7 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.8 |
A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will. They travel hundreds of miles and face grave dangers as they search for a place that either can call home.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Michael Angelo Covino, Ray McKinnon, Mare WinninghamWestern | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
In News of the World, word travels fast of a travelling newsman and, of more prominent headlines to most, the young girl he suddenly finds in his care. Director Paul Greengrass (United 93, Capain Phillips) adapts Paulette Jiles' novel of the same name for the screen, accomplishing perhaps nothing that stands apart in the cinema world but certainly building a well crafted and, even as the film's setting takes audiences back in time to the days following the end of the Civil War, timely picture that explores several issues with clear contemporary counterparts. It's a film of modest ambitions but one that finds success on the backs of its story and stars and its technical accomplishments that altogether yield a movie that is well worthwhile of its audiences' time and attention.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.
New of the World's UHD couldn't look any better. Here's a 2160p/HDR image, sourced from a native 4K digital intermediate, that is commandingly crisp and fully
authentic to its format. The picture's clarity is off the charts. The period clothes and Western locales are simply beautiful: full of life even in the
relatively lifeless world of dust and dirt and certainly revealing lively skin details and natural rock and vegetative formations with great clarity and
intricacy. The picture's close-ups are superb: absolutely tack-sharp and well capable of getting down to the nearly microscopic level of detail on clothes
and faces while even medium and wide shots of various locations, from woods to rocks, offer clear and expressive definition. The HDR color spectrum is
a delight. Tonal output is superb for skin definition, natural green vitality, earthy locale density, and black level excellence. Whites are bold and true.
Noise is kept in check, even in the most challenging low light shots. The picture certainly improves on the excellent Blu-ray in every way: it's naturally sharper, more abundantly colorful and tonally
aware, more crisp, and more clear. While the Blu-ray is of A-grading the UHD is quite a bit better. No faults here at all.
News of the World arrives on the UHD format with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The track demonstrates fine, full bodied music. Fidelity is faultless. Music is well spaced, balanced along the fronts and engaging the backs and top end with seamless integration. Subwoofer extension comes frequently but never to overbearing effect. The track features scattered action and ambience, both of which bear much sonic fruit. Campground atmosphere – chirping insects and the like – play with plenty of high yield detail and seamless immersion. Light blowing wind, for example, proves faithful to realism with evident cross stage movement, and early, gentle examples contrast well with a fierce wind and dust storm that brings a terrifying sequence to the screen, and through speakers, in chapter 15. The track excels in presenting driving rain with full stage saturation and a clear top end engagement. It's raining through many scenes in the first act, and around the 20-minute mark listeners will find one of the finest examples. Creaking wagon wheels and little jolts and jostles as the party travels through and along rough Texas terrain make for another highlight. A shootout midway through the film brings with it well defined cracks with each shot and healthy reverb extension through the stage. Dialogue is clear, well prioritized, and grounded in the front center speaker.
News of the World includes deleted scenes, featurettes, and an audio commentary track. A Blu-ray copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere
digital
copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.
News of the World falls short of excellence but its stars and technical attributes ensure the movie makes headlines, anyway. The film's only true stumble is a somewhat rote framework (and, perhaps, a few unconvincing visual effects) but Hanks and Zengel build characters and chemistry that make even somewhat stale story drivers well worth the price of admission. Universal's UHD is excellent: visually, aurally, and supplementally. Highly recommended.
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