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Three decent movies with PQ on one a stumbling block

Darren Harrison | Washington D.C. | 10/14/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, I own all three of these movies on DVD so I never would have purchased them at more than the $32 they are selling for (as of Oct. 14, 2009).

The movie that gave me the most pause for thought was actually "The Terminator." Not because it's a bad movie, but because its picture-quality transfer has been so hammered by critics with one critic on another site saying it was no better than an upscaled DVD. Unfortunately I have to largely concur with this verdict, it may be slightly better than an upscaled DVD, but not by very much. The movie itself is one of my favorites and has been since it was released in 1984.

I would guess that "The Day After Tomorrow" is somewhat of a guilty pleasure for me and although I already own the two previous DVD editions this is the first time I am purchasing it. I received the other editions in my professional position as a DVD reviewer (much like I did for "I, Robot"). Anyhow, despite its rather preposterous plot I find the movie entertaining on a very basic level and mildly diverting with some truly likeable characters. The PQ and AQ are hardly reference quality but certainly better than for either of the DVDs.

Where this collection really shines is in regards to "I, Robot" The transfer on this Blu-ray is simply stunning with a high level of detail and a picture devoid of defects. Also excellent is the audio quality of the transfer which can also be summed up with the word "stunning." The Blu-ray also includes some fairly comprehensive special features including three commentary tracks and a handul of featurettes (with one clocking it at an hour, 16 minutes).

Overall a good buy and recommended."