• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  
• Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4
• Resolution: 1080p/24
  
• Audio Codec: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
  
• Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
  
• Region: A (Region-Locked)
  
• Rating: PG-13
  
• Discs: 2 (1x Blu-ray + 1 x Digital Copy)
  
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
  
• Blu-ray Release Date: June 28, 2011
  
• List Price: $39.99

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BestBuy.com:

Purchase Season of the Witch on Blu-ray+Digital Copy at CD Universe

Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com

Overall
[Rating:3/5]
The Film
[Rating:2/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:3/5]

Click thumbnails for high-resolution 1920X1080p screen captures

(Screen captures are lightly compressed with lossy JPEG  thus are meant as a general representation of the content and do not fully reveal the capabilities of the Blu-ray format)

–

The Film

[Rating:2/5]

If only we could turn back the clocks and time travel to a time when Nicolas Cage was putting on a brilliant performance as a hopeless drunk in Leaving Las Vegas. Instead, we now have Cage in an endless string of terrible paranormal thrillers and unfortunate fantasy flicks where his inability to emote during his line readings is just as cumbersome as the clumsy screenplays he is afflicted with.

The latest one of these disasters is Season of the Witch. Its dull, phoned-in story arc, grade school CG work and telescoped plot twist make it unworthy of fine character actors like Ulrich Thomsen and Ron Perlman. The story as it goes follows two crusade-era knights Behman and Felson (Cage and Perlman) who have abandoned their vows to the church, no longer believing in the cause. When they return to civilization, they come across a town devastated by the plague. The church believes it has been afflicted by a young woman they have arrested and deemed to be a witch. Captured by soldiers and brought to the local papal authorities, Behman and Felson are made to lead a party to a nearby abbey taking the girl there to face trial for witchcraft. On their way, they face a multitude of strange, seemingly supernatural dangers and finally, upon their arrival, face a danger more powerful than they could ever have imagined.

The whole film is a pointless exercise in predictability as the characters alternate between battling personal and supernatural demons all while barely anything happens and heading towards a cliché ending.

Video Quality

[Rating:4.5/5]

There’s an astounding amount of detail in the transfer of Season of the Witch. Though the look of the film is somewhat grainy, that isn’t a bad thing. The film retains a film-like and textured look and the smallest detail can be seen from falling snowflakes to the links of chain mail in the knights’ armor. There are deep blacks with strong, extended shadow details as well.

Audio Quality

[Rating:4/5]

While this is a competent DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, it lacks much dynamic range, remaining at an even keel pretty much straight through the film until the ending where it expands its range ever so slightly. The surround channels are occupied with a decent amount of atmospheric sound effects and discrete panning. There are some extended, but tight low frequencies and smooth highs with clean dialogue.

Supplemental Materials

[Rating:3/5]

There are some solid behind-the-scenes type featurettes offered up on here as well as a surprisingly lengthy string of deleted scenes in high definition. While none of the supplements are groundbreaking, at least they feel like they add a good bit of value to this package.

The supplements offered are as follows:

• Deleted Scenes (1.85:1; 1080p/24):
  • Shore
  • Cardinal
  • Leaving Marburg
  • Wormwood Forest
  • Holy Water
  • Courtyard
  • Prologue Unrated
• Becoming the Demon (1.78:1; 1080p/24; 0:08.29) – The filmmakers and special effects producers discuss creating the final, visual effects-laden sequence of the film.
• On a Crusade (1.78:1; 1080p/24; 0:06.07) – Creating Season of the Witch’s epic crusades battle scenes.
• Alternate Ending (1.85:1; 1080p/24; 0:09.20)
• Theatrical Trailer (1.78:1; 1080p/24; 0:02.26)
• Digital Copy

The Definitive Word

Overall:

[Rating:3/5]

I’d yawn, but I’m too bored to after watching Season of the Witch. Skip sitting through the entire film and just watch the trailer online, because it makes the film seem much more exciting.

Additional Screen Captures

–

[amazon-product]B004XFZ41S[/amazon-product]

BestBuy.com:

Purchase Season of the Witch on Blu-ray+Digital Copy at CD Universe

Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com

Overall
[Rating:3/5]
The Film
[Rating:2/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:3/5]

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