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Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Avengers: Infinity War (4K Blu-ray) (2018)

Avengers: Infinity War (4K Blu-ray) (2018)

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Released 15-Aug-2018

Cover Art

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Details At A Glance

General Extras
Category Action Adventure None
Rating Rated M
Year Of Production 2018
Running Time 149:21
RSDL / Flipper Dual Layered
Dual Disc Set
Cast & Crew
Start Up Language Select Then Menu
Region Coding 1,2,3,4,5,6 Directed By Anthony Russo
Joe Russo
Studio
Distributor
Marvel
Walt Disney Studios Home Ent.
Starring Robert Downey Jr.
Josh Brolin
Chris Evans
Chris Pratt
Chris Hemsworth
Benedict Cumberbatch
Tom Holland
Zoe Saldana
Chadwick Boseman
Scarlett Johansson
Paul Bettany
Mark Ruffalo
Elizabeth Olsen
Case Standard Blu-ray
RPI $39.95 Music Alan Silvestri


Video Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame None English Dolby Atmos
English Dolby TrueHD 7.1
French Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Japanese Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Widescreen Aspect Ratio 2.40:1
16x9 Enhancement
16x9 Enhanced
Video Format 2160p
Original Aspect Ratio 2.40:1 Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures No
Subtitles English for the Hearing Impaired
French
Japanese
Spanish
Cantonese
Korean
Mandarin
Thai
Smoking No
Annoying Product Placement No
Action In or After Credits Yes, Post-credits scene

NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.

Plot Synopsis

    The nineteenth instalment in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War represents the ambitious culmination of this franchise to date. It’s a sprawling epic which finally unites nearly all of the MCU’s note-worthy characters and pays off lingering subplots, making it a pivotal moment that fans have long anticipated. Happily, the movie is in safe hands with the Russo Brothers at the helm, working from a screenplay by Captain America trilogy scribes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. After the disappointment of Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, a change in creative team invigorates Infinity War; it’s at least as great as the original Avengers, and easily one of the greatest superhero pictures in history. This third Avengers movie may retain the familiar Marvel formula of incorporating humour, heart and mind-blowing spectacle, but it’s the production’s psychological depth and daring disposition which makes it one for the ages. It should go without saying, but being familiar with a majority of the previous Marvel movies is a necessity to fully comprehend Infinity War. Although the lack of appeal for the uninitiated might be perceived as a drawback, this is fundamentally the nineteenth movie in a franchise.

    In the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, The Avengers have disbanded, with the heroes now scattered around the world. However, intergalactic tyrant Thanos (Josh Brolin) is ready to execute his grand plan to affix all six Infinity Stones to his gauntlet, to allow him to impose his will on reality and re-balance the universe by wiping out half of all life. If he amasses all of the stones, he will be able to kill trillions with one snap of his finger. In a bid to protect the Time Stone, Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland) find themselves transported to the desolate planet of Titan, Thanos’s home world. The Guardians of the Galaxy - Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel) - become drawn into the fight after rescuing Thor (Chris Hemsworth), who was left stranded in space following a fatal encounter with Thanos. On Earth, Vision (Paul Bettany) and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) seek the help of Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) as Thanos’s Black Order move in, determined to extract the Mind Stone from Vision’s head. Meeting with James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), who has returned to Earth, the team travel to Wakanda where they reunite with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), while King T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) mounts a defence against the impending intergalactic forces.

