Spy Game Blu-ray

Spy Game

 (2001)

Action | Crime | Thriller



There was a time when CIA operative Nathan Muir and his protege Tom Bishop were inseparable, travelling the world and tasting everything it had to offer... from Vietnam to Berlin to Beirut. In a profession fraught with danger and uncertainty, Muir and Bishop forged an uncommonly close friendship based on mutual respect and affection. But that was years ago. Now, on the brink of his retirement from the agency, Muir learns that Bishop has gone rogue. His one-time protege has been jailed in Beijing on espionage charges after attempting to break a prisoner out of China. Years of bad blood and hurt feelings are washed away in a flood of memories of adventures shared by the two men as Muir takes on his most dangerous - and personal - mission ever.

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

Spy Game Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

Unfortunately, it appears that Universal has simply repurposed the same problematic 1080p/VC-1 transfer that appeared on the 2006 HD DVD edition of Spy Game (itself a port of an old, troubled transfer minted for the 2002 Collector's Edition DVD). It's a cinch to overlook the fallout of Scott's directorial choices -- inconsistent grain fields, crushed blacks, rampant noise, and occasionally overblown contrast levels -- but there are too many technical issues on hand to excuse the quality of the image altogether. Mild digital scrubbing has reduced the film's intrusive grain, but stripped objects of their finest textures. Likewise, artificial sharpening has been used to refine many of Scott's soft shots, but it occasionally produces garish, unnatural close-ups and hazy long shots haunted by thick edge halos. Furthermore, a general softness prevails in some sequences that could probably be resolved if the studio started from scratch with the original print. Add to that the series of minor scratches, nicks, and flecks that litter the picture and you have a transfer that requires a conscious effort to enjoy.

To its credit, the image boasts a strong palette, healthy skintones, and attractive, unwavering contrast. Blacks are also incredibly inky, depth is convincing, and overall clarity is passable in most scenes. In the end, Spy Game's Blu-ray transfer spits out an average high definition presentation. However, the film would have been better served had the studio started from scratch with a fresh restoration.

Spy Game Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

Spy Game features an at-times rousing DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that wrangles Scott's shifting style and non-linear storytelling with cool efficiency. While a few lines sound a tad muffled in the mix, dialogue is generally crisp and well-prioritized (regardless of whether it's being whispered in a hushed conference room or shouted over the roar of a gunfight). Rear speaker support is impressive as well: distant conversations, shuffling paperwork, and creaking chairs pepper a glass room with natural ambience, while the hum of car engines and the chatter of nearby crowds grant Berlin streets and Lebanese cityscapes a sense of authenticity. Precise directionality enhances the soundfield, slick pans create smooth channel transitions, and reliable low-end tones bless explosions and car chases with weight and presence. A trio of earthy thooms were weaker than I expected, but each instance struck me as an individual mishap in the original sound design rather than a technical deficiency in the lossless track. Ultimately, even though a complete overhaul might have ironed out a few minor kinks, Spy Game's lossless debut sounds great.

Spy Game Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Universal Brings Spy Game to Blu-ray - March 2, 2009

Spy Game Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

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