Cypher 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Cypher 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Cypher is a dark and fun spy movie with science-fiction elements. Executive produced by Shebnem Askin (The Heart of Me), Cypher takes a page from The Twilight Zone. Produced by Paul Federbush (The Heart of Me), Wendy Grean (It's a Boy Girl Thing), Casey La Scala (Donnie Darko), and Hunt Lowry (The Last of the Mohicans), Cypher is well worth discovery for fans of spy action movies who appreciate dark sci-fi storytelling.

Morgan Sullivan (Jeremy Northam) enters a new and mysterious world of corporate espionage that he never expected to become a part of. As the experience of working as an agent in espionage unfolds, a strange life of espionage begins to unfold before him while he meets other agents such as the sexy femme fatale Rita Foster (Lucy Liu). Can Morgan manage to be a successful double agent and be an unexpected hero within the world of espionage?

Jeremy Northam is fantastic as Morgan Sullivan. A great leading performance and one that easily carries the film. Lucy Liu is remarkably cool and suave as Rita Foster. Liu gives a terrific performance and adds endless charm to the film. The supporting cast of characters includes Finster (Nigel Bennett), Callaway (Timothy Webber), Virgil C. Dunn (David Hewlett), Diane (Kari Matchett), and Amy (Kristina Nicoll). The supporting cast has a lot of fun with their respective roles, too.

The score composed by Michael Andrews (Donnie Darko, Me and You and Everyone We Know) is one of the best components of the film. Andrews made a first-rate score. As the composer of some of the best indie films and gems like Donnie Darko, Andrews was a great choice for this sci-fi thriller. The music adds a mysterious and compelling quality that is undeniable.

The cinematography by Derek Rogers (Cube, Resident Evil: Apocalypse) is a natural highlight of the film. The cinematography is creative and bold. The cinematographic style is perfect for the genre elements. Fantastic visuals and a sense of surrealism make the cinematography all the more successful and engaging.

Edited by Bert Kish (Power Play, Once a Thief), Cypher is a well-paced thrill ride. The editing handles the sense of excitement well. The editing balances the spy element with the action-adventure aspect. It is certainly a solid edit of the feature-film.

The production designs by Jasna Stefanovic (Cube, The Virgin Suicides) are fantastic and some of the most visually compelling elements of the entire film. The production design is first-rate and brilliant throughout. There are so many fantastic visuals achieved through the production design. The work throughout the film is brilliant and far better than most viewers would expect – with Stefanovic delivering something remarkable in spades.

The production features some other compelling elements, too. There is impressive art direction by James Phillips (El Chicano, For the Moment). Cypher also features worthwhile costumes by Tamara Winston (Sanctuary, 2103: The Deadly Wake). The costuming adding to the sense of suave cool by leading actors Jeremy Northam and Lucy Liu.

Written by Brian King (Night Train, Haunter), Cypher is a well-written script. The screenplay is half the fun. The dialogue is well-done. The storytelling is exciting and memorable. The script takes a lot of inspiration from classic science-fiction – inspired by both The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. Fantastic script.

Directed by Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Splice), Cypher is a thoroughly entertaining spy film with great sci- fi underpinnings that are subtle but highly appreciable. Natali made something special with Cypher and audiences will appreciate its futuristic vibe and style. The filmmaking is fun and action-packed. This is certainly a fun movie and one that fans of cult cinema will appreciate.

Cypher 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on 4K UHD by Umbrella Entertainment, Cypher is presented in HEVC / H.265 in a 4K UHD presentation. The 4K UHD presentation on the release is presented in a theatrical aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The release includes a selection of high dynamic range options, too.

The release includes both HDR10 standard and Dolby Vision high dynamic range. The Dolby Vision option provides an additional layer of metadata for those equipped for Dolby Vision playback. The colors pop with considerable depth and handle the differences between the brightest brights and darkest blacks exceptionally well with the HDR encoding.

The 4K UHD scan and restoration of Cypher is impeccable. The level of detail to the image is fantastic and far exceeded expectations. An enormously immersive presentation and one that is much more enveloping, deep, and mesmerizing on the 4K UHD format.

Physical media provides gains over streaming and the high bit-rate encoding of the 4K UHD ensures an optimal presentation. This is one of the best qualities of the 4K UHD disc format. 4K UHD disc allows a immersive viewing experience which retains information – replicating the theatrical experience as closely as possible.

Cypher 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The lossless, high-resolution audio presentation provides a crystal-clear soundstage. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The score is beautifully reproduced on the release.

The sound effects are well reproduced and are well integrated into the sound mix. The entire soundstage is robust and pleasing throughout. The clear and vibrant audio presentation provides a more immersive experience for home theater enthusiasts to enjoy.

One of the best qualities of physical media is the lossless encoding. Streaming video services only offer lossy (non-lossless) audio encoding. For home theater enthusiasts and audiophiles alike, the lossless experience provides a more immersive viewing option. The audio quality is tremendous and for any enthusiast who appreciate hi-fi it is an essential component of the Blu-ray and 4K format.

One clear advantage: lossless provides true theater quality audio. That's a great selling point – the audio quality is as good as what professional cinemas offer modern audiences. Lossless audio is a huge advantage over streaming and it always is an example of the strength of physical media.

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

The Umbrella Entertainment collector's edition comes packaged in a deluxe chipboard art-box with incredible commissioned artwork. The box-set includes a slipcovered copy of the film inside of the boxset. The release comes with a book, 8 artcards, and a double-sided poster.

On disc supplements include:

Audio Commentary with Critics Simon Miraudo and Tristan Fidler

Audio Commentary with Director Vincenzo Natali, Actor David Hewlitt, Designer Jasna Stefanovic, and Writer Brian King

Director Vincenzo Natali Interviewed by Claire Donner, Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies (HD, 27:57)

Interview with Director of Photography Derek Rogers (HD, 15:28)

Interview with Screenwriter Brian King (HD, 14:56)

A Twisty, Underrated Sci-Fi Chiller: Dread Central on Cypher (HD, 4:08)

Archival Interview with Vincenzo Natali (SD, 5:34)

Q & A With Jeremy Northam and Lucy Liu (SD, 3:50)

The "Making Of" Featurette (SD, 11:02)

Deleted & Extended Scenes with Director's Commentary (SD, 18:20)

Behind the Scenes Featurette with Director's Commentary (SD, 21:48)

Cast and Crew Interviews (SD, 3:10:06)

Trailer (HD, 1:59)

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

Cypher is an enormously underrated spy thriller with compelling sci-fi elements. The futuristic vibe and energy of the storytelling make it all the more effective. The production design is fantastic and the filmmaking exhilarating. The performances by Jeremy Northam and Lucy Liu impress in spades. Audiences who appreciate cult movies will certainly enjoy the action-packed fun of Cypher.

The Umbrella Entertainment release includes a deluxe chipboard art-box, a slipcovered edition, a series of art cards, a book, and a double-sided poster. The box-set is a treasure trove for fans of the film. A must own for Cypher fans. Highly recommended.