Gomorrah: Fifth and Final Season is the thrilling conclusion to the most popular Italian drama in the world—which The New York Times recently rated #5 on its list of the top 30 international shows of the past decade. The worldwide gangster show phenomenon is based on Roberto Saviano’s best-selling book and the subsequent award-winning film of the same name. Gennaro (Salvatore Esposito) had tried his best to straighten up and build an honest life for himself and his family. Ciro (Marco D’Amore) sacrificed himself to make it possible. And now, everything has come undone. An all-out war between Patrizia and the Levante clan has turned Secondigliano and the rest of Naples to rubble, prompting Genny to get back into the game and restore order – leading to an ultimate showdown.
For thoughts on Gomorrah: Season 5, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Gomorrah: Season 5 arrives on Blu-Ray with a lovely 1080p transfer which mostly matches the quality established by previous seasons. This fifth and final season loses a disc compared to the previous season with ten episodes over three discs which pushes one disc closer to its limits. This does cause some occasional compression artifacts, but for the most part this does not present as a major issue. Even with these small deficits, the series still holds up better than the HBO Max stream in many respects. The color palette is natural and vivid with many moments of stunning hues that pop off the screen. The cinematography continues to blow us away with many distinct and intricate locales that shine in high definition. The nuances of certain environments gives the series a chance to shine in the detail department. Distinct texture also extends to the production design and costumes for a very lived-in presentation. Skin tones look natural throughout the season with small bits of character noticeable such as stubble and scars. Kino Lorber has treated this series well throughout its entire run.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray set comes with both a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 track that are quite lively. The set is presented in both the original Italian and dubbed English (2.0 only) with optional English subtitles. As always, we advocate viewing the series in its original Italian. The dialogue primarily stays anchored in the center channel and is reproduced clearly. The low end gets some decent response when moments of violence occur or during certain music selections. The series does have an impressive score that brings a foreboding atmosphere to the series that fills up the room on this track. There is some notable ambient activity in the mix as our characters traverse the city. You get environments that are especially active in the surround channels with sounds emanating from the appropriate directions. The track does an admirable job of balancing all of the various elements. These tracks represent the series well.
Special Features
- Trailers: There are trailers provided for The Immortal and Season 2, Season 3, Season 4 and Season 5 of Gomorrah.
Final Thoughts
The fifth and final season of Gomorrah slightly buckles under the pressure of the high bar set by the previous seasons, but it is far from a travesty. While the earlier seasons are some of the best that television has to offer, there are a few annoying plot developments in this final stretch which are a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, the performances are still very strong and seeing this intricate journey finally come to a close is satisfying. Kino Lorber has released a Blu-Ray set that offers a strong A/V presentation but next to nothing in the way of special features. If you are a fan of the series, you will be thrilled to complete your collection. Recommended
Gomorrah: Season 5 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: Kino Lorber 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.