Search - Xombie: Dead on Arrival on DVD

Still a great story, but not as good as watching online

E. Brajdic | 04/08/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I won't go over the details of the story, as most people who are interested in the DVD have already seen the episodes of Xombie online (and probably bought the sequel comic). I have no problem with the story at all, it's the nuts and bolts of the DVD that drives me up the wall.

The DVD compiles the 10 episodes that make up the online series. And while that would normally be a no-brainer, especially for those who want to share the viewing with others, I have to say that a lot was lost in the internet to DVD transition.

1) Almost ALL of the music from the online series has been replaced by other music that is nowhere near as good. The music James Farr (the creator) picked, while from other licensed sources (videogames, movies, etc), meshed perfectly with the goings-on, and I've come to equate that music with what I've seen before and gave an amazing "heft" to the audio.

So when the chase music from episode 2, the fight music from both episodes 3 and 4 are gone, I feel cheated. Gone are great and appropriate songs like "Into the Void" and "Switchback" by Celldweller. I understand it would have cost a hefty sum to get those songs licensed for DVD usage, but I don't have to be happy about it.

2) The video is far below the standards seen even online. The brightness seems cranked up so much so that the color is almost washed out, and what color IS left hurts to look at for long periods due to the paleness. I don't understand why this is. Also, the left and right sides are "cut" in the same vein that widescreen video is truncated for fullscreen--meaning you lose what happens on the edge of the screen

Why? I do watch the online series on a widescreen monitor, but there are black "bars" on the left and right side, which tells me they were originally in the 1:33 to 1 ratio. So why zoom in for fullscreen when it's ALREADY in fullscreen ratio?

3) The video is actually very choppy, as though the video is being rendered by a 10-year-old video card. This also makes no sense. My computer is from way back in 2003, and doesn't have as much choppiness as this. Why? Why do online webisodes that have almost no budget seem superior to a DVD release that actually HAS a budget and a studio behind it?

4) You get very little on the DVD beyond what you can get online. In terms of the "meat" of the production, virtually nothing has been altered from the webisodes. You get a trailer, a grainy interview with James Farr, and the illustrated novel in .pdf format. Which, if you have the book, you're not ahead by much.

Looking back on it, I would honestly recommend this to diehard Xombie fans ONLY. I kind of regret buying it myself. If you're curious, just go to the website [...], and view them there. You get better audio, video, and it's free. I'm not bashing Farr for what happened with the release as I would imagine he has very little control over the studio (Halo Eight), but I'm still allowed to feel cheated by it.

If it had been just the same as viewing as what I saw online (and have saved on my computer *coughdownloadhelperforfirefoxcough*), then I don't think I would be as critical as I am with it. I just regret I can't take it back as I already opened it. Oh, well, maybe this review will give any prospective buyers a heads-up before they drop $[...] on it.

"

Worth your time.

Ryan M. Fels | Lawton, OK, USA | 04/09/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fan of the episodes that were online and now I get to see it on dvd. The transfer was not the best, but you don't loose much on the dvd. I thought there could have been more special features on the dvd, but that's not way I got it. Well, this from a fan's perspective and might not be the best one to base you decision on, but I still recommend it for those who have not had the chance to see it online."