Fast Five 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Fast Five 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Universal has released the fifth film in the Fast & Furious franchise, 'Fast Five,' to the UHD format. The new release includes a 2160p/HDR video presentation and a DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack. No new supplements are included but the bundled Blu-ray, identical to that which Universal released years ago, carries over all of the legacy content.

Fast Five 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Fast Five's Blu-ray release from 2011 was no slouch and its 1080p transfer still holds up remarkably well today. The UHD betters it, but the presentation is more of a refinement rather than an overhaul, as was the case with the previous films in the series (Tokyo Drift) being the exception to that). The movie translates exceptionally well to UHD. The added resolution brings with it increased sharpness that offers greater visibility of fine-point facial details, including pores and sweat in the sticky and hot Brazilian locales. Clothing is unsurprisingly razor-crisp, including some tactical gear various characters, including Dwayne Johnson's Hobbs, wear in several scenes. The dense Brazilian environments, particularly where the crew hides out, has nothing but splendid clarity on offer, showcasing all of the extremely fine textures -- block and brick walls, pavement, grasses, and weeds -- with extreme sharpness. The grain structure is healthy and cinematic. It's not dense but it's not fine either. What it is is naturally integrated and finessed, adding a handsome complimentary layer to the proceedings.

The HDR color spectrum likewise offers a boost rather than a drastic reconfiguration. The color palette yanks up contrast even further than the Blu-ray. The picture runs hot. Flesh tones certainly push warm and then some. Take a look at an indoor sequence in Brazil at the six-minute mark. Skin tones are practically ablaze, pushing critical mass on the orange/red end of the spectrum. But the colors don't always look so overcooked. In daylight, the warmth remains but there's a pleasing array of solidly defined hues, including natural greens, variously colored clothes and locations, and, of course, plenty of loud, flashy cars where paints absolutely leap off the screen. They are not quite so showroom glossy as seen in the first film. This is a hotter take, favoring depth and contrast rather than pure color release.

Fast Five 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Fast Five's DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack is an optimal bit of audio engineering. Object clarity is superb. Fine point detail to music and effects alike is faultless. The track is a full-fledged and high octane, to use the series' parlance, extravaganza. It's not excessive but it's not passive. It's not thunderous but it's not timid. It's perfectly constructed with every scene a new opportunity to develop and present finely honed sonic excellence through the speakers. Action and music are of course the driving forces. Both are prodigious without sacrificing precision. Music is expansive and enveloping with perfect clarity and a hearty low end engagement that never overpowers or overwhelms but rather compliments. Car zip and zoom is terrifically implemented. Engine sounds are precise and subwoofer usage is finely balanced. Every speaker engages in harmonious balance; every shot finds perfectly structured and presented sound elements in their appropriate homes to match the on-screen action. Gunfire cracks and pops with authority while other action elements are likewise true, and the top layer is worked in to seamless assistance. Ambient details are finely integrated, including naturally and lightly reverberating dialogue where the overhead channels help shape the room's acoustics. Dialogue is clear and center focused. It is well prioritized even through the maelstroms of mayhem.

Fast Five 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Fast Five's UHD disc contains two cuts of the film on the disc: the Theatrical Version (2:10:19) and the Extended Version (2:11:33). The UHD disc only includes the legacy Justin Lin commentary track, available with the Extended Version. That track, plus all of the other extras, can be found on the bundled Blu-ray. For convenience, below is a list of what's included. For full supplemental content coverage, please click here. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Second Screen
• Deleted Scenes
• Gag Reel
• The Big Train Heist
• Reuniting the Team
• A New Set of Wheels
• Dom's Journey
• Brian O'Conner: From Fed to Con
• Enter Federal Agent Hobbs
• Dom vs. Hobbs
• On Set with Director Justin Lin
• Inside the Vault Chase
• Tyrese TV
• Feature Commentary with Director Justin Lin (Extended Version Only)

Fast Five 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's no room for complaint. Universal's UHD release of Fast Five is excellent, even if it is the least dramatic upgrade of the first handful of films (ignoring Tokyo Drift). Video is naturally filmic and colors are wonderful if not fairly to substantially warm. Audio is terrific, as is always the case for the franchise. No new extras are included but the bundled Blu-ray carries over a fairly lengthy assortment of bonuses. Highly recommended.