8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Elite U.S. soldiers drop into Somalia to capture two lieutenants of a warlord, finding themselves in a battle with a large force of Somalis.
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Eric Bana, William FichtnerAction | 100% |
War | 38% |
History | 33% |
Drama | 11% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.38:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Hungarian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Russian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Thai: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish Castilian and Latin American All Dolby Atmos tracks have a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) core
English, English SDH, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Korean, Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovenian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Sony has released a 4K/HDR UHD release of the classic War film 'Black Hawk Down.' The package is fantastic, featuring exceptional video, terrific audio, and plenty of extra content. Read below for coverage of the new picture, sound, and supplements.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.
The UHD's improvements and refinements over the very aged Blu-ray are nothing short of astonishing. Whether obvious macro improvements like
grain structure and detail or less obvious but nevertheless critical improvements like the way the UHD removes white bloom around subtitles and
tightens up the letters, the total package of upgrades dazzles from the first to the final frames. The UHD reveals the movie's gritty grain structure with
a level of sophistication, clarity and even distribution that the Blu-ray simply cannot touch. The image further offers a significant leap in terms of clarity
and textural revelations. Skin tones are tightly detailed and intimately refined, with war-weary faces revealing blood, pores, wrinkles, sweat, and grime
with outstanding clarity. Character close-ups are breathtakingly clear, sharp, and complex. Clothing details, particularly the military
uniforms, showcase material density, patches, nylon straps, and other details with excellence well beyond the long-established Blu-ray transfer, which
is subpar by today's standards. In contrast, Black Hawk Down's textural presentation is at the top of what the UHD format can deliver today.
The HDR color enhancements maintain the movie's predominant green tint, which appears refined with more precisely dialed-in contrast and intensity.
Colors absolutely leap off the screen and total color brilliance is amazing.
Saturation, pop, punch, vitality, and depth are all terrific. Whether considering bright blue skies and the waters off the coast (and UN helmets late in
the movie), blood, skin, or the earthy sand and flat browns that are dominant around the city, there's never a shot without perfectly graded and
brilliant, but still natural, color timing. Explosions reveal intense fiery oranges with significantly more boldness and brightness compared to the Blu-ray,
which frankly looks pitiful in comparison.
As the action shifts to night, not only do the sweaty, bloody skin and clothing textures and worn location details remain firm, but black level depth finds
a new level of inky saturation without crushing out details. Add that the image is free of print blemishes or encode artifacts and Black Hawk
Down
proves itself a gem of a UHD.
Note that the "video" score of 5.0 reflects that awarded to the 1080p transfer in the original Blu-ray review published in 2007.
The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is terrific but not quite the revelation that is the 2160p/HDR image quality. Nevertheless, it's an astonishingly good track in all areas of concern: clarity, action, music, width, depth, and total immersion into the combat zone. As the mission begins, choppers rush through the stage and above the listener with intense weight and depth and an authoritative and true sense of movement. As the film reaches its prolonged depictions of on-the-ground action, the track explodes with a significant level of well managed sonic chaos. Gunfire pops with quality depth and authority, whether rifle pops, heavy weapons fire, or blasting rockets. Shots emanate from all over and impact all over. Flying debris, crumbling structures, screaming fighters, the general din of urban warfare are all delivered with frighteningly exceptional detail throughout. Music is richly detailed and effortlessly wide with a complimentary surround immersion. City atmospherics reveal nuanced sound design when the gunfire ceases from time to time. Dialogue is well prioritized above the fighting din and clear in calmer locations. Placement and prioritization are perfect.
Supplements are included on the bundled Blu-ray discs. Disc one is identical to the 2006 disc while the second Blu-ray includes a slew of new (albeit
vintage) bonus
materials. See below for a breakdown of what's included. Please click here for a brief review of the carryover material. The UHD disc
includes the
film's Extended Version (2:31:50) and Theatrical Version (2:24:18) cuts. There are no supplements on the UHD disc. A Movies Anywhere digital copy
code
is included with purchase. No DVD is included. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.
Disc One:
Black Hawk Down remains firmly in the top handful of quintessential War films and is arguably the finest depiction of modern warfare (post Vietnam era) ever committed to film. The film's UHD is equally dazzling. This is a whole new level of picture quality excellence for the film and if not a new standard for the UHD format certainly one of its very best presentations. The Atmos soundtrack is terrific, too, and Sony has crammed in plenty of extras, both new and carryover from the 2006 disc. Black Hawk Down's UHD release earns my highest recommendation.
2001
Blu-ray Essentials
2001
2001
2001
2014
2016
2018
Commemorative 20th Anniversary Edition
1998
2014
2003
2002
Extended Cut
2000
2001
2006
2012
Director's Cut
2005
2011
1997
2010
2017
2002
1977
1988
1985