    The directors and writers have stated it multiple times, but Thanos is the true protagonist of Avengers: Infinity War. Armchair critics have slated Marvel’s villains for years, but that all changes with Thanos finally taking centre stage here, after hovering around the sidelines of the universe since The Avengers back in 2012. A hulking, mad titan, Thanos has proper motivation for wanting to expunge half of the universe’s population; his concerns relate to finite resources, overpopulation, and the balance of life. Thanos genuinely believes that, despite his extreme measures, his quest is noble and, in the long run, people will be grateful for the significant cull, seeing himself as a saviour of sorts. Flashbacks reveal how Thanos first met Gamora, or how his home planet of Titan fell into ruin, permitting a glimpse behind the psychological curtain, elevating Thanos above a more standard-order blockbuster villain who strives to perpetrate evil for evil’s sake. There is a feeling of desperateness as Thanos and his Children effortlessly battle the universe’s mightiest heroes, raising the stakes and keeping the action sequences uniquely riveting. We may know that the heroes will ultimately triumph over Thanos, but we don’t know the exact cost, creating a tension not often glimpsed in superhero productions. Furthermore, Infinity War culminates with a daring, jaw-dropping finale that could only be attempted by a creative team secure in the knowledge that its immediate sequel is already in production and the movie is still going to make billions of dollars.

    The narrative of Infinity War does not naturally lend itself to a tidy three-act structure; it’s almost wall-to-wall set-pieces, cutting between the multiple factions of heroes who have their own situations to resolve. Thanos represents the through-line, creating a thankful cohesiveness, not to mention Thanos’s grand plan creates an urgency which ensures the film is never boring despite its length. Furthermore, while the movie does juggle at least thirty note-worthy characters, it never feels bloated or underdeveloped, thanks to the intricate format of the Marvel Cinema Universe. Whereas DC’s ambitious live-action Justice League film fell flat on its face, the MCU’s careful decade-long world-building ensures that long-time viewers know each character well enough to become sufficiently invested in the chaos. Nevertheless, Gamora and Quill’s romantic relationship should have been better developed prior to the events of Infinity War, particularly since the two only got together at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 after two movies of Quill’s schoolboy leering. The romantic angle does play a significant role in the proceedings here, making it slightly disappointing that it’s noticeably underdone. However, there is only so much that the Infinity War screenwriters could achieve in a single two-and-a-half-hour motion picture.

    Age of Ultron scarcely felt like a Joss Whedon script, as the humour was disappointingly forced and flat. Happily, Infinity War ups the ante in terms of humour; the banter is strong, adding appreciable and effective hilarity to an otherwise solemn story. The lovably blunt Drax is as side-splitting as ever, stealing scenes all over the place, while it’s a joy to see Quill and Stark meeting at last. In fact, the primary appeal of Infinity War is seeing established characters meeting for the first time - hell, I could spend hours just watching Thor interacting with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Of course, you will inevitably come away wanting to watch more of your favourite characters interacting, but the Russos do need to pay attention to pacing. Infinity War may lack the intricate moral and political debates of Captain America: Civil War, but there is ample humanity thanks to the delightful bantering and amiable heroes, not to mention psychological underpinnings to Thanos, which is rare in this genre.

    With a gargantuan scope made possible by an unprecedented production budget, Infinity War is visually striking from top to bottom, making this one to behold on the largest possible screen. This is a truly epic movie, travelling to numerous different planets and never feeling restrictive. Luckily, whereas Age of Ultron’s gloomy cinematography looked downright ugly, Infinity War is a more vibrant, colourful movie, beautifully captured entirely with IMAX cameras. With the two excellent Captain America sequels under their belts, the Russo Brothers adeptly handle Infinity War’s intimidating requirements, orchestrating exciting action set-pieces which spotlight a selection of gifted characters, each with their own unique abilities. Despite the scale of the chaos, the throwdowns are visceral and pack genuine impact, particularly the immense climactic showdown on Wakanda. Additionally, Trent Opaloch’s cinematography is agreeably smooth, making the action sequences easy to comprehend and enjoy. There is also enough variety to the action to prevent Infinity War from feeling monotonous or repetitive. Furthermore, Infinity War sees the welcome return of veteran composer Alan Silvestri, who scored the first Avengers back in 2012. Rather than generic action movie music, Silvestri’s compositions are full of flavour and majesty, astutely making use of the memorable Avengers theme when suitable to underscore badass action beats, inspiring pure ecstasy.

