Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Braveheart 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Paramount has released the multi-Oscar winning film 'Braveheart' to the UHD format with striking 2160p/Dolby Vision video and a new Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The release contains no new supplemental content, but this set does carry over all of the previously released extras on the included Blu-ray disc.

Braveheart 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.

Braveheart shines on the UHD format. The film's 12-bit Dolby Vision color enhancement brings the movie to life with spectacular results. Green grasses, even under the often somewhat overcast skies, are beautifully vivid with a firm, natural shading. Red blood is a constant in battle, and the fresher blood's vibrancy and the dried blood's red depth are nicely offset and complimentary. Face paints are bold. Gray stone interiors, rock formations, and worn metal weapons are beautiful variations of gray. Shiny silver armor dazzles. Even in low light, color balance and brilliance are exceptional. Best of all, black levels are tremendous. Every shadowy corner, each of the film's absorbingly dark interiors are absolutely deep and dense without any variation to crush or excess brightness. Skin tones are natural and accurate.

Textural efficiency is fantastic. Skin details are rock-solid, very firm and extremely revealing. There are a handful of softer focus shots here and there, but the accuracy with which pores, hair, war paint, caked-on blood and mud, and other defining characteristics are presented is absolutely breathtaking. Plaid cloth reveals every fine stitch and fabric texture, frayed edge, blood-soaked and otherwise muddied and soiled piece. Metal armor and weapons show wear and tear with striking clarity. The image is sharp and well defined across the board, from front-focus characters, structures, and sprawling outdoor battlefields to intimate interiors and far and extreme background objects.

Comparing to the previously released Blu-ray, the UHD reveals a substantially more efficient and filmic presentation. Overall sharpness and image clarity see a positive across-the-board boost. Armor, clothes, terrain, skin, all of the basics appear much shaper and far more refined, but again it's the striking Dolby Vision color palette that's the true highlight. The format brightens the image, considerably, but does so without overemphasizing colors. On the contrary, they're much more stable and stout, deep and refined, a significantly higher yield in brilliance and dazzle. Reds and greens are a standout, as is Wallace's warpaint. Dolby Vision's ability to present with much greater nuance, deeper blacks, and punch is second-to-none. The net result is a transfer that is unequivocally one of the finest the UHD format has seen. No source deterioration, no encode flaws, refined and filmic grain and detailing, bold colors, perfect blacks…UHD just doesn't get much better than this.

Braveheart 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Braveheart's new Dolby Atmos soundtrack is nearly as exciting as the accompanying 4K/Dolby Vision picture. The audio is exceptional. It's large, it's clear, it's not lacking in any area. The track plays with plenty of space, superb musical definition and width, and a prominent, but very balanced and effective, low end support to music and combat alike. The music absolutely soars. The clarity and precision, width, depth, and even height are completely immersive, totally clear, just a joyful presentation of the movie's wonderful score that offers ample opportunity for crisp highs and solid lows to present in total harmony. Action scenes are similarly robust, with various thuds, clanks, screams, and a chaotic din enveloping the listener. Elemental balance is terrific and it's easy to become lost in the battle, visually and sonically alike. Atmospheric supports are rich and bring the world to life with uncanny precision, and the sense of perfected space and the track's ability to offer complimentary sounds with precision placement and volume does not go unappreciated. Dialogue is excellent, presenting with a natural front-center locale, top-end clarity, and perfect prioritization.

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

Braveheart's three-disc UHD set contains all of the extras from the previous Blu-ray release. The UHD disc houses the Mel Gibson commentary, as does the included 1080p Blu-ray. That disc also houses the supplement Braveheart Timelines, which is not on the UHD. A UV/iTunes digital copy code is included with purchase. For convenience, below is a list of what's included on the special features Blu-ray bundled with this set. For a full supplemental review, please click here.

• Battlefields of the Scottish Rebellion
• Braveheart: A Look Back
• Smithfield: Medieval Killing Fields
• Tales of William Wallace
• A Writer's Journey
• Theatrical Trailer 1
• Theatrical Trailer 2

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

Braveheart is one of the great movies that has now received a highly desirable UHD release. Picture and sound alike are fantastic, and the carryover supplemental content is very strong. In 2018, it doesn't get much better than this. Braveheart's UHD release earns my highest recommendation.