Blu-ray: LIMITLESS (2011)

Limitless

Neil Burger's smart drug thriller comes to Blu-ray is a sharp AVC encoded 1080p transfer. As the main character goes from loser to genius, the color palette changes and the disc never misses the mark. Whether it's the desaturated world of the character off the drug or the bright vibrant world of him on the drug, the colors are always spot on, even black level stay consistent over the style change. Details pop throughout the film, especially in the "on the drug" moments, which is perfectly suited for the subject matter where the drug enhances the user's perception. Some minor aliasing is the only problem I witnessed, but like I said it was minor and pops up in the usual kinds of places.

The presentation gets really amped up in the sound department. The lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack is a bombastic experience. The LFE track is used dynamically during the action sequences. Directionality and atmospherics are quite impressive, giving the viewer a portal into the locations. Dialogue is always clear and balances with the other elements perfectly. The sonic bombs that hit us in the title sequence are just the start of an audio experience that grabs attention.

The visuals and audio of the film are beautiful, but fans of the film might be disappointed in the special features. Neil Burger's commentary is good, but not great. He does a nice job of filling the viewer in on the details of the production and his wonderful approach to bringing the audience into the viewpoint of the main character when he's on the drug. The downside is that his energy level is down and he repeats himself at times. But it's still the best feature on the disc.

The "A Man Without Limits" and "Taking it to the Limit: The Making of Limitless" are your standard featurettes that get released online right before the film is released. We don't get more information than Bradley Cooper's approach to the character and how the visual style changes when his character is on the drug. Nothing additional comes from these that isn't better explained in Burger's commentary.

The disc also includes an Alternative Ending, which makes one wonder if this was the original ending until they devised the far better ending they ended up with.