Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology Blu-ray

Warner Bros. | 498 mins | Rated PG-13 | Mar 10, 2009

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Video Video codec: VC-1 Video resolution: 1080p Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 Audio English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English: Dolby Digital 5.1 French: Dolby Digital 5.1 Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1... (more) English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English: Dolby Digital 5.1 French: Dolby Digital 5.1 Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 German: Dolby Digital 5.1 Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 Portuguese: Dolby Digital 2.0 (less) Subtitles English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Italian, Korean, Norwegian... (more) English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish (less) Discs 50GB Blu-ray Disc Five-disc set

Price List price: $129.95  Amazon: $72.99 (Save 44%) Third party: $69.99 (Save 46%) Usually ships in 24 hours Blu-ray rating Users 4.5 Reviewer 4.0 Overall 4.2 Based on 7 user ratings Playback Region free

Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology

Batman
Rating: 3.5/5

Considering it's the oldest film in the anthology, Tim Burton's 1989 original Batman features a fairly impressive 1080p/VC-1 transfer that looks startlingly better than previous standard DVD releases. The director's palette has never been bold or colorful, but his drab tones are faithfully reproduced with stable hues and natural skintones. Contrast is bright and pleasing to the eye and, even though the image appears flat on more than one occasion, depth is more convincing than its ever been before. Detail also receives a notable boost. Granted, soft shots and quite a few hazy textures prevent the presentation from living up to its potential, but the overall results are strong enough to satisfy fans of the film. Thankfully, artifacting, source noise, grain spiking, and banding are kept to an absolute minimum. I suspect minor noise reduction has been applied to the transfer, but I didn't encounter the waxy faces or distorted backgrounds that signal an overzealous application. The experience wasn't as jaw-dropping as I was expecting, but it still managed to satiate my appetite for a solid high definition catalog release.

Batman Returns
Rating: 4.5/5

Batman Returns, on the other hand, boasts the best 1080p/VC-1 transfer of the bunch, delivering shot after shot of fantastic visuals, exacting detail, and perfectly resolved blacks. Stunning delineation reveals the inhabitants of every shadow, striking contrast gives the image excellent dimensionality, and rich color reproduction allows each frame to leap off the screen. For a catalog film, detail and texture clarity is as close to reference quality as they come. The tattered fabric hanging around the Penguins shoulders showcases errant threads and stitches, the creases in Catwoman's leather costume are crisp, and the dials and markings on Batman's gadgets are clear and legible. Some softness invades establishing shots, but I never got the impression that it was the result of the technical transfer. As it stands, the picture is smooth and clean -- artifacts are nowhere to be seen, the noise that clutters the DVD version is gone, and edge enhancement and noise reduction are MIA. I may not enjoy the film itself as much as others, but I was thoroughly wowed by this near-perfect catalog presentation.

Batman Forever
Rating: 3.5/5

Unfortunately, Batman Forever takes a step back with an uneven 1080p/VC-1 transfer that falters with consistency issues, unresolved blacks, and unpredictable clarity. Detail is sharply rendered one moment and poorly-defined the next. While the good certainly outweighs the bad, the film's problematic shots are a distraction that caught my eye on a regular basis. Even so, I get the sense that most of the transfer's shortcomings can be attributed to the original print. Colors blare and skintones are a bit too warm, but it does seem to gel with Schumacher's flashy production design. Likewise, shadows are deep and oppressive, but often feel artificially brightened as if the director was compensating for on-set mistakes in post production. Luckily, the picture is just as polished as the other transfers in the anthology. Macroblocking and digital nonsense are non-existent, contrast is confident, depth is engrossing, and primaries sing. It's a comparative letdown to be sure, but one that shouldn't prevent Batman Forever fans from enjoying the merits of its presentation.

