6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
When a rescue crew investigates a spaceship that disappeared into a black hole and has now returned, things start to take an increasingly horrific turn.
Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, Joely Richardson, Richard T. JonesHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 88% |
Sci-Fi | 55% |
Supernatural | 31% |
Mystery | 26% |
Surreal | 16% |
Psychological thriller | 15% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
German: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Paramount has released the 1997 Sci-Fi/Horror film 'Event Horizon' to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. No new audio track has been included, and no new supplements have been added. The bundled Blu-ray is identical to that which Paramount released in 2008. Note that the film was subsequently re-released to Blu-ray by Shout! Factory in 2021, a disc which contains a slew of special features not included on either of the Paramount releases.
Paramount brings Event Horizon to the UHD format with a spectacular 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer that is worlds away superior to the
original
2008 Blu-ray. I do not have access to a copy of the Shout! Factory release and cannot make a comparison, but it's safe to say that this is the current
pinnacle for the film on a home video format.
Compared to the 2008 release, this UHD offers a significant improvement to the film's natural grain structure rendering. It's beautifully organic and
smooth, well defined and never appearing clumpy or processed; spikes in intensity are rare (see the 45-minute mark for one). This is a particularly
nice
filmic texturing that is certainly the base for an excellent image. The picture is sharp and clear, and textures are complex. Though the film is fairly
dark,
with grays and blues and greens and browns dominating the ship interiors, there's no mistaking the exacting clarity with which the set pieces and the
various costumes are presented to their fullest visual potential. Faces enjoy robust sharpness and intimate definition as well to pores, lines, and hairs,
well beyond the reach of the 2008 Blu-ray. There are some inherently softer shots, and the visual effects lack that razor edge definition by their dated
design, but the core film elements look stunning. Fans are going to be ecstatic!
The Dolby Vision color grading handles duties remarkably well. There is plenty of newfound depth and color accuracy to be found, and even as the
film is
pervasively dark there's no mistaking that this grading finds the best output display parameter for each color. Whether talking the dark green
jumpsuits,
flat gray ships interiors, or various brown and beige supports and accents, the picture's dreary palette has never looked so alive, but also so
purposefully foreboding as it does here. Black levels, vital to that atmosphere, are excellent. Whites are crisp enough and skin tones look great.
Additionally, it is clear that a significant clean-up has been performed as well. Gone are some of the intrusive pops and speckles from the old
Paramount disc (see a visual effect shot
at the 23:20 mark for a good comparative example). There are no obvious print faults or encode failures so report. This is neither the best-looking
movie by
its nature nor one that lends itself to total UHD reference bliss, but this is absolutely a fine presentation of the film that does every second of it
justice.
Rather than present the soundtrack in the Dolby Atmos configuration, Paramount has simply repurposed the aged, but adequate, Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack for this release. Please click here for a full audio review.
The UHD disc contains no extras. The bundled Blu-ray is identical to Paramount's 2008 release (the disc exterior color is different) and includes the
extras outlined below (please click here for full coverage). A digital copy code is included with
purchase.
All things considered, Event Horizon is a cut above many standard-fare Sci-Fi and Horror pictures. Despite a few non-fatal flaws, the film is both terrifying and entertaining, holds decent replay value, and most importantly, never becomes too mired in convention. The performances are solid, the direction, cinematography, and score all above average and effective, and the script, while not perfect, translates well to film. These elements make for a fine late-night horror experience that offers a winning combination of visual and psychological horror. This new UHD release delivers a new 2160p/Dolby Vision video transfer that is well worth the upgrade cost. The SteelBook is nice, too. Recommended.
Limited Edition Reprint
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
Collector's Edition
1997
1997
2009
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2013
2011
2011
2013
1982
2018
40th Anniversary Edition
1979
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1996
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1980
2007
1985
2017
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Limited Edition
2007
2018
2000