Do the Right Thing 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Do the Right Thing 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

It ain't never too hot -- or never too cold -- for buying Steelbooks.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III February 10, 2021

Released alongside the new standard 4K edition, Universal and Target have collaborated on an exclusive 4K Steelbook version of Spike Lee's seminal Do the Right Thing, a blistering portrait of racial conflict on one particularly hot day in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn circa 1989. It's a fantastic film and one of the best of its decade, still relevant more than 30 years later. Universal's 4K earns top marks in every department and this Steelbook follows suit with stylish design elements that are almost as colorful as the film itself. As far as "total package" releases go, this is as good as it gets.

For a full review of the movie, please see my colleague Marty Liebman's very recent review of the standard 4K edition. I'll go one step further in the star ratings and say Do the Right Thing is pretty much a perfect production; though I was a little too young to watch it theatrically, I've seen and enjoyed it many times since the mid 1990s and it plays as well now as it did then. As someone raised in a very urban environment, the film paints an incredibly vivid and authentic picture that resonates with me deeply. But whether you opt for the standard version or Target's attractive Steelbook variant, Universal's flawless presentation makes 2021 as good a time as any to revisit this classic film.

Do the Right Thing 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For an evaluation of the 4K's 2160p presentation, check out Marty's review of the standard 4K edition.

Do the Right Thing 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For an evaluation of Do the Right Thing's new DTS:X audio presentation (which was built from a 5.1 remix), I again refer you to the standard 4K edition. The only missing element on both versions is the film's theatrical 2.0 mix, which has sadly not been heard since Criterion's excellent 2001 DVD and earns it a half-point deduction in my book.

Do the Right Thing 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release arrives in exclusive Steelbook packaging that looks great and has a nice slim profile, unlike the brick-sized Criterion Blu-ray. The extras are on both discs and identical to those on the standard 4K edition.

• Steelbook Packaging - This Steelbook has everything I'm looking for in a packaging design: distinctive style, vivid colors, and a matte finish that completely resists fingerprints. Who wants to handle physical media with latex gloves? Anyway, the blue-dominant wraparound cover image obviously hearkens back to the film's original poster art, which was used for several previous Universal editions including the standard 4K release. This new design eliminates Mookie, Sal, and the unnamed young girl and focuses on her chalk artwork instead, adding in new drawings like Radio Raheem's beloved boombox, his "Love and Hate" knuckle rings, a Sal's pizza box, the all-important trash can, and more. The interior spread is a shot from the movie with Ahmad and his crew passing ML, Coconut Sid, and Sweet Dick Willie in front of their red-bricked headquarters. Overall, it's a pretty unique design that captures the movie's spirit and looks even better in-hand than these pictures suggest.

Do the Right Thing 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing is an all-time classic and one of my favorite movies from a great era of filmmaking. It still feels fresh and vibrant more than 30 years later and has earned an absolutely top-notch 4K edition from Universal with an outstanding A/V presentation and a very thorough collection of bonus features. Target's exclusive Steelbook edition features attractive design elements and a preferred matte finish that gives it great collectable appeal for fans. Whether you opt for this or the standard 4K edition (both are similarly priced), it's an essential purchase.