    Thanos is a miracle of motion capture; he looks tactile, and carries genuine weight and inertia. Little details in certain shots - such as arm hair, skin imperfections, or tears running into the crevices of his face - drive home the realism of the character, making this one for the ages. The Hulk also continues to impress in terms of sheer texturing, though his presence is minimised compared to previous Avengers instalments. Admittedly, some moments of computer-generated imagery, particularly during the more digitally-driven set-pieces, look obvious or even slightly phoney, lacking in tangibility, but that’s almost par for the course with this much CGI on the screen. You could be forgiven for yearning for the time when the Iron Man and War Machine suits were practical whenever possible.

    Infinity War’s ensemble cast excels all reasonable expectations; the movie even reintroduces an iconic character in a surprise holy-shit reveal for the ages. The production incorporates supporting characters from various solo movies, including Benedict Wong as Wong, Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, and pretty much the entire ensemble cast of Black Panther. There are certain notable exclusions from the cast, including Jeremy Renner and Paul Rudd, but the next instalment promises to rectify this and further up the ante. Brolin is sensational as Thanos, able to convey ruthlessness as well as vulnerability despite performing through a motion capture suit. It would be dizzying to run through the entire ensemble cast individually, but, suffice it to say, all of the performers hit their respective marks nicely. Fortunately, Infinity War further develops the relationship between Parker and Stark, following on from the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming, and it’s still a treat to watch their witty interplay. Downey and young Holland both remain exceptional in their roles, oozing charisma and gravitas. An emotionally charged, heartbreaking scene late into the picture is an especially superb showcase for their talents.

    Considering its insanely polished construction, it’s likely that any reaction to Avengers: Infinity War - aside from basic admiration for the refined cinematic craftsmanship on display - will be wholly based on whether or not you feel serviced, dependent on the extent that the movie uses your favourite characters and how well the pieces of the movie work for you. Of course, as with almost any major movie, small things can be nitpicked, particularly certain character actions or moments of mediocre digital effects, but none of the minor imperfections are enough to tarnish this excellent superhero blockbuster. Also, it will inevitably play better following the release of the next instalment given the nature of the conclusion, but again that is not something that can be held against Infinity War. This is a powerful and poignant movie; a must-see for any MCU fan and a revelation in the genre, showing yet again why Marvel Studios convincingly remains at the top of their game. As ever, be sure to stay until the end of the credits.

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Transfer Quality

Video

    Improving upon an already acceptable (though not flawless) 1080p Blu-ray, Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War also debuts on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with a 2160p presentation framed at the movie's original aspect ratio of 2.39:1. However, Disney continues to show an ostensible allergy towards triple-layer 100GB discs; even though Infinity War clocks in at a hefty 149 minutes, the House of Mouse squeezes the movie onto a 66GB disc, resulting in a video bitrate of 46.04 Mbps which is rather middling for this premium format. Added to this, even though Disney provided Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range for Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Black Panther on 4K Blu-ray, DV support is mysteriously dropped for Infinity War - the disc only contains regular old HDR10, which is sure to make videophiles cry foul. Still, the disc is filled to capacity and the resulting HEVC/H.265-encoded presentation remains extremely good, showing improvements in a number of aspects compared to the Blu-ray. The image is deeper, richer, more vibrant, and provides superior highlight detail as well as tighter textures. For what it's worth, the disc is completely identical to the U.S. release in terms of language options - as ever, it seems that Disney authored a single 4K disc for every region.

