Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Complete Season One Blu-ray

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Complete Season One

 (TV) (2009)

Action | Adventure | Animation | Family | Sci-Fi



As the Clone Wars sweep through the galaxy, the heroic Jedi Knights – including Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master Yoda and padawan Ahsoka Tano – struggle to maintain order and restore peace. But despite the best efforts of these brave protectors, more and more planets are falling prey to the sinister forces of the dark side…

For more details about Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Complete Season One on Blu-ray, see the Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Complete Season One Blu-ray Review

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Complete Season One Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


The Clone Wars: The Complete Season One blazes onto Blu-ray with a fit and faithful 1080p/VC-1 transfer that captures every splash of color, every Outer Rim texture, and every fine line that graces Lucasfilm Animation's CG canvas. Brilliant reds, vivid blues, swampy greens, and inky blacks lend depth and stability to the image, while picture-perfect contrast and direct-from-the-digital-tap details put it in the same league as other top tier animated releases. Granted, the animation itself can't compete with the latest and greatest Pixar production, but Warner's technical presentation is striking and proficient. While I noticed some minor banding in a handful of episodes, each instance was brief, never became a distraction and, more often than not, was extremely difficult to spot in the series' brush-stroked skies anyway. None of the first season's twenty-two episodes are hindered by significant artifacting, aliasing, or source noise, and overall clarity is healthy throughout. The animation isn't always razor sharp, but any softness should be attributed to the series' painterly aesthetics, not the integrity of Warner's high definition transfer. Star Wars diehards and videophiles of all ages will be more than pleased with the results.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Complete Season One Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


The lone point of contention on Warner's impressive 3-disc release will be its lossy, 640kbps Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track. Without a lossless or uncompressed mix to be heard, fans will certainly cry foul, bemoaning the studio's seeming unwillingness to take advantage of the full sonic potential of the series' dogfights and lightsaber battles. However, the track is a competent one. Dialogue is crisp, warm, and well-prioritized, and lines are never buried beneath the at-times bombastic action. LFE output is strong, rear speaker activity is commendable, and directionality, while a tad two-dimensional, is fairly convincing. In fact, the soundfield is quite immersive, more so than its standard DVD or broadcast counterparts. That being said, a lossless track would have helped in a variety of episodes. The inadequacy of the Dolby Digital mix is never more apparent than it is in "Dooku Captured." Listen carefully when Obi Wan and Anakin are trapped in the underground cavern: note how much the LFE channel and rear speakers struggle when music, crumbling rock, force pushes, and roaring creatures simultaneously invade the soundscape. Ah well. Principles aside, no one should avoid The Clone Wars simply because it has a lossy track. It still boasts twice the bitrate of the standard DVD mix, outmaneuvers several other non-theatrical animated releases, and gets the job done. Could it sound better? Sure. Could it sound worse? Without a doubt.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Complete Season One Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Today on Blu-ray - November 3rd - November 3, 2009


• Season One of Clone Wars Announced for Blu-ray - July 16, 2009

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