Body of Lies Blu-ray

Body of Lies

 (2008)

Action | Drama | Thriller



Though this thriller is the fourth collaboration between Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe—following on from 'Gladiator', 'A Good Year' and 'American Gangster'--it marks the veteran director's first pairing with Leonardo DiCaprio. In this adaptation of a novel by David Ignatius, DiCaprio plays a CIA agent who wants the help of a more experienced agent (Crowe) in his investigation of a Jordanian terrorist.

For more details about Body of Lies on Blu-ray, see the Body of Lies Blu-ray Review

Body of Lies Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

Body of Lies barrels onto Blu-ray with a striking 1080p/VC-1 transfer that would be a perfect, reference-quality presentation if not for the use of some at-times glaring artificial sharpening. More on that later. Scott's skewed palette and overheated contrast results in stark, vivid visuals that quickly establish the comfort of Hoffman's cushy American digs and the chaos of Ferris' dangerous Middle Eastern stomping grounds. Regardless of the locale, primaries remain vibrant, blacks are flawless, and the image boasts considerable depth. I hesitate to toss out the term "picture window effect," but that's exactly what I encountered throughout the film. Detail practically reaches out and slaps you in the face -- whether rendering shattering rubble, facial hair, rusty grooves on a passing car, or the smallest text on a distant laptop, the transfer captures every inch of the image with crisp textures and impeccable clarity. Delineation falters a bit when Scott employs dense shadows in his seediest sets, but it's clear from his aesthetic style that any such shortcomings are completely intentional. Thankfully, the image is clean and stable. A fine veneer of grain is present at all times, but I didn't catch sight of any significant artifacting, source clutter, or oppressive noise reduction. Slight banding appears in a few minor shots (a helicopter landing in particular), but each instance was quite negligible.

The quality of the transfer makes the frequent use of edge enhancement all the more disappointing. While it's certainly not the worst I've seen (and will escape most viewers), some shots have an artificial sheen that undermines Scott's efforts. Even so (curse my hypocritical heart), it's tough to get too worked up over the EE when Body of Lies otherwise offers such a gorgeous transfer. Without the unnecessary sharpening, the transfer would have probably nabbed top marks from me. As it stands, it will wow all but the most hardened videophiles while falling oh-so-short of perfection.

Body of Lies Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

If your wife and kids are asleep upstairs, you may want to find a better time to watch Body of Lies. Warner goes for the jugular with a robust Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track that handled deafening explosions, ear-splitting gunfire, and frenetic car chases with a polished and powerful swagger. Dialogue is crystal clear and perfectly prioritized -- lines are only lost when Scott wants them to disappear beneath his furious soundscape. The LFE channel never took a break, enhancing the distant hum of traffic and crowd noise in the quietest scenes and completely loosing itself during the action beats that erupt at regular intervals. Rumbling thooms and abrupt booms brought my arm hair to attention, drawing me into Ferris' experiences and elevating the sense of dread that permeates the film. The rear speakers keep busy as well, folding layers of subtle ambience into the Middle Eastern locales, enhancing the varying acoustics of apartments and torture rooms, and allowing the run-n-gun sequences to envelop the listener in chaos. Several subdued conversational scenes don't offer the same level of full immersion, but it doesn't detract from the overall impact of the track.

It all comes together with transparent pans, achingly precise directionality, and a series of throttled dynamics. If I have any complaint, it's that the film's musical score has been pushed too far into the background. Action scenes bring it hurtling forward, but intimate character interactions are often louder than the accompanying music. Nitpicks aside, Body of Lies sounds fantastic. Just watch don't watch it when the fam's trying to sleep.

Body of Lies Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Today on Blu-ray - February 17th - February 17, 2009


• Body of Lies Gets Detailed - December 31, 2008


• Body of Lies Comes to Blu-ray - December 5, 2008

Body of Lies Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

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