Ralph Potts reviews this reimaging of the 1984 classic comedy that stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon who comprise the Ghostbusting team that prepare for an epic battle in Manhattan, as mischievous ghouls descend on Times Square.
The Review at a Glance:
(max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/3D Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
91
Details:
Studio and Year: Sony Pictures – 2016
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Feature running time: 116/134 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC/MVC
Video Aspect: 2.39:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, English SDH, Chinese, French, Indonesian/Bahasa, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Chris Hemsworth, Michael Kenneth Williams, Charles Dance, Matt Walsh
Directed by: Paul Feig
Music by: Theodore Shapiro
Written by: Paul Feig & Katie Dippold
Region Code: A,B,C
Blu-ray Disc release Date: October 11, 2016
“Who You Gonna Call?”
My Take:
The franchise makes its long-awaited return with Director Paul Feig’s unique and hilarious take on the classic supernatural comedy, led by the freshest minds in comedy today, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth. Together they team up to save Manhattan from a sudden invasion of spirits, spooks and slime that engulfs the city.
As a fan of the original and classic Ghostbusters I was interested in seeing what this reimaged take had to offer. I didn’t bother checking it out in the theater but heard mixed reviews from those that had. I liked the idea of making the primary roles female, and thought that the actresses selected were a good fit. I went into viewing with low expectations and primarily found myself enjoying it. It doesn’t have the entertaining narrative, witty edge, marvelous chemistry, and timeless appeal of the original but I had fun with its nostalgic references, interspersed cameos, and surface level gags/humor/banter. I thought that Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon and Chris Hemsworth did well and appeared to be having fun, which became contagious.
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call doesn’t resonate as well as the film it’s based on, but there is no question that those involved in its making had their hearts in the right place. I appreciated that and found it to be an easy film to watch and ultimately get a kick out of.
This Blu-ray Combo Pack contains the Ultra HD, 3D, and 2D Blu-ray versions of the film. This review will cover the 3D/2D versions. The Ultra HD version will be covered in a separate review.
*It should be noted that the 3D version of Ghostbusters: Answer the Call contains the theatrical version only, while the 2D version contains both the theatrical and extended versions.*
Parental Guide:
The film contains supernatural action and some crude humor.
AUDIO/VIDEO – By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100/EXCELLENT = 83-91/GOOD = 74-82/AVERAGE = 65-73/BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
Audio: 94
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Dynamics:
Low frequency effects:
Surround Sound presentation:
Clarity/Detail:
Dialog Reproduction:
DSU Rating * (non-rated element):
3D Presentation: 88
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Depth (Onscreen):
Dimension (Beyond the screen):
Realism:
Clarity/Detail:
Color Reproduction:
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call 3D comes to Blu-ray Disc from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment featuring 1080p MVC encoded video and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 2.2 Mbps.
This film wasn’t shot natively in 3D but was converted in post-production. The film was shot using a mix of live action and CG and the reproduction of the digital effects and wide angle background elements translates positively here. Depth is appreciable as evidenced by separation of objects and/or people layered in the foreground/background which creates a discerning sense of virtual space. High definition dimensionality and apparent resolution is rarely questionable in close ups and brightly lit exterior sequences. Comparing white/black levels, color and skin tone reproduction to the 2D presentation I found them to essentially be identical. There is effective and where called upon entertaining use of 3D effects that transcend the boundaries of the screen which makes for an involving experience especially during the large scale set pieces containing many moving parts. I will say that this added to my enjoyment of the overall presentation which like the 2D version looks terrific on Blu-ray. I didn’t notice any distracting instances of crosstalk or other video related anomalies. The end result is a satisfying and predominantly fun 3D video presentation.
