Fully Immersed, Volume 4
Happy Halloween! Granted, I'm a little late - but here's a treat to make amends. This latest batch of Dolby Atmos soundtrack reviews features, among other things, a host of ghosts, giant scary monsters, and costumed heroes battling the world's first mutant. And looking ahead to Dolby Atmos titles coming soon, here's what we'll see during the next few weeks:
I hope to cover several of the above titles soon but here's what I've been listening to recently...
Ghostbusters (2016)
Sony | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K Ultra HD only
Women busting ghosts? Dogs and cats, living together... mass hysteria! Hardly. Paul Feig's reboot is neither the end of the world that some diehard loyalists would have you believe, nor is it as funny as it should be given the comedic talent in front of the camera. Overall, this new Ghostbusters is entertaining enough but the real story here is Sony's sensational Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Dialogue is crisp and intelligible throughout and the film's high energy music often seems to emanate from all channels simultaneously to great effect. Overhead channels are rarely used exclusively, but they do a wonderful job rounding out the audio experience. At one point, when the ladies battle a dragon-like ghost during a heavy metal concert, crowd sounds and the ghost flying overhead make great use of the height channels before the proton packs roar to life with impressive low-end oomph. Unfortunately, the Atmos track is only available on the 4K Ultra HD disc, but if you're set up for the format, this soundtrack is not to be missed.
The Legend of Tarzan
Warner | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on Blu-ray Disc, 3D, 4K Ultra HD
In 1912, Edgar Rice Burroughs famously penned his first John Carter/Barsoom story, A Princess of Mars. That same year he also published Tarzan of the Apes, his first Tarzan tale, kicking off the series of books he would ultimately become best known for. Hollywood has already adapted Tarzan multiple times, but Warner's Legend of Tarzan does at least attempt to reinvent things a bit, starting with a civilized John Clayton, aka Tarzan, forced to return to Africa where his untamed habits slowly return. The film is a bit of a mixed bag with an overwrought, ridiculous climax but its Dolby Atmos soundtrack is no joke. Once things move to Africa, the listener becomes fully immersed in the jungle with convincing animal and rain sounds making great use of the overhead channels. The aforementioned climax, which features a massive stampede destroying a village, is a sonic marvel featuring thunderous bass and a large soundstage bursting with sustained activity in all surround and height channels. And kudos to Warner for including the Atmos soundtrack on the standard Blu-ray Disc and not just the 4K Ultra HD release.
Pacific Rim
Warner | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K Ultra HD only
What do you do when massive, nightmarish creatures erupt from a breach in the ocean floor to terrorize humanity and take over the world? It's obvious, isn't it? You build giant robots to punch them in the face. Repeatedly. As ridiculous as all of that sounds, Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim is a metric ton of fun and is sure to put a smile on your face, especially if you are - or have ever been - a 12 year old boy. Warner's 2013 Blu-ray Disc release featured a DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, but for their new 4K Ultra HD release, they've added Dolby Atmos to the mix and things have gone from great to WOW. There are so many robot-monster battles in this film, and each one sounds so outstanding that it's hard to single out a single sequence that outshines the rest. From an Atmos perspective, the underwater scenes really benefit from the incredible sense of immersion the new height channels provide. The Jaegers (robots) and monsters in this film are massive and this new Dolby Atmos soundtrack gives them every inch the presence they command. This may be my new favorite demo disc.
Star Trek Beyond
Paramount | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on Blu-ray Disc, 4K Ultra HD
J.J. Abrams' 2009 Star Trek reboot was largely revered by Trek fans. More importantly, it also managed to win over new fans, establishing a love of Star Trek for the next generation, if you'll pardon the phrase. Into Darkness, its 2013 sequel, was less of a home run and leaned a bit too heavily on a story we've heard before. Star Trek Beyond is the first film in this new batch to really channel classic Trek, feeling like a fresh episode of The Original Series. And that's a very good thing - as is this Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Although Into Darkness wasn't quite the film I hoped for, its Dolby Atmos track was reference caliber. Thankfully, the same can be said for Star Trek Beyond. From the opening sequence - which features convincing echoes and overhead reverberation while Kirk attempts to mediate an alien dispute in a very large room - to the action-packed climax at Yorktown, this is yet another Star Trek soundtrack you'll want to listen to with the volume cranked. The effects of phaser blasts panning overhead, dripping water, and crumbling debris are all greatly enhanced by the added height channels. All told, this is another stellar Atmos track from Paramount and it's great to see this soundtrack included on the standard Blu-ray Disc as well as the 4K Ultra HD release.
X-Men: Apocalypse
Fox | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K Ultra HD only
With X-Men and the even-better X2, Bryan Singer helped rewrite the superhero movie playbook and pave the way for today's Marvel cinematic universe. Unfortunately, Singer would not return to the franchise until 2014's Days of Future Past, in many ways an attempt to undo some of the damage done by Brett Ratner's disastrous The Last Stand. Singer is still sore about it too, as evidenced by this hilarious line in Apocalypse, said as Jean, Scott, and Kurt exit a screening of Return of the Jedi: "The third one is always the worst." Indeed. As its title implies, Apocalypse raises the stakes considerably and the film's chaotic third act is a thrilling assault on the senses - something Dolby Atmos fans are sure to enjoy. Although the entire film makes consistently great and directional use of the surround channels and bass exhibits tremendous depth throughout, the early pyramid collapse is a particular sonic standout. The overhead channels are used to compelling effect as stones slide, rubble falls, and the massive pyramid crashes down around the listener. Unfortunately, this winning Dolby Atmos soundtrack is only available on Fox's 4K Ultra HD release.
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