I Kill Giants

"I Kill Giants" is based on the "Man Of Action" graphic novel written by Kelly and Ken Niimura. Teen Barbara Thorson (Wolfe) is the only thing that stands between terrible giants and the destruction of her small town. But as she boldly confronts her fears in increasingly dangerous ways, her new school counselor (Saldana) leads her to question everything she's always believed to be true. (Gary Reber)

Special features include a making-of featurette (HD 05:39), the "I Kill Giants Graphic Novel: Chapter 1" (HD 0:36), anatomy of a scene (HD 04:52), a photo gallery, and upfront previews.

The 2.39:1 1080p AVC picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, upconverted to 2160p with greater resolution and luminance, was photographed digitally using the Arri Alexa camera system and sourced from a 2K master Digital Intermediate format. The picture looks terrific, with a natural presence throughout, exhibited in the small-town buildings, the sea coast and sand, and the forested environments. Barbara's sanctuary hideout by the Long Island coast and in the basement of her home are both rich in intricate objects that clutter the space where she experiences her imagination. Everything is natural and visually engaging. The color palette is perfectly balanced and never exaggerated, except for segments of animated giants and Barbara's visions. Fleshtones are also naturally rendered respective of the environments and production design lighting. The cinematography also is often quite dramatic. Resolution is excellent, with fine detail delineated in facial features, hair, clothing , objects and environments such as Barbara's town, home, and train yard. The mystical giants are also well detailed. Contrast is excellent, with deep blacks and dramatic shadows. This is an engrossing visual experience that progresses to its climax with great visuals. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is satisfying throughout with effective dynamics. Theatrically, the soundtrack was crafted in Dolby Atmos. Unfortunately, while this soundtrack is excellent as an ear-level experience, when upmixed in Auro-Matic or DTS Neural, what a dimensional enhancement. Still, the ear-level sonics nicely deliver a satisfying experience. Atmospherics are superb, such as ocean waves, bird sounds, rustling foliage, etc. Sound effects also are dynamic and at times powerful, such as the movement of giants, buses, traffic, bicycles, etc. The orchestral score is nicely recorded and provides a wide and deep soundstage that extends to the surrounds. Atmospherics and sound effects also effectively extend to the surrounds. Deep bass accompanies the presence of giants and the more exciting passages, especially the tremendous storm. The storm, with pounding waves and rain, is particularly well reproduced by the Immersive Sound formats, which adds a thrilling spherical sonic experience. Dialogue is nicely presented with good spatial integration. A giant voice is deep and powerful. Fidelity is also excellent throughout. This is a terrific soundtrack that has been well crafted, for a rewarding, often holosonic® experience. (Gary Reber)