Empire of Light appears in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. Expect a strong visual presentation.
Sharpness looked appropriate. Delineation remained satisfying, so the image seemed accurate and concise, with nary a bit of softness along the way.
No issues with jaggies or shimmering occurred, and I saw no edge haloes. Source flaws also remained absent.
In terms of colors, the movie opted for amber/orange and teal, though it kept these subdued, so they didn’t go crazy. The low-key palette seemed satisfactory.
Blacks were pretty dark and tight, and low-light shots displayed solid clarity. Overall, the visuals appeared positive.
I wouldn’t anticipate fireworks from the audio for a character piece like Light, and its DTS-HD MA 5.1 track gave me the expected subdued affair. Music became the most prominent aspect of the soundfield, as the score used the five channels fairly well.
Effects had less to do. Ambience ruled the day, so not much more gave the track pop. This seemed appropriate, though, as the flick didn’t come with obvious opportunities for sonic sizzle.
Audio quality appeared fine. Music was full and rich, while effects came across with appropriate accuracy, even if they lacked much punch due to a lack of ambition.
Speech came across as distinctive and concise. Nothing here excelled but the soundtrack fit the material.
Called Creating Empire of Light, a featurette spans 18 minutes, 12 seconds. It involves notes from writer/director Sam Mendes, cinematographer Roger Deakins, co-producer Lola Oliyide, producer Pippa Harris, executive producers Michael Lerman and Julie Pastor, costume designer Alexandra Byrne, production designer Mark Tildesley, Dreamland CEO Eddie Kemsley, location manager Emma Pill, and actors Olivia Colman, Toby Jones, Colin Firth, Tanya Moodie, Micheal Ward, Crystal Clarke, Hannah Onslow, and Tom Brooke.
“Creating” looks at story/characters, cast and performances, elements that reflect Mendes’ life, photography, sets and locations, and related topics. Occasional insights emerge, but a lot of the featurette emphasizes praise and happy talk.
Despite a strong pedigree behind it, Empire of Light becomes oddly superficial and trite. Though we get occasional glimmers of potential here, the end result feels less than involving. The Blu-ray boasts excellent visuals, adequate audio and minor bonus materials. The movie never becomes overtly bad but it fails to satisfy.