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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Machine, The

    Featured In Issue 188, July/August 2014

    Picture5
    Sound5
    WSR Score4
    Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    (Studio/Distributor):
    XLrator Media03234
    (Catalog Number):
    03234
    (MPAA Rating):
    R
    (Rating Reason):
    Violence and some language
    (Retail Price):
    $20.99
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Single Layer (BD-25)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    91
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    Not Indicated
    (Theatrical Year):
    2013
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    06/17/14
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Caradog James
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):
    (Academy Awards):
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
    (Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
    (Disc Soundtrack):
    DTS HD Lossless 5.1
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (French Language):
    (Spanish Language):
    (Chinese Language):
    (Subtitles):
    (Cantonese Language):
    (Mandarin Language):
    (Japanese Language):
    (Italian Language):
    (German Language):
    (Portuguese Language):

    In The Machine, two computer programmers fall in love as they create the first-ever piece of self-aware artificial intelligence, designed to help humanity. But things go terribly wrong when the British Government steals their breakthrough and teaches it to become a robotic weapon. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include the featurette Inside The Machine (HD 15:34), the theatrical trailer, and upfront previews.

    The 2.39:1 1080p AVC picture is effectively stylized with wonderful visual atmospherics, which enhances the fabric of the high-tech setting. Contrast is excellent, with deep blacks and revealing shadow delineation. The color palette is naturally hued with strong primary highlights and a foundation of blues, grays, and blacks. Fleshtones are generally natural. Resolution is excellent when intended but otherwise exhibits a soft focus. This is a visually stimulating film that is engaging throughout. (Gary Reber)

    The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is extremely stylized with wonderful atmospherics. The color palette is slanted toward blues, grays, and blacks, with excellent contrast. Blacks are deep and solid, and shadow delineation is nicely revealing. The sound design does an excellent job at presenting intimate nuanced and voluminous soundscapes depicted within the interior of the government research facility. The sound effects, coupled with a foreboding electronic musical score, deliver a mysteriously emotionally charged sense of organic and mechanized machines. Dialogue is consistently intelligible and integrated spatially, except for the communication among the implant humanized machines. This is a well-executed holosonic® soundtrack, with effectively aggressive surround envelopment, excellent dynamics, strong deep bass, and good fidelity. (Gary Reber)

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