    Avengers: Infinity War was shot digitally with Arri Alexa and RED cameras, and was reportedly only completed at 2K, presumably making this an upscale direct from the digital intermediate. Despite the dreaded "upscale" label, the increased resolution, superior codec and higher bitrate afforded by this 4K disc brings out more noticeable fine detail and firmer textures for both the live-action photography and the digital elements. I bemoaned in my review of the standard 1080p Blu-ray that Loki's skin and costuming looked too smooth in the opening sequence aboard the Asgardian ship, but this 4K disc shows noticeable improvement in these moments, with superior highlights and better-resolved complexions. Skin textures as a whole are finer and better-resolved throughout - even close-ups of Stark's face in his helmet look superior. In fast-moving action scenes, the HEVC/H.265 encode competently brings out the visual complexities of any given shot, from the intricate costumes and suits of armour, to landscapes and weapons. The movie also looks razor-sharp from start to end, with superb delineation of hair and other fine objects. The digital characters also look better integrated, while the codec brings out every possible computer-generated intricacy. Every hair on Rocket's body is easily discernible, while Thanos looks as finely textured as any of the live-action performers. Just see the close-up of Thanos's hand as he passes the knife to child Gamora. The sheer clarity of this presentation is stunning. There is virtually no source noise to behold throughout Infinity War, and therefore textures can look a touch smooth, but not to a detrimental extent.

    As to be expected, the High Dynamic Range noticeably boosts the image in terms of colours and highlights. Whereas the 1080p Blu-ray often looked somewhat flat due to the digital photography and mediocre contrast, this 4K disc looks much deeper, with superior contrast. I noted that on the 1080p Blu-ray, the broken top window of the Sanctum Sanctorum looks blown out as the initial attack on New York City begins, whereas nuances can now be seen in the sky due to the use of HDR. Similarly, Stark's arc reactor gets a boost in terms of highlights and specular detail, something which is just not possible within the confines of an SDR 1080p encode. Other visual components, such as the Bifröst or any of Iron Man's beams, receive better specular detail, in addition to looking more intense. The suits seem to leap off the screen due to the stronger colours, and serve to make the digitally-created Iron Man look more tangible. But perhaps the biggest advantage of HDR is its ability to boost darker scenes. The opening sequence on the Asgardian ship pops far more compared to the 1080p Blu-ray, with much better shadow detail, while colours are stronger in the Knowhere sequence, ably bringing out every multi-coloured light source in any given shot. Specific grading in certain scenes is more intense, from the purple light sources aboard the Guardians ship, to the harsh orange/red look of Titan. Avengers: Infinity War is a superb fit for the Ultra HD format, showing yet again that Marvel movies stand to greatly benefit from HDR.

    There has been a vocal response online to the decision to release this 4K Blu-ray in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, rather than its 1.90:1 IMAX aspect ratio. Indeed, it's tantalising to consider more visual information at the top and bottom of the frame, though this would have only put a further strain on the video bitrate and its necessity is questionable. This is what we have, anyway. In terms of the 4K presentation's shortcomings, certain shots and moments look closer to a stream than a physical disc - slightly soft and needing firmer textures - due to the middling video bitrate. Still, at least the encoding does not give rise to any moments of outright macroblocking, nor did I detect any aliasing or banding. Since the disc is filled to capacity, this is about the best we can expect to get on a 66GB disc. Perhaps a double dip is inevitable with more extras, a superior audio mix, and a higher bitrate on a 100GB disc (with the IMAX framing to boot). Perhaps not. Whatever the case, Avengers: Infinity War looks excellent on 4K, and I continue to be thankful that Disney jumped aboard the UHD train when they did. And hey, this film's home video release prompted Disney to release the first two Avengers movies on 4K Blu-ray. Get ready to re-purchase the entire MCU!

    Subtitles are available in a variety of languages, as listed in the specs. The English (for the hearing impaired) track posed no issues; it's well-encoded and easy to read.

