Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Mamma Mia! 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 15, 2018

Universal has released 2008's ABBA-inspired hit Musical 'Mamma Mia!' to UHD in celebration of the film's 10-year anniversary. This new three-disc set includes a brand-new 4K/HDR video transfer, a new DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack, and a new bonus features DVD disc. Unfortunately, no changes have been made to the Blu-ray, which is a straight port of the disc released in December 2008; only disc artwork is different. That disc does carry over all of the original supplemental content.

Mamma Mia! began life as a stage production built around ABBA’s infectiously Pop-y beats that were, and remain, amongst the greatest landmarks in the classic Dance music arena. The production translates very well to film, allowing it open up, significantly at times, and revel in its gorgeous Greek locations and expand the vitality and performance of its music, complimenting the story of a young girl in search of her father on the eve of her wedding. In the film, the actors sing the songs, and that they don’t sing the songs perfectly, or dance with precision, ranks as the movie’s biggest charm. Pierce Brosnan singing “SOS” is quite the silly sight (but not much of a sound), but it works. The performance is a bit flat and a little gruff, but it comes from the heart, it’s silly, and Donna’s reaction as he bursts into song -- kind of a “what’s going on here?” -- is priceless. It’s clear the cast worked hard on the songs, but it’s the imperfections that give the movie heart and actually put the emphasis on the music, which of course is the real driving narrative force in the film. Anyone can go buy a studio album if they just want to hear the songs perfectly performed and regurgitated for the zillionth time, but this is something else entirely, and something entirely special, a perfect melding of sight and sound, song and soul that makes for one of the most infectiously fun Musical movies of the past several decades.

For another take on the film, please see the review of the 2008 Blu-ray release here.

Mamma Mia! 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.

Mamma Mia!'s 4K/HDR presentation is certainly a fairly healthy step forward from the aging Blu-ray, and it's largely because of the significant add to color vitality and vibrancy courtesy of the HDR color enhancement. Colors see a dramatic boost in intensity and the lush exploding primaries are obvious even without conducting a direct comparison. Certainly the gorgeous blue waters that are so frequently seen in the film dazzle with a shade that's deeper and more vibrant than the Blu-ray, whereon the color looks comparatively bland and drained of vitality. It's a gorgeous upgrade and arguably the most impressive of the bunch. Natural greens enjoy much the same spring forward in depth and intensity, and even earthy rock formations, terrains, and structures offer much more color nuance, depth, and differentiation between subtle variations in shading. That allows for greater distinction between various natural elements, such as piles of stone, sandy beaches, anything not man-made. Skin tones are much deeper as well. They're much healthier, featuring a fairly significant add to color depth and density. The image absolutely springs to life with every new splash of color. Clothes, environments, anything in what is a very cheerfully colored movie looks gorgeous under the HDR color parameters.

Increases in sharpness are ever-obvious but a little less dramatic than the firmer, more uniform, more robust color palette. The UHD, reportedly sourced from a 2K digital intermediate of the original 35MM film elements, lacks the significant, awe-inspiring complexity of the best the format has to offer but still better than the 1080p alternative. Facial textures are not seriously revealing, actually appearing somewhat flat at times. Comparisons with the Blu-ray reveal no major add to visible complexity, just increased sharpness of what's already there. Natural terrain is a bit more dramatically impressive in terms of added clarity the 4K resolution brings to the table. But no matter the object on screen, there's no mistaking the uptick in sharpness over the Blu-ray. There are some inherently softer focus edges throughout the film. Grain is fairly even and pleasantly organic. The movie certainly benefits from the UHD treatment. It doesn't shine with the absolute best, but the increase to color vitality is often striking and the additional sharpness is welcome. Fans should find this a very positive upgrade from the now obsolete Blu-ray.

Mamma Mia! 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Mamma Mia's audio has received a UHD upgrade as well, making the jump from the Blu-ray's capable but not particularly noteworthy DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack to a much improved DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack. While it lacks the absolute excellence of the finest tracks, it captures the musical verve and intensity that's critical to the movie's tonal success and audience enjoyment very well. Clarity soars with every infectious beat. Notes spill out of every speaker (front dominant, however) and immerse the listener in ABBA goodness. That includes a mild but often evident upper layer support structure. The track further delivers vocals with excellent detail, allowing the fairly drastic range of singing voices and the accompanying waves of vocal quality to be truly appreciated, and the little individual ticks and flaws in the vocals certainly give the movie an added charm. Music may be the dominant factor in the film, but Greek locale environmental details are well integrated and appropriately immersive. Dialogue is presented with care and clarity. Fans should appreciate this upgraded soundtrack.

Mamma Mia! 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of Mamma Mia! contains both discs that are found in the concurrently released Blu-ray: A movie/supplement Blu-ray disc and a supplements-only DVD disc. The only extra on the UHD disc is the commentary track, which is also available on the Blu-ray. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase.

