This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.
Since losing her husband Mal (Edi Gathegi) in a drunk-driving incident, Sophie (Judy Greer) has struggled to manage crippling grief, a full-time job, and the demands of parenting her devastated teenage daughter (Faithe Herman). When her husband’s best friend Jabir (Payman Maadi), a former physicist, reveals that he has been building a time-bending machine that could restore her former life, Sophie will be faced with an impossible choice—and unforeseeable consequences.
For in-depth thoughts on Aporia, please see my colleague Mike Vaughn’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Aporia comes to Blu-Ray with a pleasing AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. The film employs a more desaturated aesthetic which this transfer brings to life capably. Black levels could dig slightly deeper, but there is not much in the way of crush and skin tones are natural throughout. Where the transfer shines is the impressive level of detail in some of the most indistinct aspects of the house and out in the world. Even small details provide texture that is precisely defined here. The picture is mostly clear with only brief instances of murkiness during a few darker scenes. The film does deliver some softer shots for creative reasons on occasion, but nothing that would distract from the viewing experience. Overall, this is a solid transfer from Well Go USA.
Audio Quality
The film comes to Blu-Ray with a really good DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track. The movie delivers a pretty distinct soundscape with environmental elements that yield an immersive atmosphere for the story. The low end of the track is especially active during specific moments that need to dig deep. The dialogue and sound effects are appropriately balanced with the score where nothing feels indistinct in the track. Surround channels get some welcome activity during the outdoor scenes. This track is quite powerful, and will be appreciated by fans who pick up this disc. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Behind The Scenes: A pretty solid 19-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the ideas behind the narrative, what attracted the performers to the project, playing in the realm of time travel, how the characters respond to their situations and more.
- Trailer: The two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided for Aporia. There are also trailers provided for Bad City, Forgotten Experiment and Warhorse One.
Final Thoughts
Aporia is a really refreshing take on the time travel genre as the film consistently finds ways to put a unique spin on familiar tropes. As much as we love wrestling with some of the questions of morality, the real reason this film stands out is the terrific performance from Judy Greer. The remaining cast members support her quite well, and the direction and craftsmanship elevate things even higher. Well Go USA Entertainment has delivered a great A/V presentation and a small selection of special features. If the premise sounds promising to you or you are a fan of the cast members, give this one a shot. Recommended
Aporia is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Well Go USA Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
