Product: Spider-Man: Triple Feature 3-DVD Set (Spider-Man + Spider-Man 2 + Spider-Man 3) (2007)
Rating: 5.0
Perfect Picture and Sound, Spidey As He Should Be
The Spider-Man trilogy has enthralled audiences and made comic book fanboys like myself so happy to see our beloved webslinger on the big screen. Here, we have the (so far) definitive Blu Ray release of the trilogy. We have Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, and Spider-Man 3. All in all, it's a 4 disc set. Now, since it's in high definition, we can expect perfect picture and sound right? In this case, oh yes. The Spider-Man trilogy is a perfect showcase of the richness and power of high definition video and the capabilities of the Blu Ray format. It's sad to say that there are only a handful of Blu Ray releases that actually look great and this set is no exception.First off, the video presentation is superb. I watched the films on my Sony BD-S350 Blu Ray player in 1080p (HDMI) on my new Toshiba Regza 42" television with a Bose 5.1 surround sound system, just for reference. Spidey 1 is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with part 2 and 3 in 2.40:1 ratio. The films are filled with special effects and the 1080p transfer delivers the goods. Definition and depth be clearly seen in the actor's faces and even their clothes. You can really see the depth of the fibers in Mary Jane's green sweater at the laboratory field trip, it's that good. Flesh tones and black levels are fantastic and the films feel alive. If you thought the DVDs looked good, you'll see them as obsolete upon viewing the Blu Ray versions. DVDs do not do any justice to the films. The scenes of Spidey swinging through New York just look amazing and Venom in part 3 just looks fantastic. All in all, this is a MUST BUY for Spidey fans and just to show off your fancy Blu Ray player.The audio is presented in PCM tracks and actually sounds better if not as good as TrueHD audio encode. The 5.1 mix is superb and allows great clarity of the voices, action, and music. The sounds just emit from the speakers with such vibrant resonance that you feel that you are swinging with Spidey around New York. Overall, the audio is dynamic and warm and will sound great with your home theater setup.Next, we have the special features. One of the letdowns of this set is the lack of special features for films 1 and 2. Spidey 3 includes the second disc of special features found in the DVD set and stand alone Blu Ray copies. Although, Spider-Man 2 does feature the extended Spider-Man 2.1 which I believe is just as good if not much better than the theatrical cut. Spidey 3 features 11 behind-the-scenes featurettes going over the villains, the stunt work, and the sets. Seeing how Sandman and Venom were brought to life in intriguing. All in all, it's a shame that the extras from 1 and 2 didn't make it here, so I guess it's good I kept my DVDs.Final words, it's a must buy. I can't recommend this set enough. Spider-Man 1 and 2 are landmark achievements and amazing films whereas part 3 was just cluttered with too much plot and an incoherent story ( I really hoped that they would redo this one but alas, they didn't). Even if you don't like part 3 ( I actually liked it for the action and effects), it's still enjoyable and you'll want to watch it when it looks this good. This is definitely a perfect way to show off Blu Ray, other than a nice CG animated movie or another special effects-ladened movie. Movie and comic fans alike will enjoy this box set and plus, it's the only way to get part 1 and 2 on Blu Ray. I give the video a 5/5, the audio a 5/5 and the extras a 3/5. the overall box is a 5/5 and a must buy.