & White Episode 1: The Dawn of Assault" is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Shout! Factory with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. This release showcases the film's origins on 35mm film, imbuing it with a notable texture and depth. The transfer manages to preserve film grain effectively, offering consistent detail levels throughout the narrative. Brightly lit scenes reveal exceptional details in faces, costumes, and set designs, while flesh tones remain natural and lifelike. However, some segments display slight banding during lighting transitions, and the occasional low-light scene exhibits clumpy yellow artifacts, a recurring issue for Shout! Factory.

The film's CGI presents a noticeable dichotomy; while practical elements retain significant detail and richness, the frequent CGI usage impacts the presentation. These CGI sequences tend to appear softer and less convincing, with some blending issues likely compromising the image's overall integrity. They tend to be unnaturally bright, flattening the image and distracting from the film's otherwise impressive visual prowess. Nevertheless, the black levels are deeply inky, contributing a solid sense of depth to night sequences and darker scenes.

Color representation stands out in this transfer, with vividly bright colors and primary hues that pop, favoring neons and exaggerated tones that enhance the film's dynamic aesthetic. Despite the minor drawbacks in CGI integration and occasional artifacting, the Blu-ray transfer provides a visually engaging experience that complements the film's energetic and eclectic style.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track for "Black & White Episode 1: The Dawn of Assault" sets an impressive benchmark with its dynamic and immersive sound design. From the opening detonation of a nuclear device, the track maintains high standards, delivering boisterous audio through excellent sound effect placement. Critical components such as dialogue are cleanly presented and well-prioritized within this mix, ensuring clarity even amidst high-intensity sequences. The dynamic range is notably wide, and fidelity is exceptional, allowing for a seamless auditory experience.

The Mandarin DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track stands out as it effectively harnesses the full potential of surround sound channels, thus enhancing the immersion. Viewers will experience bullets whizzing by and explosions enveloping them, making each action scene highly engaging. This track maintains a balance that affords each sound element ample space, preventing dialogue from being overshadowed by other effects or the pulsating music score. The track’s robustness means you won't have to constantly fiddle with volume controls, as transitions between quiet and chaotic scenes are handled smoothly.

However, it's worth mentioning that the English dubbed DTS-HD MA 2.0 audio track doesn’t match up in quality. This track feels hollow and lacks the natural ambiance found in the Mandarin version, making it less engaging overall. For the best auditory experience, especially given the elaborate action scenes, sticking to the Mandarin track with subtitles is advisable.

The Extras on the Blu-ray of "Black & White Episode 1: The Dawn of Assault" provide a concise yet notable glimpse into the making of the film, encompassing both pre and post-production insights. In the Behind the Scenes feature, viewers are given a brief yet enjoyable exploration of the film's development, with special attention to the intricate choreography of fight sequences. The Theatrical Trailer excellently captures the film’s essence without revealing major plot points or action highlights, maintaining an element of surprise for new viewers. Although succinct, these extras are well-produced and offer valuable context to the film's production process.

Extras included in this disc:

• Behind the Scenes: Offers a brief but insightful look into the making of the film, emphasizing fight sequence choreography.
• Theatrical Trailer: Efficiently sells the movie without spoiling key action moments.

"Black & White Episode 1: The Dawn of Assault" serves as a high-energy prequel to the acclaimed Taiwanese television series Black & White. Directed by series creator Tsai Yueh-hsun, this feature showcases the relentless and over-the-top action characteristic of Hong Kong cinema. The plot follows detective Wu Ying-xiong, played by Mark Chao, a cop known for his disregard of the rules and propensity for causing mass destruction. He’s reluctantly teamed up with hapless gangster Hsu Tafu, played by Bo Huang, as they navigate a criminal conspiracy involving stolen diamonds and international arms dealers. The film is punctuated by elaborately staged set pieces and non-stop action sequences, accompanied by a steady stream of comedic banter, making it a quintessential buddy cop comedy.

This cinematic experience is underpinned by the dynamic between the leads. Chao’s portrayal of the straight-laced, trouble-attracting detective Wu perfectly complements Bo Huang’s performance as the well-meaning but bumbling gangster, Hsu. The comedic interplay between these two characters injects levity into the otherwise intense and explosive narrative. The supporting role played by Angelababy adds an additional layer of intrigue, her enigmatic character dovetailing neatly into the main storyline. While the film doesn’t demand deep scrutiny into its plot mechanics, it does provide enough adrenaline-pumping action and humor to maintain viewer engagement, albeit occasionally veering into predictable territory.

Overall, "Black & White: The Dawn of Assault" achieves a fine balance of action and comedy, making it an entertaining watch for fans of the genre. Drawing parallels with classics like 48 Hours and Bad Boys, coupled with John Woo-inspired action sequences, this film demonstrates that the buddy cop formula still possesses the capacity to thrill and amuse. While familiarity with the TV series is not required to enjoy this film, it may leave new viewers eager to explore more from this vivid and high-octane universe.

"Black & White Episode 1: The Dawn of Assault" delivers a frenetic experience that will likely appeal to fans of action-packed, buddy cop films. Even though the plot can be dismissed as somewhat far-fetched and convoluted, it is clear that the film’s primary intent is to provide non-stop entertainment. The chemistry between the main characters is engaging, drawing viewers in even amidst the chaos of over-the-top set pieces. However, the nearly two and a half hour runtime may feel excessive for some, presenting an overload of manic action scenes that might not sustain all audience members' interest equally throughout.

From a technical standpoint, the Blu-ray release maintains generally high standards. The image quality is robust, offering clear, sharp visuals that immerse viewers in the high-octane world of "Black & White." However, the over-reliance on CGI effects does slightly detract from the overall visual fidelity. Audio performance stands out as a major strength; it’s crisp and dynamic, perfectly complementing the film’s relentless pace and action sequences. Although the quality of the primary content is commendable, it is worth noting that the Blu-ray release falls short in terms of extra features, which might disappoint collectors or those seeking deeper insight into the film's production.

Conclusion: There's one surprise "Black & White Episode I: The Dawn of Assault" offers Blu-ray aficionados: it's a Shout! release when one might more naturally expect it to come from the likes of Well Go USA. Otherwise, this is pretty resolutely predictable on just about every level, which is not to say it's not reasonably entertaining. One thing it certainly is is noisy: the film is filled to the brim with over-the-top set pieces, something which may recommend it to those who like their action films largely brainless but manic. Technical merits are generally excellent for those considering a purchase.