Lifeline – Vinegar Syndrome Archive (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1997
Director: Johnnie To
Writer: Yau Nai-hoi
Cast: Sean Lau, Alex Fong, Carman Lee, Damian Lau, Ruby Wong, Raymond Wong Ho-yin, Chan Man-lei, Lam Suet, Chan Man-lei

Release Date: May 28th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 109 Minutes 56 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese, DTS-HD Stereo Cantonese, DTS-HD Mono Mandarin
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $49.98

"Yau Sui is an arrogant firefighter working at a tight-knit Hong Kong fire station where he and his fellow firefighters believe their station is cursed due to the constant hardships they must face. Yau Sui struggles with trying to rise in the ranks of his department and his skill as a leader becomes challenged when a new senior officer is transferred to their station. In the meantime, Yau Sui sparks a relationship with a troubled doctor and he, like the rest of his fellow firefighters, struggles to maintain a balance between his personal and professional life. However, the drama comes to a head when a catastrophic five-alarm fire in a chemical plant forces Yau Sui and the other firefighters to put aside their differences and work together in an attempt to break their station's curse." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD), 4.5/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative."

Lifeline comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.3 GB

Feature: 60.3 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; and the image retains an organic look.

Lifeline comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.1 GB

Feature: 33 GB

The Blu-ray uses the same source as the 4K UHD does for its transfer.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese, DTS-HD Stereo Cantonese), 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Mandarin)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese, a DTS-HD stereo mix in Cantonese, and a DTS-HD mono mix in Mandarin. The two Cantonese audio tracks sound excellent; the stereo track is a remix track that does a solid job expanding the original mono source. The Mandarin language track does not sound as robust as the Cantonese language tracks. All audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Included are removable English subtitles and removable English SDH for the Cantonese language track. 

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with martial arts film expert Frank Djeng.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with Cantonese and English text, no subtitles), an archival Making Of documentary (15 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Johnnie To (4 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Ruby Wong (2 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor  Raymond Ho-Yin Wong (1 minute 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with special effects artist Chi Shui-Tim (10 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with Johnnie To (27 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), a video essay by film historian Samm Deighan titled Johnnie To in the 1990s (17 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with burnt-in English subtitles for film clips), and an audio commentary with Frank Djeng, 

Other extras include reversible cover art, double-sided full-color poster, a 28-page booklet with an essay titled In the mid-1990s written by  Sean Gilman, and a bottom loading VHS inspired slipcase.

Summary:

Although some may compare Lifeline and Backdraft, their only real connection is that they both feature firefighters. Backdraft is a police procedural that takes place in the world of arson, while Lifeline is more of a melodrama that focuses on the lives of its characters as much as it does their job as firefighters. That said, both films have impressive fire sequences that make you feel like you're in the middle of the action.

The narrative revolves around a group of firefighters as they navigate work and their personal lives. On the surface, what appears to be a basic premise turns out to be a film rich in character development. The result is anything remotely basic because, in the hands of director Johnnie To, he always approaches things in a unique way that elevates them. This is especially notable in how he balances characters' highs and lows.

Lifeline has an impressive cast who are all excellent in their roles, especially Sean Lau (Running Out of Time) and Carmen Lee (Burning Paradise). Their characters, a firefighter and a doctor, have a combative relationship that evolves into something romantic. That said, the evolution of their characters is greatly enhanced by their onscreen chemistry. Lam Suet, a frequent collaborator of Johnnie To's, makes a pair of appearances in Lifeline.

Lifeline’s main centerpiece is a 45-minute fire sequence that is spectacular in execution. This sequence is a perfect example of how to build tension. When it becomes clear that they can’t control the fire, they try to evacuate. Characters must change directions and find new escape routes as their previously chosen paths become unavailable, increasing tension.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Lifeline does not excel; a superbly realized premise and a well-executed narrative do a phenomenal job of building momentum. Also, Johnnie To’s direction is solid, and there are several visually arresting moments. Ultimately, Lifeline is an exceptional melodrama about heroism through sacrifice and how real heroes take chances that put their lives on the line.

Lifeline gets an excellent release from Vinegar Syndrome Archive that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a VLC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer