Kingsman: The Secret Service 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Kingsman: The Secret Service 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 24, 2016

Several of the major studios/labels are releasing an interesting array of titles for the new format launch of 4K UHD Blu-ray, with most slated for a March 1 street date. Best Buy got a number of Fox titles in as exclusives first, and my colleague Martin Liebman and I will be posting reviews of those in the coming days.

For my thoughts on the film, please see our original Kingsman: The Secret Service Blu-ray review.

Those either just having adopted or thinking about transitioning to UHD will also want to read Marty's fun and informative article here.

Kingsman: The Secret Service 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: The accompanying screenshots have been taken from the regular BD at 1080p resolution. We are still evaluating options for 2160p screenshots. The review will be updated to include full 4K UHD resolution screenshots at a future date.

Note 2: Because of the newness of this equipment, it will be a few more days until I have my display calibrated to ISF standards. After that happens, I will revisit this title and update the review if necessary.

Kingsman: The Secret Service 4K is presented on 4K UHD Blu-ray with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.39:1. As I mentioned in my Exodus: Gods and Kings 4K Blu-ray review, the provenance of capture, DI and ultimate master formats begins to become more important with the advent of this increased resolution. According to the IMDb, Kingsman was captured at a source 2.8K resolution and then had a 2K DI prepared, which I assume in turn was used for the master. It may seem counterintuitive that Kingsman, captured at circa 3K, should offer similar levels of detail to Exodus, which was captured at circa 5K (even given the identical 2K DIs both received), but that turns out to be largely the case here. The uptick in detail levels is immediately apparent from the get go on this release, with (to cite just one early example) the swirls of dust and grit in the opening sequence much more clearly defined and delineated in the 2160p version.

The fussy production design of the film bursts with new immediacy now, with clarity extending far back into the frame, and with the HDR offering all sorts of new nuanced color, especially in some of the interior shots, where elements like the green wallpaper in the Kingsman offices looks almost palpable a lot of the time. Shadow detail is also increased, notably in moments like the training sequence with Eggsy on the subway tracks. Close-ups offer astounding levels of detail, especially with regard to faces (something that also struck me immediately about Exodus).

I was somewhat less impressed with some of the big set pieces in the film, some of which (like the big church massacre) involve lots of step printing and other bells and whistles. Sharpness and clarity take at least a bit of a downturn in these moments, but by incremental steps.

I'm still experiencing a kind of quasi-judder like I mentioned in the Exodus: Gods and Kings 4K Blu-ray review (something that may be ameliorated by my upcoming calibration). For me, this was obvious right out of the gate as the camera tracks back from the boombox in the film's opening moments. Later, as the camera pans past the sign identifying Savile Row, it reared its shaky head again, and I noticed it throughout several sequences that featured either vertical or horizontal pans. It's never horrible, but for the moment at least, it's there and worth mentioning.

This is another film where the numerical score may be a work in progress. I frankly want to see some 4K UHD releases that are sourced from higher resolution masters just to see if there's any noticeable difference. For that reason, I'm giving myself a bit of "wiggle room" here, but for all intents and purposes, this is a major upgrade and fans of the film should be very well pleased.

Kingsman: The Secret Service 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This release utilizes the same audio as that discussed in our original Kingsman: The Secret Service Blu-ray review. (This seems at least a little odd, in that the IMDb lists this as having had a Dolby Atmos release theatrically. None of this first wave of Fox releases offers either Dolby Atmos or DTS:X.)

Kingsman: The Secret Service 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The UHD 4K disc contains no supplemental material. The 1080p Blu-ray disc included in this package includes all of the supplements from the original Kingsman: The Secret Service release.

Kingsman: The Secret Service 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kingsman: The Secret Service 4K offers a glut of eye candy in this new 4K presentation, something that (again, like Exodus: Gods and Kings 4K) may tend to divert the mind from pressing issues like plot holes and silly contrivances. The film is a lot of fun once it gets its mojo working, and Samuel L. Jackson is (to put it simply) a hoot. The film's really handsome production design is more impressive than ever in 2160p, and my hunch is the film's fans will be well pleased with the look of this release. Recommended.