“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.”

 

Set more than seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, Snowpiercer centers on the remnants of humanity, who inhabit a 1001-car, perpetually moving train that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival play out in this riveting television adaptation based on the acclaimed movie and graphic novel series of the same name.

Studio: Warner Brothers
Year: 2020
Release Date: January 26, 2021
Run time: 440 minutes
Rating: TV-MA

Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Disc Spec: 2 BD
Region: A

This show is interesting and leaves you wanting to know more about the setting. Is it an award winner – no. Is it entertaining and suspenseful – yes. Does the intrigue make you want to keep watching – absolutely. I read the user reviews before watching but decided to give it a shot regardless of the low ratings because I was I intrigued by the concept. I haven’t watched the movie nor have I read the source material. I’ve now watched 4 episodes and I’m hooked. To enjoy this show you first need to accept that the premise is unrealistic. What it does accomplish is a very interesting analogy of classism. Many people seem to dislike the police procedural plot. I enjoyed it and I think it succeeds as being a plot device to give the audience a tour of the train from the perspective of someone in the lowest class, while showing the massive injustices between the haves and the have nots. Give Snowpiercer a chance if you enjoy dystopian genres and you aren’t too picky about technical realism but want something that will make you think about the ugliness of wealth privilege.

Movie Quality: 8/10

Print/Audio Quality

The print is presented in 1080p/AVC with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. I have to say that I am pretty impressed with the image quality. Having watched every single episode of this series on TNT in high definition, this show looks really good in its transfer to Blu-ray. While some maybe disappointed because some of the lower quality CGI in some episodes, that doesn’t detract from an excellent looking transfer. Colors are strong throughout and vary from episode to episode to fit with the atmosphere. Details are great especially with scenes where the camera is up close. Black levels are very strong considering that the series has many dark scenes throughout each episode. There is also grain and noise throughout the transfer, it never becomes obtrusive or distracting. Fans of the show will not be disappointed the slightest.
Video Quality: 9.5/10

The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The soundfield is immersive at all times no matter if it is the special effects or dialogue. I was literally amazed with the amount of dynamic panning from each speaker in the rears. Bass was punchy. Dialogue is also well placed in the center channel sounding crisp and clear. The best part of this all around aggressive soundtrack is that it is well balanced between the dialogue and sound effects.
Audio Quality: 9/10

Special Features

  • ANNIE WILKES: Mother of Sorrow

Special Features: 5/10

Final Thoughts

This TV series is not an Emmy winning series but nevertheless quite interesting to watch. Great acting, I don’t understand the hate on Daveed Digs around the net, he is solid. An unpredictable roller coaster. Complex characters. Well written, great execution. Really love this show. Far better than the movie. Really keen to read the original graphic novel now.
Overall Rating: 8.5/10