Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Elysium 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

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.

Elysium 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

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:

• Exoskeletons, Explosions, and the Action Choreography of Elysium (1080p, 29:48): An in-depth exploration of so much of the film's support elements: practical and visual effects, tattoo design and application, weapons and suit design and integration, vehicles, stunt work, pyrotechnics, fight choreography, and more.
• The Hero, The Psychopath, and the Characters of Elysium (1080p, 6:15): Discussing the film's protagonist, antagonist, and some of the key support characters.
• The Art of the Elysium Miniatures (1080p, 4:40): Discussing the role models and miniatures play in the film, with emphasis on the Raven crash shot. It covers the advantage of practical effects over digital, too, and looks at the process of staging the special effect.
• Bugatti 2154 (1080p, 4:50): Neill Blomkamp discusses his love of cars, Bugatti's cooperation with the film, and vehicle design and construction.
• Trailers (1080p, 8:29 total runtime): Included are Theatrical Trailer 1, Theatrical Trailer 2, and International Trailer.

• Visions of 2154
• Extended Scene: Kruger Wakes Up
• The Journey to Elysium
• Exoskeletons, Explosions, and the Action Choreography of Elysium
• Collaboration: Crafting the Performances in Elysium
• The Hero, The Psychopath, and the Characters of Elysium
• The Technology of 2154
• The Art of the Elysium Miniatures
• In Support of Story: The Visual Effects of Elysium
• Engineering Utopia: A Society in the Sky
• Bugatti 2154

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

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.