6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.2 |
In 2154, the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth, a man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds.
Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego LunaAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 71% |
Thriller | 44% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
Catalan: Dolby Digital 5.1
Czech: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
German: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Hungarian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Korean: Dolby Digital 2.0
Polish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Russian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Thai: Dolby Digital 5.1
Turkish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Ukrainian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Polish=V.O., Spanish=Castilian and Latin American
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Arabic, Cantonese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Sony has released Director Neill Blomkamp's 2013 Sci-Fi film 'Elysium' to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/HDR video and Dolby Atmos audio. Several new extras are included on both the UHD disc and the Blu-ray.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.
Elysium's UHD presentation earns high marks for its HDR colors and its boosted 2160p resolution, though certainly it's the former that
ultimately defines this experience. A red drop ship seen at the 12-minute mark presents with a fairly substantial increase in depth and vibrancy; the
color leaps off the screen where the same on the Blu-ray appears flat and pale in comparison. Similar color reproduction improvements are found
elsewhere, perhaps nothing more exciting than a scene in which three drop ships race towards Elysium. Earth's blue is incredibly vibrant, a bold,
brilliant tone that leaps off the screen with some of the most impressive punch one will ever find on a UHD. Contrasted against the perfectly dark
outer
space expanse, it's a reference worthy scene and arguably the best the film has to offer. Additionally, red security robots, expressive natural greens,
and even the earthy, bleak beiges and browns and grays on Earth enjoy a more fundamentally fruitful color output. White balance and brilliance are
greatly improved as well, whether stark whites or bright light sources. Blacks are excellent in all variations as well.
The UHD's 2160p resolution reveals sharper object detail up close and at distance as well. Facial close-ups offer the most obvious, and most
substantial,
of the textural improvements. While refinements are not drastic, the improvements to clarity are readily evident in fine skin textures such as pores,
lips,
eyelashes, and facial scruff, not to mention applied makeup and tattoos. More richly defined and more aggressively sharp and clear textures are also
the norm even at distance, including practical landscapes on Earth where tattered structures, dirt, and debris are commonplace both inside and
outside. On Elysium, the textural output to the more refined environments and smoother surfaces are
readily apparent, even if they're not so texturally dense as those found on Earth. Outer space shots of the Elysium platform show greatly improved
textural clarity and
nuance even in digital effects shots. Study the station during most any exterior shot (the aforementioned sequence in which the dropships approach
it
relatively early in the film is a good opportunity) and find a rather large improvement to clarity. This disc further suffers from no source or encode
maladies. Elysium looks terrific on UHD.
Elysium's Dolby Atmos soundtrack delivers a high quality listening experience. While it's not greatly reworked from the previous 7.1 lossless track, the added overhead channels compliment a terrific sound design, bringing more force and feel and flavor to the proceedings as music, action, ships, and ambience all benefit from the height channels. The result is a fuller, more immersive listen with greater command of its spatial confines, more fully drawing the listener into Blomkamp's world. Action delights with weighty gunfire, dense and detailed ship sounds, and when blended with the fully immersive and high fidelity music there's nothing to disappoint in each of the most aggressive action scenes. World atmosphere is nicely enveloping and rich in clarity as well. Dialogue is clear, well prioritized even in pitch action, and consistently centered in the front. This is a very good, exceptionally dynamic track from Sony.
Elysium's UHD disc includes several new extras which are reviewed below. The bundled Blu-ray brings with it all of the legacy extras but has
been altered to also include the new extras also found on the UHD disc. The carryover extras are outlined below and full reviews can be found here. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase.
This release ships with a slipcover.
UHD:
Elysium isn't so excellent as Blomkamp's District 9 but it's hard to argue that the filmmaker is not without vision or the ability to bring a socially aware Sci-Fi story to the screen with remarkable clarity of purpose and visuals alike. Sony's UHD does well by the movie. The 2160p/HDR video presentation is terrific, as is the Dolby Atmos soundtrack. All of the legacy extras are included as well as a handful of new ones. Highly recommended.
2015
Special Edition
2000
2009
Collector's Edition
2013
2011
Cinematic Universe Edition
2018
2011
2007
2004
2009
3-Disc Set
2010
2011
2010
2013
1971
2014
Limited Edition
2004
2018
Director's Cut
2009
Ultimate Collector's Edition
1986