Birth 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		2.5

Birth 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 9, 2026

Jonathan Glazer's "Birth" (2004) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include new camera operator Craig Haagensen and first assistant camera operator Eric Swanek; new audio interview with Jonathan Glazer and archival cast and crew interviews; vintage trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Transition path

Dozens of very famous films, some considered timeless classics, utilize writings by Jean-Claude Carriere. Amongst them are Belle de jour, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, That Obscure Object of Desire, The Horseman on the Roof, and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Needless to say, a serious cinephile would be instantly intrigued by a contemporary film like Birth, which was shot from a screenplay co-written by Carriere.

Ten years after the tragic death of her beloved husband, Anna (Nicole Kidman) is on the verge of marrying Joseph (Danny Huston), who feels like the happiest man in New York. The official announcement about the upcoming marriage is made before a large group of relatives and close friends in Anna and Joseph's upscale apartment in the heart of the city.

Some days later, during a small birthday party for Anna’s mother, Eleanor (Lauren Bacall), a ten-year-old boy (Michael Desautels), who shares Anna’s late husband Sean's name, inserts himself into the celebration with a bizarre revelation. Before Anna, the boy declares that he is Sean, reincarnated, and then casually urges her to rethink her decision to become Joseph’s wife. Initially, the perplexed Anna refuses to engage the boy, while Joseph speculates that someone might have convinced him to participate in a tasteless, poorly conceived prank. However, in the days ahead, the boy’s relentless attempts to reconnect with Anna, while still insisting that he is her late husband, pique her interest, and she gives him a chance to prove he is not a terrible impostor.

Much to Anna’s amusement, the boy successfully passes all the tests he is presented with and, while Joseph and her relatives become increasingly annoyed by his ‘act’, the two begin a most unusual relationship. However, a second bizarre revelation resets their relationship as well.

Jonathan Glazer directs with confidence that is instantly recognizable. Unfortunately, it is wasted in a severely mismanaged, borderline controversial project, where neither the story that is told is constructed correctly, nor the drama that emerges from it is as enticing as intended. Excluding Kidman, who visibly struggles but partially manages to legitimize her character’s transformation, the acting is enormously underwhelming as well.

The most damaging development is the shared reluctance to rationalize the thought processes of the two most important characters, all the while suggesting that their transformations are part of a bigger and logical mosaic of events that will inevitably be revealed. They are not, and the resolution that wraps up the suspenseful drama is very disappointing. For this reason, The Sixth Sense, described by some as a similar film, which does precisely the opposite and very well, is in an entirely different league.

The notorious sequence addressed by virtually everyone who has commented on Birth is entirely unnecessary and as problematic as claimed. If the two characters’ genders are reversed, without changing any footage, it becomes painfully obvious why.

Birth 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Criterion's release of Birth is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-25 are taken from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #28-40 are taken from the 4K Blu-ray.

The following text appears inside the leaflet provided with this release:

"Supervised and approved by director Jonathan Glazer, this new 4K restoration was created from the 35mm original camera negative. The restored 5.1 soundtrack was remastered from the original theatrical audio.

Mastering supervisors: Lee Kline, Giles Sherwood.
Colorist: Gareth Bishop/Dirty Looks, London.
Image restoration: Prasad Corporation, Burbank, CA.
Audio restoration: The Criterion Collection."

In native 4K, Birth can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I chose to view it with Dolby Vision. Also, I spent time with its 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray.

Birth has a very strong and attractive organic appearance in native 4K. The bulk of the film is rather dark, but there are plenty of diverse nuances -- introduced by underexposed variations of light -- and when viewed on a large screen, many visuals look quite impressive. Close-ups can look particularly striking. I thought that the Dolby Vision grade handled all darker material very well. However, the daylight footage -- like the one from the cemetery at the beginning of the film, and the one from the wedding at the end of it -- looks best. I did not encounter any traces of problematic digital corrections. Very small density fluctuations can be observed, and I think it is fair to say that they become more prominent in native 4K. In 1080p on the Blu-ray, all visuals have a more consistent appearance. Color reproduction and balance are terrific. All primaries and supporting nuances are properly set and look very healthy. Image stability is excellent. The entire film looks very healthy as well.

Birth 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Alexandre Desplat's soundtrack produces soft yet strikingly rich harmonies that are tasked to do plenty to strengthen the desired atmosphere. I thought that the lossless track did plenty to emphasize successfully their importance. All exchanges are very clear, sharp, and easy to follow. I did not encounter any technical anomalies to report in our review.

Birth 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Bonus Features - there are no bonus features on the disc.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Making "Birth" - this program takes a closer look at the production of Birth. Included in it is a new audio interview with Jonathan Glazer, conducted in 2025, clips from archival interviews with cast and crew, and raw footage from the production process. A small fragment of the program is also dedicated to Glazer's best film, Sexy Beast. In English, not subtitled. (31 min).

• The Cinematography of "Birth" - in this new program, camera operator Craig Haagensen and first assistant camera operator Eric Swanek discuss director of photography Harris Savides' lenshing choices in Birth. In English, not subtitled. (25 min).

• Nicole Kidman and Jonathan Glazer - there are no bonus features on the disc. In this archival program, Nicole Kidman and Jonathan Glazer discuss their collaboration on Birth. The program was produced for the Charlie Rose show and originally aired on October 28, 2004. In English, not subtitled. (28 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Birth. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring critic Olivia Laing's essay "Love Eternal", as well as technical credits.

Birth 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

True love can be enormously powerful, and sometimes it can force people to undergo most unusual, impossible to contain transformations. In its most intense variation, true love can be dangerous as well. One of the key themes in Birth is about true love and its ability to create lasting bonds, but it is intertwined with several other themes that link it to something else. It is supposed to be something big, possibly a revelation, but I could not identify it. I think there is a good story in Birth, but it needs to be reexamined and its key pieces rearranged so that the main characters look and sound convincing. Criterion's combo pack release introduces a new 4K makeover of Birth, supervised by its director, Jonathan Glazer.