Earlier releases presented the film at 1.78:1 or 1.85:1, often cropping Johnnie To’s masterful wide compositions. The Koch 1080p BluRay preserves the original theatrical 2.35:1 aspect ratio. This is crucial for scenes like the famous “dodging bullets in a hotel corridor” sequence, where the horizontal space defines the choreography.
| Release | Video Quality | Audio | Aspect Ratio | Verdict | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Koch Media (Germany) | Reference quality; filmic grain | DTS-HD MA 5.1 | 2.35:1 | Best | | Wild Side (France) | Good, but slight edge enhancement | DTS 5.1 | 2.35:1 (cropped left/right) | Second best | | Panorama (HK) | Poor; heavy DNR, waxy faces | Dolby Digital 5.1 | 1.78:1 (open matte/cropped) | Avoid | | Dragon Dynasty (US DVD) | SD only, interlaced | Dolby Digital 5.1 | 2.35:1 (non-anamorphic) | Obsolete | Exiled -2006- aka Fong juk -Koch 1080p BluRay x...
In the pantheon of 21st-century Hong Kong cinema, no film balances lyrical beauty with brutal violence quite like Johnnie To’s Exiled (original title: Fong juk – 放‧逐). Released in 2006, this spiritual sequel to The Mission (1999) landed like a grenade wrapped in silk at the Venice Film Festival. Yet, for years, home video releases of the film ranged from mediocre to disastrous—plagued by poor compression, incorrect aspect ratios, and murky color grading. Earlier releases presented the film at 1
Enter the Koch Media 1080p BluRay. For collectors and purists, this specific German release (often found under the search query "Exiled -2006- aka Fong juk -Koch 1080p BluRay x…") represents the holy grail. This article dissects why the 2006 film demands the 1080p treatment, and why the Koch transfer is the only version that does justice to cinematographer Cheng Siu-Keung’s visual poetry. | Release | Video Quality | Audio |