Elysium 4K Blu-ray Review & Comments

Given their relative lack of output, it's easy to forget that Sony UK stopped issuing bog standard catalogue titles with slips, with Terminator Salvation in late October 2019.

Note that I don't count 'classic' or Anniversary catalogue titles like The Dark Crystal, (Nov 2019), The Bridge on The River Kwai, Easy Rider, (both Dec 2019), or Boyz In The Hood, (Feb 2020).

Everything else...
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...no slips.

Don't count on Gattaca having one, either.
I was upset District 9 didn’t get one. My copy of GB 2 did, are you saying the combined 1&2 didn’t? I’ve got the US Evil Dead (Dolby Vision, with slip) and the HMV U.K. with nice packaging. Shame this doesn’t have one, might get a Steelbook release but that chucks another £5+ on it.
 
It's about time!

Fantastic Film, Thanks for the review Cas :thumbsup:
 
Caved in and ordered it, the standard Blu-ray has great demo scenes such as the data heist mentioned earlier so I'm looking forward to this.
 
Saw this at cinema and didn’t think much of it if I’m honest. The a/v score is tempting me to give it another try though !
 
Given their relative lack of output, it's easy to forget that Sony UK stopped issuing bog standard catalogue titles with slips, in late October 2019.

Note that I don't count 'classic' or Anniversary catalogue titles like The Dark Crystal, (Nov 2019), The Bridge on The River Kwai, Easy Rider, (both Dec 2019), or Boyz In The Hood, (Feb 2020).

Everything

...no slips.

Don't count on Gattaca having one, either.
Not a fan of this development at all. I know it is just a bit of card but they complete the package for me. I even went to the trouble to import Whiplash and will probably do the same with the likes of Coming to America (not Sony but I sense a lack of slip..) and Gattaca.

Sorry for OT rant. 😄
 
Cheers for the review Cas. The standard BD has a cracking picture so can't wait to have another watch of this in UHD BD , especially with the added Atmos mix .
 
Not sure about this one. Just because of how utterly perfect District 9 is, this follow up is still a movie that I want to like more than I actually do. It’s like all the ingredients should be there - great cast, excellent FX work, and a good story concept. Somehow the whole is less than the sum of the parts, the story unsatisfying and the characters unsympathetic. The visuals do hold up though. I still think this is a watchable film, and certainly better than Chappie, which I just hated. Don‘t think I would pay full whack for this though, maybe in a 3 for £30 deal or something.
 
9/10??

Get real! No matter how good a film looks or sounds it is not worth a top score if the film itself is merely average, and that is the case here.

I'd give it 7/10 or at best 8/10 because the film isn't very strong at all, relying on a tired story and no clear direction on what it is trying to say beyond very rich people are bad.
 
Great Review, have added to my get list
 
9/10??

Get real! No matter how good a film looks or sounds it is not worth a top score if the film itself is merely average, and that is the case here.

I'd give it 7/10 or at best 8/10 because the film isn't very strong at all, relying on a tired story and no clear direction on what it is trying to say beyond very rich people are bad.
The quality of the film is subjective. The A/V less so.
 
The quality of the film is subjective. The A/V less so.

You are both right. In as much as the movie is good, it doesn't fit the 9/10 tag. I would have it at 8/10
 
An extremely weak film, on par with average Marvel blink-and-you-forget-you-saw-it drivel. Fortunately the director was able to redeem himself with Chappie
 
The quality of the film is subjective. The A/V less so.
I don't doubt the quality of the movie on 4K, but we don't go to watch movies to soley admire the AV quality of a movie, we go to be entertained and if course hope the quality is high enough that it adds to the experience.

Rating an average film 9/10 because the film looks great is wrong. Others may of course disagree.
 
I don't doubt the quality of the movie on 4K, but we don't go to watch movies to soley admire the AV quality of a movie, we go to be entertained and if course hope the quality is high enough that it adds to the experience.

Rating an average film 9/10 because the film looks great is wrong. Others may of course disagree.
Cas rated the film 8/10 which is pretty much what I thought. You could always do a review in the Reviews thread and let us know what you think? The film may be average to you - not to everybody.
 
I have enjoyed all 3 of Mr. Blaumkamf’s sci-fi films but as all are set in South Africa I personally find it a bit creepy and disconcerting that there are not more black cast members or even extras moving around in his films. Contrast with another of my favourite sci-fi films. “Dredd”. It too was shot in South Africa. It depicts a future mega city on the east coast of America but it’s casted to have a realistic racial mix for that depiction.
 
I have enjoyed all 3 of Mr. Blaumkamf’s sci-fi films but as all are set in South Africa I personally find it a bit creepy and disconcerting that there are not more black cast members or even extras moving around in his films. Contrast with another of my favourite sci-fi films. “Dredd”. It too was shot in South Africa. It depicts a future mega city on the east coast of America but it’s casted to have a realistic racial mix for that depiction.

I thought Elysium was mostly shot in Mexico City (both on and off-world), with Vancouver as a second double for Elysium?

And the Chappie reshoots were in Canada, so who knows, maybe that involved a lot of the exteriors.
 
Looks the biz in 4k and sounds decent too; with a healthy mix from subtle cues that had me looking about the room, to ricochet dodging, sweeping ships and banging booms.
The most entertaining bits are still with Copley's insane Kruger. I'd forgotten how Foster's Delacourt accent was nearly as madly deep as Krugers! Bizarre choice.
 
I thought Elysium was mostly shot in Mexico City (both on and off-world), with Vancouver as a second double for Elysium?

And the Chappie reshoots were in Canada, so who knows, maybe that involved a lot of the exteriors.
Thanks for that info Casimir. My concerns around Elysium and Chappie are eased somewhat. Great review BTW. Will definitely be upgrading my bluray to the UHD when I can pick up District 9 and Elysium in a 2 for £30. Already have Chappie UHD.
 
I have enjoyed all 3 of Mr. Blaumkamf’s sci-fi films but as all are set in South Africa I personally find it a bit creepy and disconcerting that there are not more black cast members or even extras moving around in his films. Contrast with another of my favourite sci-fi films. “Dredd”. It too was shot in South Africa. It depicts a future mega city on the east coast of America but it’s casted to have a realistic racial mix for that depiction.
I get your point, but yeah as said above, Elysium was filmed in Mexico and I always assumed it was set in either Mexico or the west coast of the USA not South Africa. This to me would explain the large proportion of Hispanic characters. Anyway, great movie.

EDIT... Shows I haven't watched it in a while. Just put it on, and there is a title card right at the beginning stating it's Los Angeles!
 
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Slipcovers or lack thereof doesn't bother me, o just want to put the disc into PS5 and be blown away so I'm looking forward to this.
 
Thanks for the review, I have this on Blu so might upgrade to 4k as it’s been a while since I watched it. From what I remember, I thought the film was decent enough but not on a par with District 9.
 
The Neil Blombkamp trilogy is on iTunes sale for £7.99. I know the sound won’t be as good but the film has Dolby Vision which the discs don’t? But the discs have Atmos which the iTunes films don’t have! Really torn as to which one to get, already have the 3 on Blu Ray.
 

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