The review of Decision to Leave in 4K and blu-ray: special treatment from Plaion for the award-winning film by Park Chan-wook, presented with a dazzling two-disc slipcase, excellent on a technical level and discreet in the extras.
The award-winning Decision to Leave, nominated for an Oscar as best foreign film and winner of best director at Cannes where it was presented, after arriving in theaters last February, is now being released in grand style on home video. For the refined thriller of Park Chan-wookIndeed, Plaion Pictures offers a super edition in a box slipcase two-disc featuring the film in both 4K UHD and Blu-ray, both from Lucky Red, with extras featured on this second disc.
It’s the right opportunity to find out, if you haven’t already, this film unsettling of the Korean director, who after so many stories of revenge shows off a sentimental and poetic vein. In Decision to Leave Detective Hae Jun investigates the mysterious death of a man who fell from a mountain. Suicide, Accident or Murder? The problem is that the detective completely loses his bearings on the victim’s young widow, a charming woman named Seo-rae, who is also the prime suspect in the possible murder. A passion that becomes obsession and will lead him to make risky decisions.
Good quality 4K video, but the absence of HDR weighs heavily
As mentioned, the treatment reserved by Lucky Red and Plaion to really significant Decision to Leavenot just for the beautiful slipcasebut above all for the possibility of offering the film in the format 4K UHDas well as on blu-ray. The result regarding the video is very good, even if not super top. The picture is clear, the detail quite incisive in almost every situation, even the brightly more complicated ones, and the details on faces, costumes, sets and settings are well cared for.
On the chromatic front, Decision to Leave presents a rather sober palette, the contrast is good and deep blacks, with an effective rendering of dark scenes, but the lack of HDR is felt in some junctures where greater intensity would have been useful in colors and more depth in the shades. And that’s only why the images, while delightful and well detailed, don’t have the impact of other 4Ks. Blu-ray is excellent for the format, but obviously suffers from a lower resolution compared to 4K, which is felt above all on long shots.
Decision to Leave, the review: love is a thriller
Excellent sound, powerful and precise, with surgical channel separation
On a technical level, the audio department is most impressive, with DTS HD 5.1 tracks for both Italian and the original. In fact, the separation of the channels is truly surgical and spectacular, with an incredibly incisive rear axle even on the smallest details. The voices circulate perfectly between the speakers depending on the position, but the spatiality is ensured above all by the care of all the environmental effects, from the wind to the waves, from those on the mountain to the simple noise of a water pipe. Every little detail is well positioned, with a directionality that we have rarely felt so precise. All completed by a warm and enveloping soundtrack, clean and full-bodied dialogues, and a discreet but punctual and energetic bass intervention when needed. In short, a truly exemplary, powerful and precise mix, despite the fact that the film is certainly not an action film.
Decision to Leave and The Woman Who Lived Twice: Dizzy in the Mirror
Extra Discreet with 20 minutes of material
The extras are discreet, with many but very short featurettes for a total of about twenty minutes of material. It starts with Park Chan-Wook narrates: the birth of film (3′) and with Park Chan wook narrates: the meaning of the film (3′), where obviously the director reveals many curiosities about the idea and the realization of the work. Following Behind the scenes at the Cannes Film Festival (2′) with some images and interventions from the Croisette, where the film was awarded. Then we find an exclusive interview with Park Hae-Il (6 and a half’), a featurette on The protagonists (2′), and making of (3′) and finally the trailer.
Conclusions
To wrap up our review of Decision To Leave in 4K and blu-ray, we reiterate our praise to Plaion for picking a prestigious release for the beautiful Korean film. The video is very good even if perhaps not at the top as far as 4K is concerned, but the audio is really very convincing in its attention to even the smallest details. Fair extras with about 20 minutes of material.
Because we like it
- The beautiful two-disc slipcase.
- A good video that enhances the images of the film.
- Excellent audio for involvement and attention to detail.
- The extras present are interesting.
What’s wrong
- But special features are limited to 20 minutes of material.
- On the chromatic front, the absence of HDR is felt.