[GueseVekdet]

I like how they kept the aspect ratio changes between the 70mm and 35mm scenes, it helps give the feel of the original representation in IMAX. I can see people with masking systems complaining but other than that it is great. If I had to pick one issue I had with the transfer I think they could have toned down the edge enhancement just a bit but the audio is absolutely flawless. The opening scene when William Fichtner starts firing off the shotgun had the same sonic impact as I remember in the theater, you can feel the low end of the shot hit you in the chest.

The movie was just as good as I remember and this title is certainly demo disc material.

I also copied the digital copy to iTunes and to my phone and it looks great, granted the screen is pretty small. Also found it pretty cool that there was a chapter feature as well.

[Erawise]

Yeah, the LFE is insane in this movie. You can feel every punch.

Picture quality was noticeably better in the IMAX scenes, but still looked very good throughout... I'd say 4/5 for non-IMax, 5/5 for IMAX. And yeah, the edge enhancement was definitely overdone.

[GueseVekdet]

I think they turned the EE up a bit too high to try to match the detail in the 70mm scenes. But man, hearing that movie and especially the score in TrueHD is quite the treat. [thumbup]

[DuesTyr]

I picked up 6 copies of the 2-disc DVD for Christmas presents, waiting on the Blu-Ray delivery for my own collection. I don't have Begins in HD at the minute; is it worth picking up?

[GueseVekdet]

I don't have it on Blu-ray but I do have it on HD DVD and it is the same transfer/encode, great movie and great transfer. I would recommend picking it up.

[mrllxp]

I got my copy last week, watched it a few times already as i love the film. The transfer though, is extremely disappointing. The edge enhancement is used way too aggressively, it's even used on the IMAX scenes! The IMAX Prologue on the BB Blu-ray looks far better to me, even though it hadn't been colour-timed yet. The 35mm scenes are very inconsistent as well, with some scenes appearing almost out of focus. I think DNR has been applied far too much as well, making the whole thing appear far too 'digital'.

Given the amount of money this film made, and how promising the IMAX prologue was, this film should have been the ultimate demo material but instead i guess we will have to wait 6-12 months for the super-duper remastered edition with all the missing extras. [thumbdown]

[MinisuipGaicai]

I got mine delivered on Monday but I haven't watched it yet. I've been following the thread about it over at AV Forums. They were saying they don't understand the criticisms about the transfer over at AVS Forums.

The UK version doesn't come with a digital copy, or BD Live functionality for some reason.

[GueseVekdet]

I got my copy last week, watched it a few times already as i love the film. The transfer though, is extremely disappointing. The edge enhancement is used way too aggressively, it's even used on the IMAX scenes! The IMAX Prologue on the BB Blu-ray looks far better to me, even though it hadn't been colour-timed yet. The 35mm scenes are very inconsistent as well, with some scenes appearing almost out of focus. I think DNR has been applied far too much as well, making the whole thing appear far too 'digital'.

Given the amount of money this film made, and how promising the IMAX prologue was, this film should have been the ultimate demo material but instead i guess we will have to wait 6-12 months for the super-duper remastered edition with all the missing extras. [thumbdown]

Extremely disappointing? Wow, I definitely would not go that far. Are the US and UK versions the same master and encode? Sure they went a bit heavy with the EE which is disappointing at times but overall I thought it was certainly passable. Do you have the sharpness too high on your display? Also, what extras did you feel were missing? I didn't look too deep into the extras but there seem to be a good amount of them.

[djmassk]

I will hopefully be receiving my Blu-Ray copy under the Christmas tree on the 25th....

[jeargefef]

Extremely disappointing? Wow, I definitely would not go that far. Are the US and UK versions the same master and encode? Sure they went a bit heavy with the EE which is disappointing at times but overall I thought it was certainly passable. Do you have the sharpness too high on your display? Also, what extras did you feel were missing? I didn't look too deep into the extras but there seem to be a good amount of them.

/gollum

We wants a good commentary track

/gollum

[JJascaxal]

/gollum

We wants a good commentary track

/gollum

2nded. They didn't have a real commentary for Batman Begins either

[GueseVekdet]

The focus points have some good commentary from the people involved with the film. The BD Live features also offer live screenings with chats with the creators and there are also videos made by viewers which you can stream and watch.

[MinisuipGaicai]

The focus points have some good commentary from the people involved with the film. The BD Live features also offer live screenings with chats with the creators and there are also videos made by viewers which you can stream and watch.

Apparently there's going to be a live chat with Christopher Nolan on the 18th (I think it is).