Video Ratings Summary
Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    Whereas the 1080p Blu-ray and 3D Blu-ray only offer a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track, Disney supplies a Dolby Atmos mix for this 4K disc, which defaults to a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track for those without Atmos capability. There are multiple other language tracks on the disc, including Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 tracks in Spanish and Japanese, and a French Dolby Digital 5.1 track. There are no huge differences between this Atmos mix and the 7.1 track on the regular Blu-ray, and I am not Atmos-compatible so I cannot comment on the overhead activity, but I will nevertheless review this track individually. As with the standard Blu-ray's 7.1 mix, you'll need to raise the volume noticeably higher than usual in order to get the most out of this Dolby Atmos track. With a higher volume, the audio is fine, though it is still lacking in a few aspects, with some soft dialogue lacking in clarity, and odd levels. Still, I found the Atmos track to be the superior option, as there are noticeable panning and separation effects while it packs appreciable impact during the major set-pieces, but it fails to reach demo-worthy status despite the possibility being in the grasp of the encoding team.

    In terms of positives, the dynamic range is not as noticeably compressed as Disney titles usually are, with the Atmos mix often making strong use of the surround channels. Panning is evident from the opening sequence; as Hulk is transported to Earth and he flies past the frame towards Earth, the sound begins in the rear and travels to the front. As the jet approaches Avengers HQ at the 54-minute mark, the sound effects pan as it emerges from the right side of frame. In other scenes, sounds come from specific speakers, from bird chirps in Wakanda to the beeping of buttons in Avengers HQ or inside Shuri's lab. Subwoofer activity is also effective throughout; every punch during the Thanos/Hulk throwdown packs serious impact, the blasts from Iron Man's suit are suitably loud, and so on. However, dialogue sounds strangely "tinny" at times. It's baffling. In addition, the soundscape is occasionally underwhelming, with almost non-existent environmental atmospherics in certain scenes. It all sounded fuller at the cinema. This comes back to odd levels, with prioritisation that's noticeably off. Some scenes fare better than others in this sense; whereas the scene at Avengers HQ at the 54-minute mark underwhelms, the gentle roar of the engines can consistently be heard aboard Maw's spaceship. In addition, Silvestri's superb musical score authoritatively comes through without any issue. Furthermore, there are thankfully no serious encoding artefacts throughout; no sync issues, drop-outs or clicks. I did hear a slight hiss when I had to crank up the volume so high to hear certain lines of dialogue, though that could be an equipment issue due to gain.

    It continues to baffle that Disney are suddenly incapable of nailing audio tracks on home video, particularly for major titles. Some conspiracy theorists suggest Disney are trying to cater for soundbars as opposed to home theatre systems, while others think Disney are "saving" better audio for future editions - or to keep people going to the cinema during reissues. Whatever the case, it's heartbreaking that Infinity War's audio track is not worthy of five stars.

Audio Ratings Summary
Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Extras

    The 4K disc contains no supplements. However, the set contains a 1080p Blu-ray which houses a selection of special features.

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.

    All 4K discs worldwide are identical. At this point in time, there are no exclusives anywhere in the world with additional extras. Buy local.

Summary

    Avengers: Infinity War is revelatory Marvel Studios entertainment. It's an expansive superhero blockbuster which colours outside of the lines, presenting the hero's journey of the primary villain, while giving us more of the characters we have come to know and love throughout the MCU to date. And it stands up to repeat viewings.

    Thank goodness Disney/Marvel continue to cater for those who are 4K-compatible. The 4K disc is a huge improvement over the 1080p encode, with firmer textures and superior colours, while the Atmos mix is acceptable despite its hard-to-ignore shortcomings. The set comes with a 1080p disc containing an informative selection of bonus material. All things considered, this one comes highly recommended.

Ratings (out of 5)

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

© Callum Knox (I studied biology)
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Review Equipment
DVDSony UBP-X700 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player, using HDMI output
DisplayLG OLED65E6T. This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 2160p.
Audio DecoderBuilt in to amplifier/receiver. This audio decoder/receiver has not been calibrated.
AmplificationSamsung Series 7 HT-J7750W
SpeakersSamsung Tall Boy speakers, 7.1 set-up

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