Magnificent Warriors Blu-ray Screenshots (Patreon)

[Note: Someday I'll watch something in English again, but I'm also enjoying this streak of Hong Kong cinema so...]

Video

Adequate if stunted, 88 Films' presentation shows definite concerns. Grain does remain but digital filtering reduces texture. Faces thus appear waxy and any complication like smoke or dust only makes this worse. It's so unnecessary and makes this a greater disappointment no matter the result.

Inconsistent color reproduction keeps most hues flat or faded. Reds do stick out though, while other pieces of the palette lack dynamics. Rather than 1987, Magnificent Warriors looks more akin to something from 1967 in saturation terms.

Middling black levels allow noise/artifacts to slip into view, albeit nominally. Contrast doesn't look its fullest either, slightly dry with a few bright spots.

Audio

Original Cantonese mono and an English dub make the cut in PCM. Sticking with the Cantonese, while the top end sounds pinched, there's a surprising bass response as the score brings drum beats. Even dialog can catch the subwoofer, arguably too much so resulting in a puffy, blown out sound. It's imprecise, but tolerable. Truly awful explosions and sound effects carry a hollowness that's hard on the ears.