The 3D and 2D version of Ghostbusters: Answer the Call contain a 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, rather than a Dolby Atmos mix, which is found only on the UHD version. This is a strange choice as I would have liked to have experienced the 3D presentation with the immersive Dolby Atmos sound. Hopefully any future 3D titles incorporating Atmos sound from Sony will combine the two. Be that as it may I found much to enjoy with the soundtrack. This lossless soundtrack is excellent and features wide dynamic range, superlative clarity and high level detail. Dialog is definitive and appreciably lucid through the center channel as it is located just slightly in front of the left/right speakers within the acoustic space it occupies in the soundstage. Front and rear channel separation and imaging is excellent. This draws out both large and small sound elements and allows their directional correlation based upon the onscreen events to be definable.
The music score, coupled with the integration of discrete and atmospheric surround sound effects, plays an intricate role in this active surround mix. The detection of subtle background sounds, off camera cues and spatial dimension within the room’s acoustic environment is notable. The atmospherics, sound effects associated with the various supernatural elements and the openness of the streets of New York City sound engagingly real. My favorite sequence occurs during the finale in Times Square. The room becomes illuminated with sound effects that traverse the soundstage, panning right to life/left to right as well as sweeping front to back.
Low frequency effects are applied authoritatively and underscore the audio presentation with aplomb. Its palpable presence is never in question as it renders refined bass quality that kicks nicely and extends deep enough to engage the room.
2D Video Quality:
Video: 90
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Resolution/Clarity:
Black Level/Shadow Detail:
Color Reproduction:
Fleshtones:
Compression:
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call comes to Blu-ray Disc from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 25 Mbps.
This is an excellent and high quality Blu-ray offering from Sony. The video is razor sharp with a pristine quality that is visually engaging. Detail perception is nearly flawless with lucid visual acuity and fine rendering throughout. Colors are lavish and eye popping with oversaturated primaries and warm tonality that make them pleasing. Flesh tones are noticeably on the warm side with primarily fair delineation among the cast. Boldly applied contrast and consistent black levels provide excellent balance during bright and low level scenes containing mixed content. Shadow detail is excellent allowing the detection of plenty of visibility in low lighting and dark backgrounds. The CGI based and green screen photography softens some shots but its effects are innate and fidelity remained unaffected.
Bonus Features:
Disc 1: Ghostbusters: Answer the Call Ultra HD Blu-ray (Extended Cut)
Disc 2: Ghostbusters: Answer the Call 3D Blu-ray (Theatrical Cut)
Disc 3: Ghostbusters: Answer the Call Blu-ray (Theatrical and Extended Cuts)
(HD) Two Gag Reels (Totaling 15 minutes)
(HD) 4 Deleted Scenes
(HD) 11 Alternate/Extended Scenes
(HD) 6 Jokes-A-Plenty Alternate Takes
(HD) 5 Featurettes (Totaling 43 minutes):
Chris Hemsworth is “Kevin”
The Ghosts of Ghostbusters
Meet the Team
Visual Effects: 30 Years Later
Slime Time
Two Filmmaker Audio Commentary Tracks
(HD) Gallery
Digital HD Copy
Final Thoughts:
Based on Ivan Reitman’s classic 1984 hit Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters: Answer the Call doesn’t resonate as well as the original, but there is a bit of nostalgic fun to be had. It comes to Blu-ray in this Ultra HD/3D Blu-ray/Blu-ray Combo Pack from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment featuring solid technical merits that have a bit to offer from each format. Ghostbusters: Answer the Call is worth checking out but I would recommend a rental prior to purchase.
You Tube
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS500 3D/4K Ready High Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Calman 5 & C6-HDR Meter from Spectracal)
Stewart Filmscreen – Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16×9 Screen
Carada Masquerade Horizontal Masking System
Marantz AV8802A 13.2 Channel Audio/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies – 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-103D Universal Disc/3D capable Blu-ray Player
Samsung UBD-K8500 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player
System Controller: Apple iPad/iRule Pro HD Universal Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” and In-Ceiling series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SVS PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
SVS SB-13 Ultra (Piano Gloss finish)
Panamax M5400-PM Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Wireworld, Better Cables (Silver Serpent) – Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components – CP-CP102 cooling package
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