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Eyewitness AKA Øyevitne AKA Eyew1tness (TV)
R2 - United Kingdom - Simply Media Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (9th September 2015). |
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The Show
 ***This is an A/V and extras review only. For reviews on the show from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** Teens Philip and Henning meet in secret one evening at a sand quarry in Mysen, Norway. They are in love but no one can find out. From the safety of the barracks they look out to see a man gagged and tied being pulled out of the trunk of a car surrounded by thugs. Awaiting his fate the man breaks free and guns everyone down and then sets his sights on the barracks. Philip and Henning have become witnesses to this gruesome execution but more importantly has the man seen them and who is he? Terrified for their lives and the consequences of someone finding out about their relationship they form a pact and vow never to reveal what they have seen. Local Chief of Police and foster mother to Phillip, Helen Sikkeland has caught the case of the sand quarry murder but what she doesn’t know, is not only is her son homosexual, but a key witness in a huge case. As long as the witnesses stay silent, the case will never be solved, but for how long will they be able to hide what they’ve witnessed? How long until the murder weapon is recovered putting both Phillip, Henning, and those closest to them in danger? And how long until their secret is revealed? It’s a matter of life and death, especially with the newly appointed Chief of the Organized Crime Unit keen to bury the case.
Video
Independent British distributor have released the hit Norwegian mini-series "Eyewitness" on to DVD in the United Kingdom at an aspect ratio of 2.20:1 (don't worry, this is the original aspect ratio!). The transfer is anamorphic and is good, but not quite great. It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Scandinavian shows of this ilk, that the picture quality is generally rather soft, intentionally drained of colour, and often features fairly heavy underlying blues. Whilst this is all good and well, details don't have the clarity and sharpness you would expect such a recent show to have, with items in the mid-range suffering the most. These mid-range details are sometimes barely distinguishable, particularly in external scenes, and long-range details can often feel a little chunky. However, close-ups do fare a bit better (though still not up to par), with facial contours and clothing details sitting towards the better end of the spectrum. One issue which does arise sporadically is the noticeable compression issues. With three hours of video on each disc, I guess this isn't a surprise, but it shouldn't be as obvious. Blacks are deep enough, with slight crush in the darker scenes, and the odd dash of colour pops well. There aren't any issues with the source itself. I noticed no problems with dirt or scratches, and only minimal aliasing. The transfer may be far from reference material, but it is also far from being poor. The show is uncut, and presented in PAL format.
Audio
Two audio options are included: - Norwegian Dolby Digital 5.1 - Norwegian Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo For my viewing, I opted for the Norwegian Dolby Digital 5.1 track, and as to be expected, the surrounds and LFE are generally utilised for the often tense and haunting score from joint composers Geir Bøhren and Bent Åserud. Some subtle environmental effects do occasionally creep in, but they are more often than not focused towards the front of the sound stage along with the dialogue. Speech is easy to understand and clear at all times, and volume levels are consistent throughout. Some dialogue can come across a little flat at times in internal shots, with depth faring better externally in more open spaces. There are no overwhelming issues to be concerned about. I noticed no crackles or pops, and no background hiss. English subtitles are included, and are optional. White in colour, and a good size, they are easy to follow and free of any obvious grammatical errors or spelling mistakes.
Extras
None, unfortunately.
Overall
With a consistently high pace, "Eyewitness" is yet another Nordic show that I heartily recommend. Shame about the lack of extras though.
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