Batman & Robin
Rating: 4/5

The most recent entry in the anthology offers an at-times striking 1080p/VC-1 transfer that doesn't suffer from the issues that plague Schumacher's first run-through. The palette is just as unsightly as before, but the Blu-ray presentation handles its oversaturated skintones and unnerving primaries with ease. The darkest portions of the screen are inky, visibility is spot on, and impeccable contrast imbues the image with considerable depth. Several scenes aren't as sharp as others, but the majority of shots deliver remarkable fine details, earthy textures, distinct edges, and crystal clear on-screen text. Likewise, I noticed artifacting in a trio of bustling action sequences, but found the rest of the presentation to be quite reliable. All in all, Batman & Robin may be one of the worst films I've ever had to endure, but its technical transfer should excite anyone that actually cares about this maligned series closer.

Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology Blu-ray, Audio Quality

Batman
Rating: 3.5/5

As most of you probably expect, Batman's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track is the weakest in the anthology simply because it has to constantly contend with the inherent limitations of the film's twenty-year-old sound design. Dialogue is nicely balanced and prioritized for the most part, but some dropped lines and lost whispers muddle the proceedings. Likewise, LFE support is relatively aggressive, but sometimes fails to match the intensity of the on-screen action it accompanies. To my relief, the rear speakers are fuller than I thought they would be, creating a mildly immersive soundfield that allows this one to emerge as an above-average catalog effort. Moreover, Danny Elfman's score and Prince's songs emerge from every direction and resonate more than they ever have. I can't say Batman's sonics will woo the most stringent audiophile, but I had a difficult time drumming up any major complaints.

Batman Returns
Rating: 4/5

Batman Returns ups the ante with a richer TrueHD mix that takes advantage of its surrealist fight scenes and chaotic car chases. Bass tones are more powerful this time around, the rear soundstage is loaded with ambience, and immersion is, at this point, a foregone conclusion. Better still, I was smitten by the track's breezy channel pans and oh- so-precise directionality. When Selena Kyle first realizes she's been transformed by her supposed murder, listen to the tone and atmosphere evoked by the musical score, the enhanced acoustics of her apartment, and the crinkle of furniture as she prowls about her lair. While the sound designers go overboard on more than one occasion -- often packing each speaker to the brim with unnecessarily aggressive effects -- the end result is a more explosive and effective soundscape. I can't stand when Penguin's fowl friends come to his aid, but there's no denying how naturalistic their sewer home sounds. Taken as a whole, Batman Returns' audio quality almost manages to live up to its stunning video presentation.

Batman Forever
Rating: 4/5

It took fifteen minutes before I began to appreciate Batman Forever's TrueHD offering, but once the Riddler and Two-Face took center stage, the soundfield simply erupted to life. LFE thooms and bass-heavy gunfire are impressive enough, but Nygma's mind-drain machine introduces genuine weight and presence into the soundscape. Punches and kicks land with power, dialogue is spot on, and the various vehicles roar onto the scene with flickering fire and thunderous throttle. The lumbering effects occasionally overwhelm more subtle sonics littered about the presentation, but it seems to be par for the course for Schumacher's over-the-top production. Best of all, the dynamic score features crisp trumpet cries, piercing guitar riffs, and unwavering brass calls. My only real complaints involve a few stocky pans and inaccurate channel assignments that continually pop up throughout the film. Regardless, Batman Forever sounds great and matches the film's flashier aesthetics with some inspired sonic fireworks.

Batman & Robin
Rating: 4.5/5

It may accompany the worst film in the collection, but Batman & Robin's stirring TrueHD mix doesn't seem to care. Dialogue is crystal clear and perfectly prioritized, resonant low-end tones undergird every crashing tank and bursting ice fixture, and rear speaker support is lively and persistent. As much as the film tends to distract the viewer, sonic immersion is a cinch for the listener -- chilling beams whip from channel to channel, shattering glass convincingly spills across the soundfield, and distant screams seem to appear from every direction. I certainly wouldn't call the soundscape realistic, but it is consistent with Schumacher's rabid imagery and go-for-broke sensibilities. It's invasive, clumsy, and annoying... just as it's meant to be. More importantly, the constant barrage of blaring instrumentation is jarring and dynamic, making the musical score a integral part of the lossless presentation. As it stands, you may not like what you hear, but it's hard to argue that the track's technical prowess is worthy of legitimate praise.

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