Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		0.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Now with more pillarboxing.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III April 2, 2021

Arriving nearly five years after their first 4K Ultimate Edition (and damn near impossible to find during the first week of its online-only release), Warner Bros.' remastered 4K Ultimate Ultimate Edition of Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice exists for two reasons: to fix a few color grading issues on the original 4K disc, and to restore scenes shot in IMAX to their original 1.43:1 aspect ratio, rather than crop them to 2.40:1 like all earlier home video versions. But the majority of this 182-minute Director's Cut was composed for -- and is still presented in -- that much wider format, which means you'll battle black bars on the top and sides like The Grand Budapest Hotel.

For a synopsis and critique of the Director's Cut of Batman v Superman, please refer to Michael Reuben's 2016 Blu-ray review, which compares it to the theatrical cut not included here. (Which, according to most fans, is a good thing.) But, as with most visually-oriented "double dips", its technical presentation is the selling point.. so are fixed color grading, 27 minutes of re-framed IMAX footage, and a new audio commentary worth $20 of your stimulus check?

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As Michael Reuben pointed out in his review of the 2016 4K Ultimate Edition, it was notable for being (a) WB's first UHD disc sourced from a 4K digital intermediate, (2) the first 4K release WB issued alongside a Blu-ray, and (d) their first UHD to utilize the BD-100 disc format. What it didn't do, however, was match the Blu-ray edition in color quality, as several facets of its HDR grading boosted reds and other warm colors unnaturally... which was noticed by director Zack Snyder while streaming the movie, of all things. Most major studios won't recall discs -- let alone pony up the cash for a second 4K edition -- for that kind of issue, at least not anymore. But with the six-year gap in release dates, combined with interest surrounding the recent debut of Justice League's "Snyder Cut", Batman v Superman's 4K color fixes were piggy-backed onto what's perhaps the more notable selling point of this new release: its re-framed IMAX footage, which affects less than 1/6 of the movie but makes a substantial difference during a few of its biggest moments.

Batman v Superman's IMAX-shot scenes (the opening credits and helicopter landing, the infamous "Knightmare" scene, Batman & Superman's big brawl, the post-Doomsday fight, and the final scene before the end credits), now framed at their original 1.43:1 aspect ratio, show a lot more clearance at the top and bottom. There's even a bit more room at the sides here and there, too. This results in a much bigger scope and more expansive atmosphere during a handful of scenes that really demand it... and what's more, the extra information doesn't look unnecessary. Nor does the shift between 2.40:1 and 1.43:1 feel nearly as jarring as expected. I still generally prefer the idea of cropping IMAX footage to 1.78:1 for home video releases (since it preserves the illusion of height on industry standard 16x9 TVs), so I came in expecting to absolutely hate the aspect ratio switch... and I really didn't. It's pretty great, honestly. As for the color? It's clearly less filtered and appears more natural in certain areas, especially on Superman's costume and many of the fire/explosion effects, which looked pretty questionable on the first 4K release. I'd chalk it up to HDR being a relatively new process back in 2016.... but either way, the new color tweaks are another check in the win column.

Overall, it's a very satisfying presentation that, despite the aspect ratio changes, actually ends up looking more consistent than the previous 2160p transfer. And although I can't be sure, it also appears to be quite a bit grainier in certain areas as well; whether or not this is the result of DNR removal or added grain still has yet to be determined. Either way, die-hard fans should be really happy with its appearance: pound for pound, this one's a winner.

A word about the screenshots: No Blu-ray disc is included with this release, nor is one being offered separately... so, since I am not equipped for true 4K captures I went with the next best thing: direct screengrabs from the 4K disc, whose playback was downsampled to 1080p after my initial viewing via a few settings changes on my capture setup. The result, while obviously not true UHD resolution or HDR enhanced, should at least give you a general idea of the new IMAX framing and maybe even a few color changes. (The "Knightmare" screenshot above is also featured in our review of the 2016 UE Blu-ray, if you'd like to see a comparison.) On a related note, this nifty FlashbackFM trailer also includes a few 1.43:1 formatted clips from the HBO Max streaming version if you haven't seen it already.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This 4K disc contains the same audio options as the first 4K Ultimate Edition; please refer to that review for an analysis of the default Dolby Atmos tack. Dub and subtitle options also appear identical to that previous release.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships (eventually) in a standard black keepcase with new artwork and a Digital Copy redemption slip. Surprisingly enough, two new extras are included -- a nice touch that might nudge a few fans over the fence.

• Introduction by Director Zack Snyder (0:31) - This short video introduction gives Snyder the chance to briefly introduce this new version, which turns out to be nothing more than a simple reminder about its restored color and IMAX framing -- no side by side comparisons, either. Hey, it's better than nothing.

• Audio Commentary - Snyder also contributes a full-length audio commentary here, which appears to be newly recorded as he mentions its 1.43:1 IMAX aspect ratio during the opening sequence. Although more than a few lengthy gaps are present along the way, Snyder covers a decent of ground from start to finish; talking points include his homages to previous Batman works including The Dark Knight Returns, shooting the film in 2014-15, the origins of Kryptonite, building the Batcave in Detroit, staging fight scenes, the "Knightmare" seuence, turning a library into Lex Luthor's house, Wonder Woman's contribution, blending practical sets and effects with CGI, reusing a motif from Watchmen, the storyboarding process, Batman and Superman's monumental showdown, building Batman's mech suit, cinematography, beginning and ending with a funeral, and much more.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is far from the pinnacle of big-screen comic book entertainment in my book, but the Director's Cut makes it easier to digest. This new remastered 4K Ultimate Edition is squarely aimed at fans of that version, who will appreciate several upgrades across the board here: revised color tweaks that fix errors in the 2016 4K Ultimate Edition, re-framing of the IMAX sequences to restore their original 1.43:1 aspect ratio, and even a brand new feature-length audio commentary from the director. At only $20, this is a fairly priced "companion piece" disc that die-hard fans won't mind shelling out for... assuming they can find it, of course.