The Quake Blu-ray Review

"The Quake" Blu-ray video presentation maintains a professional standard with a 1080p transfer in its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio, accurately reflecting the director John Andreas Andersen's visual intent. The film frequently exhibits a bleak, teal-blue color grading interspersed with brightened natural looks, juxtaposed to provide an unembellished and straightforward visual approach. The subdued color palette often leans towards grim and gray/blue tones, augmented occasionally by splashes of primary colors in lights and auto accessories. This stylistic choice underscores the film's aim for realism, although it does result in some banding issues in darker scenes.

The transfer is notable for its clarity and fidelity to the source material, devoid of significant digital imperfections like edge enhancement or compression artifacts. However, low-light scenes involving flashlights or emergency equipment reveal mild banding, and one rescue sequence under red auxiliary lights showed signs of color bleeding. Digitally shot, the film’s flat black levels and absence of grain verify its modern digital production, contributing to a seamless integration of CGI elements, particularly in the third act. The subdued and natural lighting choices impact the overall contrast level, resulting in understated yet coherent visuals that align with the film's realistic aesthetic ambitions. Overall, the transfer holds up as a solid but unextraordinary presentation, perfectly fitting the film’s narrative tone.

The Blu-ray audio presentation of "The Quake" impressively mirrors the high standards set by its predecessor, "The Wave." While much of the film features subdued audio elements reminiscent of a documentary—save for the occasional crowd ambiance, tunnel echoes, and an evocative score by Johannes Ringen and Johan Söderqvist—the audio experience intensifies significantly during the earthquake sequences. The Norwegian Dolby Atmos track delivers exceptional channel separation and substantial Low-Frequency Effects (LFE), situating viewers deeply within the action. Elevated use of height channels, especially during the collapse of a towering structure and a nerve-wracking rescue in an elevator shaft, enhances the auditory immersion. Dialogue remains crisply recorded, maintaining clarity amidst both tumultuous and tranquil scenes, effectively leveraging contrast to heighten the impact of disaster scenes. Additionally, for setups lacking Atmos support, the track defaults to a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mix, ensuring robust audio performance across various systems.

In contrast, the optional English dub falls significantly short in quality. Though presented in DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, the dialogue often lacks consistency and feels discordant with the settings. Volume levels appear misbalanced, and some scenes are marred by superfluous narration, detracting from the immersive experience. Nevertheless, Magnolia provides a minor redeeming feature by offering two subtitle tracks: one synchronized with the English dub and another for standard English translation, both in a clean and legible font suited to the film’s 2.40:1 aspect ratio. Thus, unless subtitles are a considerable barrier, viewers are advised to steer clear of the dub to preserve the film's original auditory integrity.

The Blu Ray of "The Quake" provides a minimal yet engaging set of extras that delve into critical aspects of the production. The featurettes offer insightful but brief glimpses into Oslo's real-life disaster implications, historical research, and the making of special effects. Despite their conciseness, these snippets include remarks from key figures such as actors Kristoffer Joner and Ane Dahl Torp, and director John Andreas Andersen. The standout aspect of these extras is the behind-the-scenes footage, although more extended coverage would have been appreciated to better satisfy viewers' curiosity.

Extras included in this disc:

• Behind the Scenes: Short EPK-style featurettes covering production aspects including disaster implications, history, characters, and effects.

"The Quake," directed by John Andreas Andersen, stands out as a gripping sequel to the 2015 disaster film "The Wave." The narrative focuses on geologist Kristian Eikjord (Kristoffer Joner), who is struggling with PTSD and separation from his family after the catastrophic tsunami that rocked Norway. His daughter Julia's visit underscores the deep emotional scars left by the previous disaster, evident in Kristian's obsession with monitoring geological activities. The film's pacing starts slow, emphasizing psychological drama before transitioning into intense action sequences, driven by evidence of increasing seismic activity pointing towards an imminent earthquake in Oslo.

Remarkably, "The Quake" distinguishes itself from typical disaster films through its realistic portrayal and well-developed characters. It's not necessary to have seen "The Wave," but doing so enriches the experience as it provides context to Kristian's trauma and family dynamics. The emotional investment built during the initial slower-paced scenes is paid off as the narrative escalates towards its thrilling climax. The film benefits from impressive special effects that, despite a moderate budget, effectively depict the scale of destruction while maintaining a focused storyline around its core characters.

Technically, the film excels with superb cinematography that captures both the eeriness of pre-disaster calm and the ensuing chaos, complemented by a nuanced score from Johannes Ringen and Johan Söderqvist. The updated early detection system theme doubles as a subtle social commentary on real-life emergency preparedness in Oslo. While the Blu-ray presentation boasts outstanding audio and visual quality, some viewers may find the bonus features lacking in depth. Overall, "The Quake" is a well-crafted continuation that blends emotional depth with thrilling disaster elements, driven by compelling performances and top-notch technical execution.

John Andreas Andersen's "The Quake" stands out as a commendable follow-up to 2015’s "The Wave.” The film diverges meaningfully in tone and narrative structure, positioning itself not as a mere rehash but as a thoughtful disaster thriller. While "The Wave" immersed viewers in immediate destruction, "The Quake" opts for a slow-burn build-up, emphasizing character development and suspense. This approach invites comparisons to Hollywood's "San Andreas," yet "The Quake" distinguishes itself by integrating realism and three-dimensional characters, ensuring it remains engaging without succumbing to typical disaster film clichés.

From a technical perspective, Magnolia's Blu-ray release of "The Quake" excels in both audio and visual presentation. The aspect ratio of 2.40:1 AVC effectively captures the film's expansive visuals, while the inclusion of Norwegian Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core) ensures an immersive auditory experience. Furthermore, the Blu-ray’s packaging, featuring a reflective slip cover, adds a touch of collectibility. While the bonus features may not be exhaustive, the overall A/V quality and competitive pricing make this release a worthwhile addition for fans and newcomers alike.

In conclusion, "The Quake" is a well-crafted sequel that should appeal to both fans of "The Wave" and those who appreciate intelligent disaster films. Its methodical pacing and character-centric approach differentiate it from more conventional genre entries. Magnolia’s Blu-ray presentation, despite limited bonus content, delivers top-tier audio and visual quality. Recommended as a great watch.