The Big Bang Blu-ray Review

Anchor Bay has produced an exceptional 1080p video presentation for "The Big Bang", standing out as one of the finest in their catalogue. The fine detail is extraordinary, capturing intricate skin textures and nuanced features even in close-up shots. The image is consistently crisp and sharp, maintaining superior detail across all scenes. Colors are well-balanced, with occasional vibrant moments influenced by the film's lighting conditions. Although flesh tones exhibit a slight bronze tint, black levels remain impeccably deep and natural, providing exceptional shadow detail without any crush. The transfer remains immaculately clean, enhanced by a balanced layer of natural grain that delivers a delightful film-like texture.

"The Big Bang" thrives on its reproduction of realistic blacks, a critical element given its near-noir aesthetic. Dark scenes showcase impressive inky blacks and well-delineated shadows, adding to the picture's texture and depth. While the contrast can at times seem overly pumped, giving skintones an exaggerated bronze hue, it aligns with the film's stylized look. Minimal banding and the absence of background blocking contribute to the clarity and purity of the presentation. Overall, this Blu-ray transfer is a top-tier offering from Anchor Bay, demonstrating their prowess in delivering visually stunning HD content.

Anchor Bay’s release of "The Big Bang" boasts a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless surround sound presentation that effectively complements its visual counterpart. The soundstage demonstrates exceptional spacing, with the music filling the entire auditory spectrum, especially noticeable during the dynamic opening title sequence. This immersive experience is consistent throughout the film, allowing music and sound effects to stretch from side to side and from front to back with remarkable clarity and balance. Action sequences are highlighted by precise sound effects, notably the well-executed projectile from front to rear early in the film. The robust low end energizes scenes with powerful beats and background thumps that enhance the overall impact, especially in settings such as strip joints.

The surround sound mix handles spoken dialogue with notable precision, though Antonio Banderas’s lines can be challenging to discern due to his pronounced accent and occasional mumbles. Nevertheless, when dialogue is clear, it is delivered crisply and without distortion. The pans between speakers are smooth, ensuring seamless transitions for sound effects moving through the soundstage. The LFE presence is tangible, giving life to musical scores and heightening the intensity during explosions and other action-heavy moments, subsequently providing a substantial workout for subwoofers. Rear speakers contribute to creating an enveloping auditory environment, filled with ambient sounds and directional effects.

In conclusion, the audio presentation of "The Big Bang" is both balanced and immersive, enriching the viewing experience with its meticulous mix of spatial sound effects, rich low-frequency output, and engaging ambient noise. Anchor Bay’s dedication to delivering a high-quality auditory experience is evident, making the film’s sonic landscape both vibrant and compelling. Despite occasional challenges with dialogue clarity specific to Banderas’s delivery, the overall quality of the TrueHD 5.1 surround mix remains impressive.

The Blu-ray release of "The Big Bang" is notably enriched by a variety of insightful special features. The Audio Commentary by Producer/Director Tony Krantz and Co-Producer Reece Pearson provides comprehensive coverage of the filmmaking process, discussing elements such as shooting styles, set designs, the use of CG effects, and character motivations with a consistent enthusiasm. The featurette titled Lex Parsimoniae: The Making of 'The Big Bang' offers valuable insights into the movie's production history, visual style, and thematic depth, despite its somewhat promotional tone. Also included are Extended Scenes, which present minor additional dialogue not crucial to the film's final cut.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary: In-depth discussion on various aspects of filmmaking by Tony Krantz and Reece Pearson.
• Lex Parsimoniae: The Making of 'The Big Bang': Behind-the-scenes insights on the movie's production.
• Extended Scenes: Brief scenes with additional dialogue.
• Also on Blu-ray Disc: Trailers for additional Anchor Bay titles.

Antonio Banderas stars as Ned Cruz, a gruff private investigator embroiled in a bizarre and epic chase to uncover the whereabouts of Lexie, the elusive penpal to an ex-boxer named Anton Protopov (Robert Maillet). The narrative is complex, involving a vast array of elements: a mad billionaire (Sam Elliott) obsessed with recreating the God Particle, millions in hidden diamonds, and interconnected subplots that seem to collide in an almost absurdly chaotic harmony. The film, told largely in flashback as Cruz is interrogated by three unconventional detectives, explores both scientific and metaphorical aspects of creation and love, painted against the veneer of neo-noir visuals and stylings.

Directed by Tony Krantz, 'The Big Bang' juggles a multitude of genres, infusing the core desperate search with references to advanced physics and noir undercurrents. The film takes stylistic risks, oscillating between noir's low-light intrigue and near-psychedelic visual elements which create a unique atmosphere. While the inclusion of various scientific topics and offbeat characters—such as a stripper fixated on college-level science—provides an unconventional charm, it often feels overly ambitious and disjointed. Banderas’s performance, perpetually raspy and intense, may appeal to some but is marred by muffled dialogue and mixed critical reception.

While 'The Big Bang' strives to blend dark thematic elements with an eccentric storyline, its attempt to be overly cerebral sometimes detracts from its coherence. Despite occasional lapses into chaotic and nonsensical territory, the film can be an engaging watch for those who appreciate experimental cinema and enjoy seeing well-known actors in unconventional roles. It's a peculiar meld of science jargon, investigative drama, and outlandish characters — making it a niche choice rather than a mainstream hit.

Review of "The Big Bang" Blu-ray

"The Big Bang" is an enigmatic film that leans heavily on its eclectic mix of styles and quirky narrative choices. The plot meanders through various genres, blending a modern noir detective story with bizarre, often nonsensical elements. Despite its uneven story and peculiar pacing, the movie manages to deliver moments of unintentional humor that can be oddly entertaining. Simon Baker delivers a curious performance as the protagonist, though his tendency to mumble can make dialogue challenging to follow.

Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of "The Big Bang" excels in technical quality. The high-definition transfer showcases rich, detailed visuals with a clean and sharp image presentation. The color palette appears vibrant, with solid black levels that enhance the film’s neo-noir aesthetic. Audio quality is similarly impressive, featuring a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. The dialog remains discernible amidst layered sound effects, enriching the overall viewing experience. The Blu-ray also includes a selection of extras that are worth exploring for those interested in behind-the-scenes content.

Conclusion

The Big Bang is unique. It's definitely not a picture for all tastes, and it's all over the map in terms of plot, acting, and general level of insanity. That's not a bad thing, but as many will likely be turned off as turned on. For those with an open mind and a willingness to embrace something that lies well beyond the line separating the normal from the abnormal, The Big Bang may just be the ticket to an enjoyable Saturday night. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of The Big Bang features a tip-top technical transfer and a few extras. Recommended.