Rating summary
| Movie |  | 2.5 |
| Video |  | 4.5 |
| Audio | | 4.5 |
| Extras |  | 2.0 |
| Overall |  | 3.5 |
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV 4K Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 15, 2021
Sony has released the 2016 video game-based and digitally animated film 'Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV' to the UHD format. The studio initially
released the film to the
1080p Blu-ray format in October 2016. This UHD presentation includes new 2160p/HDR video. No new audio or supplemental content has been
included. See below for a review of the new video quality.
For a long time, the magic of the Divine Crystal has blessed the people of Lucis. However, the crystal's great power has now brought hardship to
the land.
The technologically advanced kingdom of Niflheim has long waged war against Lucis, which is protected by both the crystal's power and an elite
military unit known as the "Kingsglaive," but hostilities are about to come to a standstill. The warring factions have agreed to a peace treaty. King
Regis of Lucis (voiced by Sean Bean) has agreed to an arranged marriage between his son, Prince Noctis (voiced by Ray Chase), and Lunafreya Nox
Fleuret (voiced by Lena Headey), once a princess of the Niflheim-conquered land of Tenebrae. But Nyx (voiced by Aaron Paul), one of the
Kingsglaive, comes into crucial information that all may not be as it seems in the brokered peace between the warring factions.
For a full film review, please click
here.
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.
The HDR color output makes for a rich addition to the movie's presentation. Overall color depth and vitality are predictably, and appreciably, superior
here. Look at the
opening title card. There's a richness to the UHD -- a fine tuned vibrancy and tonal intricacy -- that's absent on the Blu-ray, which appears dreary and
flat in comparison, both at this particular juncture and, indeed, through pretty much the entire film at any point of comparison. The opening battle
offers a blend of dull earthen colors and grays and blacks intermixed with
some brilliant blue blasts of magic and, a few minutes later, some intense fiery reds and oranges. Color vividness and vitality are superior, and quite
boldly so, evident not just on those intense primaries but throughout the film with its many examples of dark colored armor, gray stone urban
constructs, and
the like. White balance is vastly improved, too, yielding superior luminance and output intensity not just on pure white but lighter grays, too. Black
levels are excellent, not simply considering pure shadow definition and depth but also extending to clothes and other dark black and near black
elements, which are plentiful in the film. All such examples stand apart for depth and superiority.
Texturally the image is also superior to the Blu-ray. The increased resolution brings out a fairly substantial boost to clarity. Fine object definition is
greatly
improved here with the Blu-ray comparatively fuzzy and unfocused (though still looking great in isolation beyond UHD comparisons). Fine facial and
clothing details are the most obvious sources of improvement but
there's no missing the superior clarity at every turn, within any environment and considering both near frame elements and objects far from the
camera. The
UHD dazzles with its innate ability to bring out the finest textural nuances within the source animation, which can include facial stubble, hair on
heads,
resplendent garb, military uniforms, urban accents, finely appointed palaces, and so much more. The movie is a treasure trove for digital production
elements that the UHD is well capable of bringing to their fullest life. With the adds to color depth and brilliance this is a particularly strong upgrade
from Blu-ray and a beautiful image as a standalone work. Some aliasing inherent to the source animation remains (look at doors at the 13:23 mark
for one of many, admittedly mostly light, examples)
but this is the only real source of trouble the image encounters. It's otherwise a terrific example of UHD/HDR picture workmanship and engineering.
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Rather than remix for the Dolby Atmos or DTS:X configurations, Sony has simply repurposed the Blu-ray's excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless
soundtrack. For a full review, please click here.
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
No supplements appear on the UHD disc. The bundled Blu-ray, which is identical to Sony's 2016 issue, includes the extras outlined below. For full
supplemental reviews, please click here. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is
included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.
- A Way with Words: Epic and Intimate Vocals
- To Capture the Kingsglaive: The Process
- Fit for the Kingsglaive: Building the World
- Emotive Music: Scoring The Kingsglaive
- Previews
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV is a technical marvel paired with a rather lackluster movie -- at least in delivery -- around it. It has some
highlight
moments of action and intrigue, but there's too much density to be satisfied within the confines of a two-hour film. Sony's UHD delivers vastly improved
picture even
compared to the excellent 2016 Blu-ray: it's sharper, more clear, and more richly colorful, and by a good margin at that. Audio and supplementary
content
remain unchanged. Recommended for fans of the film and the franchise.
