MAGNOLIA has released "TIDAL WAVE" on blu-ray.  Years after losing his uncle to the Indonesian tsunami of 2004, a fisherman has become a alcoholic, swooning for the pretty woman who opens a quaint seafood restaurant. A completely amiable, yet slightly too innocent lifeguard falls head over heels for a pretty tourist. A geologist, tries, unsuccessfully, to convince others that Korea is soon to fall victim to Tsunamis, and his former wife, comes to town for a meeting, along with the young daughter who has never seen her father. An older woman purchases a new pair of shoes for her incredibly nasty, unappreciative son, and....these characters and more are about to have their lives changed and/or ended due to the two Tsunamis approaching. "TIDAL WAVE" is actually far better, at times, than the majority of Irwin Allen disaster films of the '70s. The special effects are incredible and never suffering from the CGI imperfections, often highlighted in blu-ray transfers. The dramatic portions of the film are well handled, and also less corny than the majority of disaster films of the the past 40 years. The comedy portions of the film, are likely, its biggest drawback. Those moments intended to be funny, only come across as stupid, and hurt the momentum of the otherwise intense storyline. While humor can help or alleviate the tension to a scene, it's generally with the hidden purpose of allaying a viewer's fear, only to surprise them even more, later. In "TIDAL WAVE,"  the first part of this plan is a failure because the "humor" is just not funny!

The actors are all quite good, and there's no surprise that Lee Min-gi, who plays the lifeguard, has been getting many awards, as he's got star quality apparent in every scene.

MAGNOLIA has provided the correct 2.35:1 aspect ratio for this AVC MPEG-4 1080p blu-ray.  Colors are rich and perfectly saturated. Detail is frequently staggering, with the fine lining of clothing, close-ups of sand, and everything else showcased with a clarity, seldom found on blu-ray. 

MAGNOLIA has provided a DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix, and it's outstanding! While the Tsunami arrival scenes stand out as the best, creating an immersive experience, certain to dazzle and possibly frighten the audience, even quieter moments are impressive. Discrete, panning, bass and music are delicately handled throughout. A demonstration quality mix!