Blu-ray Disc One:

• Sing-Along (1080p, various runtimes): The song scenes from the movie with the option to have the lyrics appear on the screen. Included are I Have a Dream; Honey, Honey; Money, Money, Money; Mamma Mia; Chiquitita; Dancing Queen; Our Last Summer; Lay All Your Love on Me; Super Trouper; Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!; Voulez-Vous; SOS; Does Your Mother Know; Slipping Through My Fingers; The Winner Takes It All; I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do; When All Is Said and Done; Take a Chance on Me; Mamma Mia (Reprise); I Have a Dream (Reprise); and Dancing Queen Reprise/Waterloo Encore. This feature can also be enabled from the main menu to play through the entire movie.
• Deleted Scenes (480i, 8:06): Several scenes lumped together with no identifying markers.
• Outtakes (480i, 1:33): Humorous moments and gaffs from the shoot.
• Deleted Musical Number: "The Name of the Game" (1080p, 3:02).
• The Making of Mamma Mia! (1080i): A three-part feature.
  
  
  • Birthing Mamma Mia! (4:42): A discussion of the project's genesis, why ABBA's music translates to the stage and screen, bringing the stage production to the screen, the female creative talent and what they brought to the film, and more.
  • The Filmmaking (1080i, 9:09): A discussion of Phyllida Lloyd's direction, qualities as a first-time director, and her experiences in making the movie. It also covers preparing the cast to sing the songs, dance to the beats, and shooting locations.
  • The Cast (1080i, 10:14): As the title suggests, this extra takes a closer look at the film's primary cast and the qualities they brought to the film.
• Anatomy of a Musical Number: "Lay All Your Love on Me" (1080i, 5:42): An examination of Dominic Cooper's performance of the song and sharing and making a scene with Amanda Seyfried.
• Becoming a Singer (1080i, 10:55): ABBA band members work with the cast to recreate the songs, and the actors discuss the challenges, and joys, of singing in the film.
• A Look Inside Mamma Mia! (1080i, 2:40): A quick discussion of ABBA's music, the stage production, and the movie.
• Music Video (480i, 3:49): Amanda Seyfried performs "Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!"
• Björn Ulvaeus Cameo (480i, 1:35): The ABBA band member appears during "Waterloo."
• Audio Commentary: Director Phyllida Lloyd discusses the film. There's not a substantial amount of new material in the track if one has already burned through all the previously listed extras, but this is a good one-stop shop for insight into the film.

Disc Two DVD New Special Features:

• A Talented Trio: The Creators of Mamma Mia! (480i, 9:30): Judy Craymer, Catherine Johnson, and Phyllida Lloyd discuss the process of folding the ABBA songs into the story narrative, Lloyd's direction, and the qualities each brought to the film.
• Christine Baranski and the Boys (480i, 6:17): A closer look at a scene in which Baranski performs "Does Your Mother Know."
• Breaking Down "Voulez-Vous" (480i, 5:14): A look behind-the-scenes of making the scene featuring "Voulez-Vous."
• More of "Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!" (480i, 5:15): Like the previous piece, this is a behind-the-scenes look at the song's place in the film, making the scene, and its thematic purpose.
• Meryl's Big Number (480i, 3:59): A discussion of the movie's title song in the film and Streep's performance thereof.
• VH1 10 Most Excellent Things: Mamma Mia! (480i, 21:17): A catchall behind-the-scenes look at the movie.
• Behind the Scenes with Amanda (480i, 4:12): A short video that follows the lead actress around the movie's sets.
• On Location in Greece (480i, 4:04): A quick look at scouting Greece for shooting locations and the benefits of filming on location.
• Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie Even More (480i): A seven-part feature.
  
  
  • From Play to Movie (1:24): The filmmakers and cast discuss the story's themes and the movie's earthy texture.
  • Getting to Know Amanda Seyfried (2:52): Casting Seyfried and a discussion of the qualities she brought to the film's lead role.
  • Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! (3:38): Cast and crew heap praises on the legendary actress and discuss the qualities she brought to the film.
  • Meryl Streep Discusses Her Song "Mamma Mia" (2:07): A look at Streep climbing and singing. This was seen in one of the previous supplements, Meryl's Big Number.
  • Shooting "Dancing Queen" (3:42): Making one of the film's key sequences with what is arguably ABBA's most popular song.
  • Singing Live (1:13): A short discussion of why the actors performed live during the shoot and what positives that brought to the film.
  • A Look at "Super Trouper" (3:58): Making the scene with this song.

Mamma Mia! 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mamma Mia! really is a blast of a movie. It's difficult to watch without a smile. The story is nothing new, but accentuated by the contagiously fun ABBA beats it's suddenly a very unique and endlessly enjoyable ride through love, romantic locations, self-discovery, and fabulous music. Universal's UHD release improves on the Blu-ray, adding a significant boost to color and a solid increase in sharpness. The soundtrack has been modified to a more robust DTS:X Master Audio presentation. All extras can be found on the included Blu-ray and DVD discs. Highly recommended.