The Pacific (2010/HBO Blu-ray Tin Set)
Picture:
A- Sound: A Extras: B Mini-Series/Episodes: A
When you
are the best in the business it is a constant struggle to outdo yourself time
and time again. When it comes to
producing amazing television series and epic miniseries, HBO is the best in the
business. Over the past decade HBO has
stepped up their game to create such memorable television miniseries as Band of Brothers and John Adams. Now another amazing series
can be added to the list of HBO’s achievements in the form of The Pacific.
The Pacific chronicles the soldiers that were
deployed to Japan shortly
after the invasion of Pearl Harbor. As gritty and emotional as Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, The Pacific engages the audience on a journey through the South
Pacific along side the marines who were some of the first into action during
WWII. War was different back then, but
more than guns and bombs (which I assure you there are plenty) human emotion,
fear and the will to survive are what ruled supreme. The feature presentation was created by Tom
Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Gary Goetzman; all of who are not strangers to
creating these epic series.
The
series starts as US marines are deployed to the South Pacific to push back the
Japanese enemy forces, who were attempting to take over the small island
chains. What may have seemed like a
simple task for American forces to some, quickly escalated into a brutal and
gory war. The Pacific (like Band of
Brothers) does not focus on the unit as a whole, but rather takes personal
accounts from many soldiers that were there to construct an overall story
arch. This technique, much like what
Hanks and Spielberg did for their previous presentations, gives the events of The Pacific an emotional level of
detail and depth like no other. Now
whereas it would be insane to attempt to describe the plethora of tales
delivered in this 10-part miniseries, what can be said is each is unique and
inspiring.
The
miniseries is not based on a single book, but instead uses Helmet for My Pillow by Robert Leckie and Red Blood, Black Sand by Chuck Tatum and China Marine by Eugene
B. Sledge and With the Old Breed also
by Sledge as sources. Original
interviews of US marines were also utilized for the making of this film and
many can even be seen in the extra content section.
We see
the men travel from their first battle at Guadalcanal, through rainforests,
trek through the sands of Iowa Jima and horrors of Okinawa;
only to see some return home after V-J Day.
We watch the men grow and harden over the course of the numerous battles
they experience; often times leaving the men with many more questions than
answers as to why they are there in the first place.
The
miniseries is truly epic and following the likes of Robert Leckie (James Badge
Dale), Eugene Sledge (Joe Mazello), and John Basilone (John Sed) into battle is
a one of a kind experience that Hanks, Spielberg and Goetzman with the help of
HBO managed to brilliantly recreate. It
was a mentally and physically tormenting war that took the lives of many
foreigners and Americans alike. Viewers
may feel like they are suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
after seeing this special, but it is fully worth it.
This box
set is amazing. The six-disc 530minute
presentation is packed with brilliant sound, stunning picture and plenty of
extras. The picture is a 1080p High
Definition 16x9, 1.78 X 1 widescreen that showcases astounding detail, depth
and color. Every spec of dirt, every
wrinkle, and every hair on the soldiers’ heads is presented with stunning
detail that gives the whole feature a realistic texture. From the fiery reds of battle to the dark
greens of the forest, all the colors are there on top of nice shadowing and
contrast. There are some moments of
aliasing in later episodes as well as some crushing in the darker scenes, but
these are the few minor gripes that takes the presentation just below
perfect. The sound is AWESOME in its
DTS-HD Master Audio lossless 5.1 track.
The bass is booming and the presentation is amazingly balanced
throughout. Sound prioritization is
perfect with fully engrossing panning effects that set up a stunning
soundscape. The sound can be quiet as a
mouse or booming as a bomb with ease.
The viewer will feel as if they are in the heat of battle as the sound
engulfs the room. From musical scores to
dialogue to pure atmosphere the sound is perfect.
The
extras are not as plentiful as on previous HBO Blu-ray sets, but I found them
to be very nice. Though small in number
the content surly outweighs that. Extras
include the following:
- Profiles of The Pacific
- Intimate portraits of the
real Marines featured in The Pacific
- Making The Pacific
- A 30-minute feature
providing an inside look at the making of this epic miniseries
- Anatomy of The Pacific War
- Historical Documentary on
the events that influenced the merciless brutality in the Pacific theater
- The Pacific **Enhanced
Viewing
- Each episode has the option
to have “enhanced viewing” that allows the viewer to get more detailed
accounts from historians and soldiers as the events on screen are
happening
- The Pacific **Field Guide
- The viewer can explore
interactive battle maps, listen to historians and even take a look at
historical footage.
A great
feature that I would recommend to anyone as it is a brilliant exploration of
world history. Though the content is
explicit it is amazing and is one of the best historical miniseries to date.
- Michael P. Dougherty II
