Blu-ray

The Adjustment Bureau is the latest in a long line of middling Hollywood films to by inspired by the writings of Philip K Dick – in this case a loose adaptation of his 1954 short story The Adjustment Team. Essentially a discussion of the play between free will and destiny masquerading as a sci-fi-infused romantic thriller, the film stars Matt Damon as a promising congressman who falls for Emily Blunt’s carefree dancer. Trouble is, destiny has other plans for the duo, and before long the mysterious agents of the Adjustment Bureau are hot on their tale and trying to keep the pair apart to ensure that everything runs like it should.

Picture: While it’s not the most colourful encode you’ll ever come across, I’ve little doubt that The Adjustment Bureau’s VC-1 1.85:1 1080p imagery is an accurate reflection of how the film is supposed to look. The film’s palette favours greys and blacks, with warm browns and reds making themselves felt every now and again – all of which should make the film feel rather drab and oppressive. Yet, the clarity and sharpness of the visuals ensures that this never happens, presenting you with a finely rendered and extremely cinematic image, albeit one that doesn’t necessarily draw attention to itself in particularly showy ways.
Picture rating: 4/5

Audio: Considering the film itself is often a rather claustrophobic and oppressive affair, this Blu-ray comes with a pleasantly expansive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack that surrounds you with audio ambience. Chanting crowds sound every bit as large as they look, the streets of New York buzz with the sounds of passing traffic and pedestrians, and there’s some very inventive use of aural cues during the final location-hopping chase sequence.
Audio rating: 4/5

Extras: This disc is a prime example of developers coming up with ways of utilising the Blu-ray’s enhanced features without actually considering whether or not it’s an enjoyable experience for consumers. Labyrinth of Doors is an interactive map of New York that allows you to highlight 12 locations from the film and view interviews, film clips and behind-the-scenes footage. All well and good, but it’s so slow and cumbersome, that it quickly becomes a chore to work through. The remaining, traditional, extras take the form of an informative director’s commentary, six deleted/extended scenes, a trio of short production featurettes, D-Box functionality, My Scenes and a BD-Live link. The set also includes a DVD and Digital Copy of the film.
Extras rating: 2/5

We say: Excellent picture and sound makes this thriller worth checking out on Blu-ray.

Universal Pictures, All-region BD/R2 DVD, £25 approx, On sale now
HCC VERDICT: 3/5