What did you lot think about the aspect ratio switching?

[GueseVekdet]

Apparently there's going to be a live chat with Christopher Nolan on the 18th (I think it is).

What did you lot think about the aspect ratio switching?

Yeah, that is what I read as well.

I really liked the aspect ratio changes because it was similar to when I saw it twice on IMAX. Even though the 70mm shots were cropped for this presentation they left a ton of headroom on the action with those scenes anyway since you have to rethink framing on such a large format.

[mrllxp]

Extremely disappointing? Wow, I definitely would not go that far. Are the US and UK versions the same master and encode? Sure they went a bit heavy with the EE which is disappointing at times but overall I thought it was certainly passable. Do you have the sharpness too high on your display? Also, what extras did you feel were missing? I didn't look too deep into the extras but there seem to be a good amount of them.

I believe the UK and US versions are the exact same encode, and my sharpness definitely isn't too high. The reason i'm 'extremely' disappointed, rather than a little let down, is because this film should have been the ultimate demo material for blu-ray. It's a brand new 2008 film, filmed using all the latest technology and a decent budget, doesn't use any drastic artistic directions, raked in a ****-tonne of money, and was extremely anticipated for its home video release so success was a given. From the moment the IMAX scene opened up i could tell something was wrong, and then when it showed the joker waiting for the car it immediately confirmed to me that they had used EE even on the IMAX scenes. The IMAX scenes do look good, but the Prologue on BB shows me that they could have looked so much better if they were just left alone. The 35mm scenes are the main culprit here, everything just looks too digital and not very film-like, and it's not just a case of going from IMAX to 35mm causing the poor look. I watched I Am Legend tonight, which i always thought looked a little too soft when i bought it earlier this year, but it was a revelation going back to something that wasn't trying to tear my eyes out.

I compare the look of over-processed, edge enhanced films like TDK to the fatigue you experience when listening to a lot of todays music. Everything is mastered or mixed way too hot, causing you to want to turn the volume down after 10 minutes as your ears just can't take it. I call it viewing fatigue for TDK, and just hope that the films inevitable high sales doesn't cause an onslaught of all other studios doing the same thing. Music may be lost to the loudness war, but we can still save blu-ray while it's in it's early stages if we don't accept this over-enhanced look to be ok.

As for the extras, the focus points were quite interesting, but it could have done with a proper 'making of' and a commentry track (although i understand Nolan doesn't like doing them). There must be more Ledger material out there as well, like interviews etc. Unfortunately, the UK version doesn't have BD Live. If i had known this when i was ordering, i would have bought the more expensive US version from Movietyme and waited a few more days for it.

[craditc]

I havent picked it up but im gonna get it tommorow when i get paid. (The Blue Ray version)[thumbup]

[Chiquita]

So... Does the DVD version suffer from these visual problems you guys are talking about?

[Nubtoubrem]

It's uber nice on Blu Ray but I really wished I could have seen it on IMAX. Is that like Blu Ray Cinema but greater picture quality, sharper sound and more comfortable seats? [thumbup]

[GueseVekdet]

I believe the UK and US versions are the exact same encode, and my sharpness definitely isn't too high. The reason i'm 'extremely' disappointed, rather than a little let down, is because this film should have been the ultimate demo material for blu-ray. It's a brand new 2008 film, filmed using all the latest technology and a decent budget, doesn't use any drastic artistic directions, raked in a ****-tonne of money, and was extremely anticipated for its home video release so success was a given. From the moment the IMAX scene opened up i could tell something was wrong, and then when it showed the joker waiting for the car it immediately confirmed to me that they had used EE even on the IMAX scenes. The IMAX scenes do look good, but the Prologue on BB shows me that they could have looked so much better if they were just left alone. The 35mm scenes are the main culprit here, everything just looks too digital and not very film-like, and it's not just a case of going from IMAX to 35mm causing the poor look. I watched I Am Legend tonight, which i always thought looked a little too soft when i bought it earlier this year, but it was a revelation going back to something that wasn't trying to tear my eyes out.

It is possible it wasn't as appalling to me because I have only watched it on the projector so the EE isn't as concentrated. Then again I was quite distracted by the audio as well. When I watch it on my LCD that could be a different story.

[Erawise]

It is possible it wasn't as appalling to me because I have only watched it on the projector so the EE isn't as concentrated. Then again I was quite distracted by the audio as well. When I watch it on my LCD that could be a different story.

Yeah, the EE was definitely extremely noticeable in a few shots on my TV. It usually wasn't too bad though.