Avengers: Infinity War appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This turned into a very strong presentation.
In terms of sharpness, the image seemed solid. It displayed tight, accurate images from start to finish.
I witnessed no signs of jaggies or moiré effects, and edge haloes remained absent. No source flaws marred the image either.
The film’s palette favored Hollywood standard teal and orange at times, but it also boasted broader tones, with a mix of reds and purples as well. The hues seemed full and well-rendered.
Blacks seemed deep and dense, and shadows offered nice clarity. This became a consistently fine image.
As for the DTS-HD MA 7.1 soundtrack of Infinity War, it satisfied just as much as the picture. As anticipated, the many action sequences offered the most engaging moments. These used the various channels to create a good sense of place and action, with battle elements that zipped around the room.
Audio quality was positive. Music showed good boldness and clarity, while speech appeared distinctive and concise.
Effects came across as accurate and dynamic, with nice low-end response. The soundtrack fit the material and added zing to the proceedings.
As we shift to extras, we locate an audio commentary from directors Anthony and Joe Russo and screenwriters Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus. All four sit together for a running, screen-specific view of story/characters, connections to other MCU films, cast and performances, sets and locations, effects, music, editing, and related domains.
While this turns into a generally good chat, it never quite threatens to become great. Perhaps all involved felt a little restricted because they couldn’t discuss elements that will crop up in the next film, but the piece seems a bit “tight-lipped” and without the level of depth I’d like.
Still, I think we get a worthwhile listen. The commentary may lack a strong sense of insight but it adds a good mix of facts.
An optional Directors’ Introduction lasts one minute, 32 seconds. Anthony and Joe Russo offer some banal remarks, so if you skip the intro, you won’t miss anything.
Under Featurettes, we find four segments: “Strange Alchemy” (5:08), “The Mad Titan” (6:35), “Beyond the Battle: Titan” (9:36) and “Beyond the Battle: Wakanda” (10:59). These fill a total of 32 minutes, 18 seconds and include comments from Joe and Anthony Russo, McFeely, producer Kevin Feige, executive producers Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Trinh Tran, visual efffects supervisor Dan DeLeeuw, Weta Digital’s Matt Aitken, additional visual effects supervisor Swen Gillberg, stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave, costume designer Judianna Makovsky, fight coordinator James Young, and actors Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman, Robert Downey Jr., Paul Bettany, Josh Brolin, Zoe Saldana, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hiddleston, and Chris Evans.
The featurettes look at combinations of characters, the depiction of Thanos, aspects of the production’s enormity, sets/locations and effects, stunts and action. While we get some useful information, these reels mainly tell us how big and impressive the whole affair is. The clips feel way more promotional than I’d like.
Four Deleted Scenes span a total of 10 minutes, 13 seconds. We find “Happy Knows Best” (1:24), “Hunt for the Mind Stone” (1:25), “The Guardians Get Their Groove Back” (3:22) and “A Father’s Choice” (4:02).
Jon Favreau’s character goes MIA in the final film, so “Happy” provides an innocuous addition with him. It’s fun but I don’t miss it.
An extension to a fight that features Scarlet Witch and Vision, “Hunt” adds tension and probably would’ve worked well in the movie. “Groove” offers a little exposition and some mirth with the Guardians. It might’ve slowed down the story but it’s pretty enjoyable on its own.
The most significant of the cut pieces, “Choice” delivers more depth in terms of the Gamora/Thanos backstory. Like “Groove”, I suspect it would’ve made the story drag a little too much, but it’s a worthwhile segment in its own right.
A Gag Reel goes for two minutes, five seconds and shows a pretty typical mix of goofs and giggles. At least it’s short!
The disc opens with ads for the Marvel: Contest of Champions, Marvel: Strike Force, Spider-Man and Marvel: Future Fight video games as well as Cloak & Dagger. No trailer for Infinity War appears here.
With an enormous cast of characters, Avengers: Infinity War provides a truly epic adventure. While it offers excitement, it needs to satisfy so many roles that it can seem superficial, and its existence as the first of a two-part series makes it feel incomplete. The Blu-ray boasts excellent picture and audio along with a moderately informative collection of supplements. I like Infinity War on its own, but I suspect I’ll enjoy it more when I can pair it with the next chapter.