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.
After the heroic rescue of Toki Wartooth, DETHKLOK frontman Nathan Explosion finds himself traumatized in a BRUTAL professional and romantic flat-spin all while he is tasked with fulfilling the prophecy and confronting the ultimate songwriting challenge: write the SONG OF SALVATION and save the planet. Can Nathan Explosion look beyond his brutally damaged ego to save his band, stop the Metalocalypse, and finally face the ultimate evil: Salacia?
For thoughts on Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar comes to Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer that dives back into the aesthetic of the series effortlessly, and it allows the material to look the best it ever has. We wish this release could have been provided with a proper 4K UHD Blu-Ray release, but this HD transfer kicks major butt. This disc is far superior to the older DVD releases of the series, and even the last couple of seasons released on Blu-Ray cannot hold up to the consistency of this newer, less cramped transfer. The presentation provides some improvements in the form of more precisely defined edges and the elimination of any digital anomalies, mostly due to there being less material being crammed on a single disc for more impressive encode optimization.
This presentation handles the gradients of the artwork in a way that is favorable without much banding in sight. The animation style consists of thick lines and crisp edges which is represented without complaint here with terrific detail and more textured shading, which gives the characters more complex definition. The color spectrum on display is robust with the palette shining off the screen. These deep colors are completely saturated, and the transfer handles the environments easily with its command of contrast. Black levels deliver a clean viewing experience free of crush, along with strong highlights that never veer into blooming. This disc displays a notable command over keeping everything tight and flowing naturally. The Blu-Ray easily gets the job done on all fronts.
Audio Quality
This release features a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that handles this material pretty well, even if we might want more face-melting power when it comes to the music. The subject matter demands some high quality ferocious tunes, and they do come through with a notable tenacity, but there are moments we wish the track would dig a bit deeper and become more expansive – hitting you like a punch in the chest. The music otherwise comes through with a welcome fidelity as it sets the tone from beginning. There is a good amount of activity in the low-end in other moments which will wake up your subwoofer.
Dialogue comes through clearly alongside an array of sound effects. Every exchange comes through with absolute precision so each element remains unique and defined. The track embraces all of the channels with panning effects and sounds of kinetic set pieces that immerse you into the scene. There are no notable sync issues or other anomalies present to ruin the experience. The character-driven moments hold up just as favorably, as the varied environments provide a lot to explore sonically. Warner Bros. has delivered a really good audio experience for this one. There are optional English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Behind The Metal Curtain: A 24-minute making-of featurette in which many of the various creative figures discuss the journey to finally completing this story, the family dynamic between the characters, the themes that are explored, the overarching story, the music and more.
- Poster
Final Thoughts
Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar is a dynamic conclusion for fans who feel the show left an unsatisfying taste in their mouth all those years ago. While the lingering threads were not completely detrimental to the show’s legacy, this feature film delivers on the promise of the series in a really incredible way. That being said, this may not be the best starting off point for newcomers, as the story really appeals to the knowledge that it believes that anyone who would be watching a concluding movie to have. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a grand A/V presentation and a decent supplemental feature. Fans of the show will have a blast. Recommended
Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar is currently available on Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.