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an excellent and very ingenious sci-fi film (in UHD and Blu-ray)

Artistic note: Red StarRed StarRed StarRed Stargray star(4/5)

Synopsis

In the near future, the mafia has come up with a foolproof system to make all the annoying witnesses disappear. It sends its victims into the past, into our time, where assassins of a new kind, the “loopers”, eliminate them. One day, one of them, Joe, discovers that the victim who has to execute others is none other than him, 20 years older. The well-oiled machine has derailed…

• Original title: Looper
• Media tested: UHD
• Genre: science fiction
• Year 2012
• Director: Rian Johnson
• Casting : Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, Noah Segan, Piper Perabo, Jeff Daniels, Pierce Gagnon
• Duration: 1h 58min 51
Video format: 16:9
• Cinema format: 2.39/1 (HR10, Dolby Vision)
• Subtitles: French
• Soundtracks: Dolby Atmos English – DTS-HD 5.1 French
• Bonus: combo with the UHD of the film and the Blu-ray of the film
• Bonus on UHD: Audio commentary by Rian Johnson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt (VOST)
• VOST bonus on Blu-ray: audio commentaries by Rian Johnson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt – interview with Rian Johnson (2013, 16 min 10) – Paris masterclass (2013, 19mn 21) – The circle is complete by Rian Johnson (1996, Evil Devil Golf Ball from Hell!, Evil Demon Golf Ball From Hell!!!7 min 51) – 22 deleted scenes – Time travel (8 min 08) – special effects (3 min 09) – alternate trailer (1 min 35) – Making of (7 min 32)
• Publisher: M6Video SND

Artistic commentary

Just before directing Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last JediRian Johnson realizes in 2012 Loopers, a sci-fi film whose basic concept and some elements (see bonuses) derive from a short three-page script dating back to the 2000s and was planned for a short film never shot. The director evokes the influence of Chris Marker The pier (1962) on the notion of time travel: the complex and ingenious plot in fact plays on one of the great concepts of science fiction widely exploited in literature (HG Wells in 1895) and cinema (Terminator1984, Back to the Future, 1985, etc.). Against the backdrop of timeless mafia trafficking and new generation assassins, Loopers develops an interesting analysis of its hero Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, compared to his old self, played by Bruce Willis: the originality of the film is to present a time traveler who appears in the past rather than the other way around. The innumerable psychological and narrative stakes that this improbable encounter supposes are at the heart of this science fiction film which wants to be quite discreet about the future world: the always effective special effects remain very measured. Various fascinating characters gravitate around the two Joes: Abe, sponsor of the “loopers” assassins (Jeff Daniells), Sara and her son Cid (Emily Blunt and Pierce Gagnon), the latter becoming the terrible Rainmaker of the future (one inevitably thinks of Terminator) and also, among others, Kid Blue, a gun ace (Noah Segan). Shot in Louisiana and China in Shanghai (in the absence of the initially desired Paris), Loopers it has the charm of the great time travel films that inevitably lead to stories with dizzying implications and that require a minimum of reflection: a cerebral science fiction much appreciated by fans of space-time logic. The presence of Bruce Willis, already in the cast of Army of the Twelve Monkeys (1996), inspired by The piersuggests the concept of proximity, but Loopers, smoothly conducted by the direction of Rian Johnson, it has its own dynamic that distinguishes it from the similarity of theme. Moreover, Loopers is not just a simple action film that deals with the concept of time travel: its author took care to take care of the human and social context in which it takes place and to address the moral implications that derive from the confrontation between the young and old Joe. An intelligent scenario, efficiently executed – such a success that deserves to be seen or re-watched in a excellent performance 4K version that surpasses the Blu-ray of 2013.

UHD Looper

Technical comment

Image : UHD copy, no native 4K, good definition and honorable sharpness on some details, fine film texture (shot in 35 mm with Panaflex Gold II and Millenium XL2 cameras, Master Format 2K), good contrast management in HR10 with very bright country exteriors , deep blacks, excellent naturalistic calibration, sparkling colorimetry with realistic tints and smooth tones

Son : Mixed English Dolby Atmos, beautiful clarity and precision of the dialogues, excellent dynamics on the action scenes and on the eclectic soundtrack, wide spatialization effectively using very immersive surround effects, well stressed treble channels, constant and impressive use of the bass of the LFE; VF 5.1, dynamic, sharp, clean and balanced dubbing, wide and spectacular spatialization

Our opinion

Image : Red StarRed StarRed StarRed Stargray star(4/5)
sound mixes: blue starblue starblue starblue starblue star(5/5)
Bonuses: Red StarRed StarRed StarRed Stargray star(4/5)
Packaging : blue starblue starhalf blue stargray stargray star(2.5/5)

IMDb : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276104/

UHD/Blu-ray combo available on Amazon

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