From acclaimed director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element, The Professional), DogMan tells the story of a man who, following a traumatic childhood, finds salvation and justice through his connection with dogs.

For in-depth thoughts on DogMan, please see my colleague Phil Walsh’s review from its theatrical debut here.

Video Quality

DogMan debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio that deftly captures this unusual drama. The transfer reveals a great amount of detail and clarity, especially in distinct aspects of the grimy locale, lively costumes, and varied production design. Objects hold up favorably in gloomy environments and retain their depth with banding scarcely showing up outside of a few shots. The movie has black levels with nice depth that do not give into noise or crush. Highlights are impressive with no blooming or clipping to be found. The movie has a lively palette where you will find hues popping off the screen in one scene and a world devoid of vibrancy in the next. No damage or artifacts were detected that would distract from this transfer. Universal has provided a grand disc for this one.

Audio Quality

The film arrives on Blu-Ray with a surprisingly robust DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio track that delivers on every front. Dialogue and sound effects play well with the soundtrack where nothing gets muddled in the mix. Surround channels get some effective activity during the scenes at the club or when it is raining. The movie fleshes out environmental sounds to make the spaces feel more three-dimensional and alive. The low end adds a rich texture that enhances the atmosphere. Universal has kept things in good shape here. Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles are provided.

Special Features

There are no special features provided on the disc.

Final Thoughts

DogMan is one of the better efforts we have gotten from director Luc Besson in some time, even if it does not reach the heights of his early work. The story is unusual and bleak, but it is navigated with a tone that is very watchable. Caleb Landry Jones puts forth a performance that elevates the experience considerably. The dogs alone are enough of a reason for us to catch this one. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation but no special features. If the premise sounds intriguing to you, it is worth a watch. Recommended

DogMan can be purchased on Blu-Ray directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home 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.