Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		0.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Crimes of the Future 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Cronenberg's powerful but problematic return to filmmaking nets an excellent 4K upgrade...

David Cronenberg's Crimes of the Future is a tricky, sometimes frustrating, sometimes affecting body horror fable that dabbles in the darkest corners of the genre; the same genre the director himself brought into vogue throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s. His first film in eight years (the last being 2014's Map to the Stars), Crimes proves to be a deliciously unsettling watch, albeit one that's so broad that it too frequently meanders off course, losing focus when it could have easily (and more viciously) gone for the jugular. It lies at a bizarre crossroads of Cronenberg's Crash, with the 1996 stomach-churner's disturbing collision of sexual arousal and horrific injuries, and eXistenZ, with the 1999 Jude Law-led film's strangely organic future tech and rebel fighters. Not exactly the mash-up you'd expect but also a welcome pre-turn-of-the-century throwback filled with evocative, seedy alleys and quirky deviants more than eager to indulge in this surreal future's titular criminal activities. Viggo Mortensen and his perfectly cast co-stars deliver absorbing performances that are as reserved and baffling as the imagery and violence but it occasionally feels as if they're privy to information concealed from the audience. Normally I'd praise such ambiguity. Here, though, it's too unwieldy, leading to one too many disappointing developments. Thankfully there's a real sense of cohesion to Crimes of the Future that allows it to rise above what could have been a murky, confusing mess. It's more successful than not. Just don't expect it to be a true, fully realized return to form for the fan-favorite horror filmmaker.

Jaws 5: The Quickening

Crimes of the Future 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Even a quick comparison to the standard Blu-ray makes it clear that the 4K version's video presentation is far superior. Crimes of the Future is a brooding film bathed in heavy shadows, dimly lit corridors and even darker underground warehouses. It can make for a seemingly impenetrable image, more than happy to hide the detail the director has brought to the screen. Thankfully, Decal's 4K encode handles it in stride, and then some. Delineation is near perfect, offering glimpses into the shadows that the BD edition sometimes struggles to deliver. Crushing, banding and other anomalies are absent, contrast is precisely dialed in (dreary but illuminating, just as intended), and black levels are rich, natural and (to my eyes) without flaw. Colors are as muted as sunlight in Cronenberg's Future and yet there are moments of such lush beauty and gorgeous, believable skintones that it's apparent you are seeing as much or as little as the director allows at any given moment. CG effects are a bit more obvious in 4K but that's hardly an issue. Edges are crisp, clean and free of halos. Fine textures are resolved magnificently, a real boon in a film so concerned with flesh and bone. And moments of vibrance, rare though they may be, are stunning, cutting through the darkest beats of Crimes and flexing its Ultra HD muscle. Make no mistake, the 4K release of Crimes of the Future is hands down the version to watch, particularly when viewed in a properly darkened space with a finely calibrated display.

Crimes of the Future 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Decal's 4K edition of Crimes of the Future boasts the same high-quality DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track as its standard Blu-ray release, which is by no means a problem. Dialogue is clear, nicely grounded in the soundscape, and never overwhelmed by music or ambient effects. Pans are eerily smooth and directionality is spot on. The rear speakers are often subdued but it's all by design in the original sound mix. When chaos and the score crescendo, it's a rousing, involving affair capable of surprising with sonic flourish as easily as it sneaks up on the unsuspecting listener in quieter scenes. The subwoofer isn't forgotten either. Like the rear speakers, it's used sparingly and subtly on the whole, but there are moments of low- end power and weight. All told, Decal's lossless track is about as good as it could feasibly get, unless Decal is hiding an Atmos track for a future release. Doubtful but one can dream.

Crimes of the Future 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

While the 2K Blu-ray release of Crimes of the Future included very little supplemental material, Decal's 4K Ultra HD edition offers quite a lot... at least at first glance. While an early 1970 David Cronenberg film of the same name is included (and stands as the highlight of the special features), the rest of the package will leave you wanting. There's around 40 minutes of worthwhile behind the scenes material, but other bits and pieces are lacking. Still, it's a far better collection than the near-barebones package on the standard BD release.

• David Cronenberg's 1970 Crimes of the Future (HD, 63 minutes) - Previously available on DVD along with Stereo, another extremely early low budget Cronenberg effort, the 1970 version of Crimes of the Future shares almost nothing in common with the 2022 film. The characters, plot and even premise are completely different, making this more of a Cronenberg curiosity than anything more revealing or substantial. Still, there's always fun to be had in examining a director's earliest work, prior to their breaking through, and that slight joy of discovery and pre- evolutionary development is here.
  
  The story itself is about as sick and twisted as you could hope, set in a world where a man-made plague has wiped out all women, leaving men in the throes of chaos and deviance. Ronald Mlodzik plays Adrian, a clinic owner who sets out to find his missing (and deranged) colleague and mentor. Complicating matters is the fact that men have begun to be infected by a mutated version of the virus, which threatens to wipe out humanity. Unfortunately, it's a fairly boring endeavor, better in concept than in execution. It's a degree north of student film that relies on AVR audio and narration because it wasn't shot with synchronized sound. It makes for an hour-long slog, albeit one you'll wish Cronenberg revisted and remade properly. It'd be fascinating to see what he'd do with it in the 21st century, although the themes and plot points would make for a very... uncomfortable viewing.

• The Death of David Cronenberg (HD, 1 minute) - A disquieting short film (very short) in which Cronenberg bids farewell to his own rotting corpse.

• The Making of Crimes of the Future (HD, 10 minutes) - Cronenberg discusses the story, production and cast, offering a few tasty morsels of info that would have been much better served expanded upon in a full director's commentary. Still worth a watch. Just made me wish for more.

• Behind the Scenes Footage (HD, 11 minutes) - A series of B-roll bits compiled into a decent fly-on-the-wall montage of behind the scenes footage.

• Interviews (HD, 14 minutes) - Individual interviews with Viggo Mortensen, Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart. There were my favorite of the features, as each actor provides some compelling insight into their performances, processes and character motivations.

• 3D Animated Renders (HD, 5 minutes) - Three early animated renders are included for the Sark (with Arm Movement Test), the Breakfaster Chair and the Orchidbed.

• Photos & Renders (HD, 1 minute) - Additional production design concept photos and renders are available for the Sark and the Breakfaster Chair.

• Organ Sketches (HD, 1 minute)

• Location Photos & Studio Concept Drawings (HD, 1 minute)

• Board Game Reaction (HD, 3 minutes) - Cronenberg and bemused members of the cast react to a faux Crimes of the Future Boardgame called 'Surgery Is the New Sex', a play on the classic Operation boardgame. Good for a quick laugh.

• Crimes of the Future Trailers (HD) - Included is a teaser trailer, a theatrical trailer and a TV spot.

Crimes of the Future 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Crimes of the Future is a divisive return to filmmaking for director David Cronenberg after a nearly decade-long hiatus. For those who respond to its exploration of dark desires, though, there's more than enough here to engage the imagination. Decal's 4K release is easily superior to its BD counterpart, with a virtually flawless video presentation, excellent lossless audio track and a collection of special features you won't find on the standard Blu-ray (including one of Cronenberg's earliest experimental films). You'll long for a commentary or a deeper behind-the-scenes documentary but you could certainly do worse. If you're planning to purchase Crimes of the Future, Decal's 4K release is the clear winner.