Horsemen Blu-ray

Horsemen

 (2009)

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller



At home, hardened police detective Aidan Breslin has grown increasingly distant from his two young sons Alex and Sean since the death of his wife. At work, he finds himself thrust into an investigation of perverse serial killings rooted in the Biblical prophecy of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: The White Horsemen, a master of deception and the unexpected leader hell- bent on conquest; The Red Horsemen, a sharp-witted warrior intent on turning man against man, with an innocence that hides a burning rage within; The Black Horsemen, a manipulative and dark tyrant, unbalanced but always one step ahead; and The Pale Horsemen, an executioner with disarming strength, determined to spread death through surgical precision. As Breslin grapples with each new revelation in the case, he slowly discovers a shocking connection between himself and the four suspects.

For more details about Horsemen on Blu-ray, see the Horsemen Blu-ray Review

Horsemen Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Jonas Akerlund's Horsemen of the Apocalypse arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Icon Home Entertainment.

Crisp, sharp and notably vibrant, the transfer for this rather recent film looks very strong. The outdoor scenes, in particular, have that marquee "popping" look. The indoor scenes are also very convincing, though they have a slightly different complexion, both in terms of color and detail; contrast varies. Some very interesting shadow effects are also introduced during some of the key scenes from the second half of the film. The actual transfer is free of disturbing debris, scratches, and dirt. I also did not detect any stability issues to report in this review. All in all, Horsemen of the Apocalypse should meet the quality expectations of even the most demanding videophiles. (Note: Even though this Blu-ray disc is marketed as being Region-B, it is in fact Region-Free. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

Horsemen Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0 (unlike what the back cover states - DTS Surround 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0). I opted for the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the English LPCM 2.0 track for the purpose of this review.

Similar to the video treatment, the audio treatment does not disappoint. There is plenty of activity in the surround channels - primarily subtle special effects - that enhances the moody aura of Horsemen of the Apocalypse very well. The bass is only occasionally used, but when it comes alive, it does so with a bang. The dialog is crystal clear, crisp and very easy to follow. Finally, there are no disturbing pops, cracks, or hissings to report.

Even though there are no serious technical issues with the English LPCM 2.0 track, I must note that it is notably inferior to the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The subtle emplacements I noted above are basically missing on it. On the other hand, the dialog is just as crisp and easy to follow.

For the record, Icon Home Entertainment have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. They are, however, a bit too thick for my taste.

Horsemen Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Horsemen of the Apocalypse Coming to the UK - September 15, 2009

Horsemen Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

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