Revolutionary Road Blu-ray

Revolutionary Road

 (2008)

Drama | Romance



Frank and April, a married couple in the 1950s, have always seen themselves as special, different, ready and willing to live their lives based on higher ideals. So, as soon as they move into their new house on Revolutionary Road, they proudly declare their independence from the suburban inertia that surrounds them and determine never to be trapped by the social confines of their era. Yet for all their charm, beauty and irreverence, the Wheelers find themselves becoming exactly what they didn't expect: a good man with a routine job whose nerve has gone missing; a less-than-happy homemaker starving for fulfillment and passion; an American family with lost dreams, like any other. Driven to change their fates, April hatches an audacious plan to start all over again, to leave the comforts of Connecticut behind for the great unknown of Paris. But when the plan is put in motion, each spouse is pushed to extremes--one to escape whatever the cost, the other to save all that they have, no matter the compromises.

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

Revolutionary Road Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

Edge enhancement is the only thing that disrupts Paramount's sublime 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer, a near-perfect high definition presentation that deftly compliments the tone of Mendes' film and the complexities of Frank and April's splintering marriage. Depending on the state of the relationship, Roger Deakins' palette drifts from warm and healthy to bleak and colorless without ever losing its confident stride. Contrast is stark but comfortable throughout, enhancing the already alluring depth of field and granting each frame increased dimensionality. While whites are occasionally overblown, skintones remain natural, black levels are quite striking, and shadows invade the foregrounds with measured grace. Detail is impeccable as well: fine textures have been preserved (despite many a scene's challenging lighting source or low intensity), object definition is stunning, and overall clarity is satisfying and stable. More importantly, the technical transfer is extremely proficient. I didn't detect any artifacting, source anomalies, color banding, noise reduction, or troublesome crushing. Revolutionary Road may be difficult to sit through, but it isn't tough to watch. Paramount has delivered in every regard, producing a rich, mesmerizing presentation that should please filmfans and videophiles alike.

Revolutionary Road Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

It may not be as instantly gratifying as Paramount's exquisite video transfer, but Revolutionary Road's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track effectively and efficiently sets the soundstage for the heartache and heartbreak that plagues Frank and April's marriage. Dialogue is crisp, clean, and perfectly prioritized: arguments convincingly shatter the silence of a quiet room, barbed whispers are sharp and intelligible, and casual conversations are handled with ease. Sure, low-end presence and rear speaker aggression are repressed by the very nature of the film, but nuanced LFE support adds a welcome sense of weight to the soundscape, while a carefully-honed soundfield simmers with subtle ambience and immersive acoustics. I wasn't exactly looking over my shoulder every ten minutes, wondering if someone had walked into my home theater, but I did feel as if I was inhabiting each environment and interior space as the film barreled towards its inevitable conclusion. More importantly, directionality (as subdued and intangible as it can be) is consistent and precise, pans (despite the track's front-heavy sonics) allow voices to dance from channel to channel, and dynamics (while sometimes underwhelming) are relatively satisfying. All things considered, Paramount's faithful Dolby TrueHD mix will string you along and draw you in, leaving even the most stringent audiophiles with very little to complain about.

Revolutionary Road Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Today on Blu-ray - June 2nd - June 2, 2009


• Revolutionary Road and Defiance Get Specs - March 19, 2009


• Paramount's Oscar Winners/Nominees Get Blu-ray Dates - March 19, 2009

Revolutionary Road Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

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