Originally Posted by PhantomStranger

Pioneer just sent me an email claiming new ATMOS firmware is available for their higher end SC-89 receivers.

Originally Posted by mrhan

The John Wick BD has an Atmos soundtrack.

Originally Posted by Ralph Potts

Check out our review of this action thriller about an ex-hitman who comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him.









Details:

Studio and Year: LionsGate - 2014
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 101 minutes
Genre: Action/Thriller

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24

Audio Format(s): English Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD 7.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, English SDH, Spanish
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Willem Dafoe, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrienne Palicki, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, Bridget Moynahan
Directed by: Chad Stahelski
Music by: Tyler Bates
Written by: Derek Kolstad
Region Code: A

Blu-ray Disc release Date: February 3, 2015




My Take:

When sadistic young thugs senselessly attack John Wick – a brilliantly lethal ex-assassin – they have no idea that they’ve just awakened the boogeyman. With New York City as his bullet-riddled playground, Wick embarks on a merciless rampage, hunting down his adversaries with the skill and ruthlessness that made him an underworld legend.

Keanu Reeves has managed to keep his career moving and for the most part in a positive direction. I like him and own many of his films, especially those in the action/thriller genre. I never thought of him as much of a leading man/tough guy until “Speed” although “Point Break” certainly was a precursor to that. I have to admit that the trailers for John Wick didn’t leave me impressed enough to take it in at the theater so I opted to wait for the opportunity to review it on Blu-ray.

I did hear positive things about it from a few that saw it however sitting down to watch I kept my expectations in check. My wife who is not a fan of the genre opted to watch with me so off we went. Let’s start with the obvious, any fan of the action genre should have no trouble predicting how a film like John Wick will play out, and I didn’t. The screenplay doesn’t dig very deep, providing a surface level storyline that ticks all the right boxes in support of the thematic plot points. It opens with the end and plays back the events leading up to that point before finishing with the closing.

Predictable? Yes it is. Fun to watch? You bet. John Wick may be formulaic in tone but there is a freshness to it that draws from its text which exudes a slick, stylish essence which at times has the feel of a graphic novel. With NY City serving as its backdrop the depiction of its underworld and over the top characterizations blended with the “boogeyman” urban legend appeal of John Wick works quite well.

The action, especially the fight choreography and attention to detail used in the gunfight exchanges, is top notch and engaging. The use of visual effects is kept to a minimum in favor of excellent stunt work which adds to the appeal. I like the direction which keeps focus on point without overemphasizing the elements of action/drama. There are probably one or two characters that could have been omitted and seemed frivolous. If I had one nit to pick with the script it’s the final exchange which almost seemed as though screenwriter Derek Kolstad tossed together because he couldn’t come up with anything better. It certainly wasn’t supported by the events that led up to it but it didn’t taint the film.

John Wick turned out to be better than expected and left the door open for more to come from a character who may have just breathed new life into the career of Keanu Reeves. Oh, my wife sat through it and commented that it “wasn’t bad” until the very end (not the sequence I referred to but just after) which she found “convenient”. Coming from her I would consider “wasn’t bad” high praise…



Parental Guide:

The rating is for strong bloody violence throughout, language, and brief drug use.


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:
• Dialogue Reproduction:
• Low frequency extension * (non-rated element):

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:

Dolby Atmos Rating: 86
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

• Level of immersion:
• Soundstage integration:
• Audio object placement:
• Effectiveness:
• Entertainment factor:

(For details on the new rating system for Dolby Atmos please refer to my article Dolby Atmos has come to AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews)


John Wick comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lionsgate Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 35 Mbps and lossless Dolby Atmos/TrueHD 7.1 sound that has an average bitrate of 6.6 Mbps.

This film’s elements aren’t lent to overly vibrant colors and high gloss video quality. Images tend to lean toward darker chromatic elements and teal splashed grading that provide the look that the filmmakers strive for to drive the story’s elements. This is done to good effect. Shadow delineation is quite good and revealing of subtle details within dark backgrounds and low lighting sequences which gave those scenes better visual depth. Stable contrast and black levels allow scenes containing mixed content to appear dynamic with punchy dark highlights. Detail is rendered quite well with crisp textures and definitive resolution that brings forth subtle nuance within images onscreen. Colors are limited to darker tones with occasional splashes of vivid hues which stand out nicely against the film’s dark visual aesthetic.


The 7.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack doesn’t disappoint and sounds terrific. This is an active audio presentation that utilizes the entire system to create a theater like experience. Sound staging is quite good as both the front and rear channels are seamlessly integrated. Sound effects traverse the room during the large fight sequences. Dynamics are energy filled and impact felt with discerning articulation and clarity. This is an aggressive mix that makes regular use of the subwoofer to accentuate its potent dynamics. The result is that all points of contact seem to resonate with tactile low bass impact. The quality of the bass is first rate as it is fills the room with clean, hard hitting low frequency energy. Dialogue has refining presence with clear vocal character and excellent room penetration. This is an entertaining audio presentation that compliments the film while making for an excellent home theater experience.


In listening to the Dolby Atmos surround mix I found it to be of the less aggressive variety especially during the film’s first two acts. Its use of audio objects placed above is limited to atmospherics such as falling rain and musical enhancement. This is done to very good effect and creates a tangible level of immersion that coincides with the onscreen events nicely. During the third act the use of discrete placed objects is ramped up during the action as a chase sequence places you inside the colliding vehicles. There is a helicopter flyover, flying glass and whizzing bullets that pan the soundstage both above and at ear level that sound great. While this mix doesn’t make constant use of discretely placed audio objects from above, I enjoyed the effectiveness of the added dimension during the early parts of the film and thought that overall it made for a solid Dolby Atmos presentation.



Bonus Features:

• (HD) Don’t F*#% with John Wick – 15 minute featurette
• (HD) Calling in the cavalry – 12 minute featurette
• (HD) Destiny of a collective – 6 minute featurette
• (HD) Assassin’s Code – 5 minute featurette
• (HD) Red Circle – 6 minute featurette
• (HD) NYC Noir – 6 minute featurette
• * Exclusive *Filmmaker Audio Commentary
• Bonus DVD
• Digital HD Copy

Final Thoughts:

John Wick doesn’t reinvent the genre wheel but capitalizes on the entertainment factor with an entertaining blend of stylized action and well executed production elements that give it a fresh appeal. It comes to Blu-ray from Lionsgate Home Entertainment featuring excellent high definition video quality and rewarding lossless surround sound that includes a Dolby Atmos mix and 7.1 TrueHD core that compliments the film’s elements quite nicely. Add its decent supplemental package and John Wick deserves serious consideration for a place in your Blu-ray collection. Pass the popcorn!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AUmvWm5ZDQ



Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews


Reference Review System:

JVC DLA-RS4910 3D Ready 1080p High Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Calman 5 & C6 Meter from Spectracal)
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16x9 Screen
Carada Masquerade Horizontal Masking System
Marantz AV7702 11.2 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 (With Darbee video processing)
Panasonic DMP-BDT310 3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
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 PC12-NSD
Panamax M5400-PM Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Wireworld, Better Cables (Silver Serpent) - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package

Originally Posted by Dan

So does anyone here have an Atmos receiver? How do you like it?

I'm thinking of biting the bullet on the Onkyo TX-NR636 to replace my dying TX-SR606. I know this one is on the LOW end... only 7.2... etc. etc. but I only have 5.1 speakers right now anyway, and there's no way I'll be going to 11.2 anytime soon.

Originally Posted by mattysemo247

What is Dolby Surround Upmixer? Is that a Dolby feature in newer receivers?

Originally Posted by Josh Z

I find that the best Atmos experience comes from having four height channels. Whether that's 5.1.4 or the full 7.1.4 is up to what you can afford and what your room can support, but I would plan on getting a receiver that can decode four heights. Adding just two front height channels doesn't make much of a difference on their own, but when you can get sounds that traverse the top of the room from front to back, it's pretty cool.

Given that there's so little native Atmos content available yet (and that most of the Atmos discs released are crappy movies), you'll get much more use out of the Dolby Surround Upmixer feature. I am continually amazed at how accurately it detects sounds that belong up high (like planes and helicopters) and moves them to the appropriate channels. I was watching Wreck-It Ralph the other night, and DSU even correctly identified that fireworks belong in the heights.

Originally Posted by RocShemp

What receiver or pre-pro do you have?

Originally Posted by Josh Z

The Denon X5200W with an additional 2-channel external amp.

Originally Posted by Dan

Dammit, Josh.
I think I'll hold off and put the extra money to something better.

Question, though. Do you have ceiling-mounted speakers, or do you use the "upward pointing" speakers that some manufacturers have released? I don't think I can justify ceiling-mounted myself, but... we'll see.

Originally Posted by Dan

Question, though. Do you have ceiling-mounted speakers, or do you use the "upward pointing" speakers that some manufacturers have released? I don't think I can justify ceiling-mounted myself, but... we'll see.

Originally Posted by Giles

Sony has jumped onto the bluray Atmos bandwagon with

Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula streeting in October



All-New Blu-ray Bonus Features Include:

* 4K Restoration & Dolby Atmos soundtrack (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible)*
* Reflections in Blood: Francis Ford Coppola and Bram Stoker’s Dracula
* Practical Magicians: A Collaboration Between Father and Son
* Rare 1993 Commentary with Francis Ford Coppola, Roman Coppola and Greg Cannom
* To experience Dolby Atmos at home, Dolby Atmos enabled AV receivers and additional speakers are required; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment

Also Featured:

* Deleted Scenes
* Audio Commentary & Film Introduction by Director Francis Ford Coppola
* 4 Legacy Featurettes

The acrylic “Clear Case” limited-edition collector’s packaging will only be available while supplies last.

Originally Posted by RocShemp

I wonder if they'll finally fix the color timing issues or make them worse.