Black Hawk Down 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Black Hawk Down 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

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.

Black Hawk Down 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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.

Black Hawk Down 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

Black Hawk Down 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

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:

• Audio Commentary: With Author Mark Bowden and Screenwriter Ken Nolan.
• Audio Commentary: With Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Director Ridley Scott.
• Audio Commentary: With U.S. Special Forces Veterans '93.
• The Essence of Combat: Making Black Hawk Down (480i, 1.78:1): A six-part feature.
  
  
  • Getting It Right (23:11)
  • Crash Course (29:56)
  • Battlefield: Morocco (30:03)
  • Hymn to the Fallen (17:57)
  • Digital Warriors (23:09)
  • After Action Report (24:58)
• Blu-Wizard: Supplement viewing customization.

• Black Hawk Down "On the Set" (1080i upscaled, windowbox, 24:08): This supplement recounts the real history behind the mission as told by cast and crew, intercut with film footage. The piece proceeds to explore shooting locations and logistics, actor preparations, shooting action scenes, Scott's direction, and more.
• The History Channel: The True Story of Black Hawk Down (1080i upscaled, windowbox, 1:31:35): The History Channel's own telling of the story, crafted primarily from authentic footage and veteran interviews. David Jeremiah narrates in between interview snippets. The program flows well and offers a number of key insights that the movie doesn't deliberately gloss over but doesn't detail. It's a necessary companion for those interested in learning more about the story depicted in the film.
• Frontline: Ambush in Mogadishu (1080i, 4x3, 55:02): The PBS program in its entirety. It offers another in-depth exploration of the real events that played out in Mogadishu. As with the History Channel piece, this one includes a narrated (by Will Lyman) overlay with real footage and veteran interviews.
• Question & Answer Forums (1080i upscaled, 4x3 & 1.78:1): A number of cast and crew participate in sit-downs that cover a wide range of topics. Included are the more broadly focused BAFTA (10:25) and the more tightly focused Editor's Guild (10:30) and American Cinematheque (11:43).
• "Target Building Insertion" (6 Angles) With Commentary (1080i upscaled, 4x3, 5:55): First Assistant Director Terry Needham discusses working with Ridley Scott and continues with a breakdown of one of the film's key scenes atop (usually) six separate frames playing out all at once, showing the same scene from different angles
• Deleted & Alternate Scenes (1080i upscaled, windowbox, 20:01 total runtime): Included are Opening, Downtime, Ping Pong Injury, SNAFU, Triage & O.R., Night Moves, Taking Stock, and Alternate Ending. With optional director commentary.
• Music Video (1080i upscaled, windowbox, 3:54): Denez Prigent & Lisa Gerrard: Gortoz A Ran - J'Attends.
• Image & Design (1080i upscaled, 4x3): A four-part supplement
  
  
  • Designing Mogadishu (13:08): Shooting in Morocco for Mogadishu.
  • Ridleygrams with Commentary (7:23): Discussing Scott's own storyboards, juxtaposed against finished shots from the film.
  • Jerry Bruckheimer's On-Set Photography (5:30): The producer talks about his love of photography and speaks above a collection of still images he captured during filming.
  • Invisible Design/Title Exploration with Commentary (3:28): A discussion of the film's title sequence.
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:24).
• Original TV Spots (1080i upscaled, windowbox, 6:35 total runtime): Included are #1 Movie, Academy Awards #1, Action Quotes Final, Compassion Event Revised, Emotion Quotes, Josh, Review, Triumph, Unforgettable Alt, and Witness the Courage Final Revised.
• Photo Galleries (1080p): Three stills collections. Included are Production Photos, Production Design, and Poster Explorations.

Black Hawk Down 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

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.