Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

Let Him Go 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

"Sometimes that's all life is, Margaret. A list of what we lost."

Reviewed by Justin Dekker September 3, 2024

Released in 2020 and arriving on Blu-ray in 2021, 'Let Him Go' makes its 4K UHD debut courtesy of Universal. Starring fan favorites Diane Lane and Kevin Costner, the film, based on North Dakota native Larry Watson's novel, follows the couple's efforts to restore their family in the wake of tragedy. This release is outfitted with an impressive 2160p 2:39:1 video presentation and a robust Dolby Atmos audio track. Special features are light. A slipcover is not included, but a Blu-ray and a Digital Code redeemable through Movies Anywhere are both packaged with this release.

For an appreciation of the film, please see Martin Liebman's review of the 2021 Blu-ray by following this link.

Let Him Go 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Let Him Go's HEVC encoded image is never less than impressive. Due to the era and the rural area in which the film was set, the color palette does not provide many opportunities for dazzling color, save for the reds and turquoise in the vintage automobiles. Still, the colors are nicely saturated with Lane's orange flannel looking very rich, as do the hunter green booths in the diner. Fine detail is consistently high. Facial close-ups allow the viewer to inspect every wrinkle, line, and bit of stubble on the landscape of Costner's aging face, and every flyaway hair is detectable in Lane's sometimes haggard appearance as she is dominated by worry and determination. The frequent wide shots of sweeping landscapes and distant mountains also reveal rich environmental particulars, and as breathtaking as some of the shots are and as long as the camera lingers, they leave the viewer wanting more. Blacks are deep and inky, and even in dimly lit interiors such as the barn and one of the shops along their search, detail is never crushed. Skin tones are universally healthy and realistic.

(Please note: all screenshots are sourced from the included 1080p disc.)

Let Him Go 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Dolby Atmos audio track is simple but stunning. Most noticeably, the track handles music extremely well. When allowed to grow, the typically sparse and melancholy score is remarkably crisp and precise with various stringed instruments never failing to impress. Bass adds needed depth to such interludes and convincing realism to the thundering hoofbeats of horses, and the rumbling engines of old pick-up trucks. Surrounds are used with great success to add atmospheric depth to most scenes, with the twitter of birds, caws of crows, and barks from dogs creating lifelike neighborhoods and farmsteads. Directionality is fine-tuned, with objects moving accurately and fluidly through the sound field. Dialogue is clean and intelligible in all circumstances, is properly prioritized, and is front and center focused. The track, though it clearly could, never overwhelms with the power that it occasionally hints at, preferring instead to take a more sophisticated and subtle approach.

Let Him Go 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The supplemental features from the previous Blu-ray release are brought forward here and consist of:

• The Making of Let Him Go (6.23)

• The Blackledges: Kevin Costner & Diane Lane (4.14)

• Lighting the Way: Thomas Bezucha (3.15)

For a discussion of these elements, please follow this link .

Let Him Go 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

From the opening frames of the film, darkness of several sorts continuously bubbles below the surface and occasionally erupts creating a tense, desperate, and at times, hopeless atmosphere. That darkness is supported expertly by the haunting score and and rather drab color scheme. The bulk of Costner's performance is steadfast and supportive, he's Lane's rock. But Let Him Go is Lane's picture. She turns in positively one of her best performances in years, traversing the full range of emotions as seeks to restore what's left of her family and provide a brighter future for her grandson than he would have with his foster father and his family in North Dakota. Besting the previous Blu-ray on several fronts, the 4K transfer is very sharp, and the Dolby Atmos track is excellent. Fans who have yet to purchase the film should not hesitate to add this release to their collections, and those looking to upgrade from their Blu-ray disc will be more than pleased with the improvements on display here. Let Him Go 4K comes highly recommended.