Downton Abbey - The Motion Picture (Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Universal 
Release Date: December 10, 2019
Rating: PG
Film: 4.5/5

Plot
The film chronicles the Crawley family one year after the conclusion of the series, as they prepare for the most important moment of their lives: an impending visit from the Royal Family. Join the glitz, glamour and spectacle as the special visit unleashes scandal, romance and intrigue on the fan-favorite family and its staff members.

My Thoughts
My wife and I were huge fans of the TV show and when we heard that there was going to be a feature film, we couldn’t wait to see it. For the most part, it doesn’t disappoint. The story moves at a brisk pace and a second viewing definitely helps as it can be hard to remember all of the various subplots from the TV show that rear their head here (I’d watch the series recap supplement before watching the movie if you haven’t revisited the show in a while). As expected, the writing is crisp and the dialog is phenomenal. What makes this entire series work so well is the chemistry between the ensemble cast and you can tell they love to work with each other. Given the success of this film, I bet we get another entry at some point in the future, so I doubt we are saying goodbye to these characters.

I was extremely disappointed with the video quality when I saw it theatrically, but thankfully there are no issues for its home video release—except for the lack of a 4K release! The colors look wonderful and there’s plenty of depth to the image. The audio track is about what you expect from the genre, so no complaints there.
 
Video 4.5/5

Audio 4.5/5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)

Special Features:

• Deleted Scenes
• Cast Conversations
• The Royal Visit
• True to the Twenties
• Welcome to Downton Abbey
• The Brilliance of Julian Fellows
• Downton Abbey Series Recap
• Feature Commentary with Director Michael Engler
• Blu-ray+ DVD + Digital Copy

Conclusion
We were really looking forward to seeing this and it didn’t disappoint. A second viewing was even more enjoyable and we will probably go back to Season 1 and watch the show all the way through for a second time. The character development is second to none and as I said earlier, I bet we see a second film at some point in the future. Highly recommended.

Reference Review System:
 
 JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
 Anthem AVM60 Audio/Video Processor
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed ChannelsATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
 Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
 System Controller: URC MX-980
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
 HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
 SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer
JL Audio Dominion D110 Subwoofer x 2 
Mini DSP controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner