7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Tom Farrell is a dedicated Navy officer who, after an act of valor, gets posted to the Pentagon and is assigned to the Secretary of Defense David Brice. Prior to this, he had become involved with a young woman named Susan Atwell, not knowing that she was Brice's mistress. When Susan is found dead, Tom ironically is assigned to the case of finding the killer who is believed to be a KGB mole code-named "Yuri." Tom could soon become a suspect in her murder when a indiscernible Polaroid negative of him is found at Susan's place. He only has a few short hours to find the killer before the negative can be processed. Also to make matters worse, he must contend with the ever-shrinking noose of the relentless dragnet put in place to find the ever elusive "Yuri"!
Starring: Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, Sean Young, Will Patton, Howard DuffThriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Romance | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Roger Donaldson's "No Way Out" (1987) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include arhcival audio commentary by Roger Donaldson; new audio commentary by filmmaker/critic Steve Mitchell and writer/actor Richard Brewer; archival audio interview with Roger Donaldson; and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Kino Lorber's release of No Way Out is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".
Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including the actual color values of this content.
Screencaptures #1-27 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #30-35 are from the 4K Blu-ray.
No Way Out made its high-definition debut with this Blu-ray release produced by Shout Factory in 2016, which is one of two releases of this wonderful film that I have in my library. (The second is an old DVD release). Unfortunately, it was sourced from an old master with obvious traces of digital corrections. The most harmful of these corrections was digital sharpening.
The combo pack release is sourced from a recent 4K master struck from the original camera negative. In native 4K, the 4K makeover can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I chose to view it with HDR. I also tested the 1080p presentation of it on the Blu-ray.
On my system, the improvements in quality were immediately recognizable. For example, instead of looking very harsh, the well-lit visuals now have a wonderful organic appearance. Artificial lighting during indoor footage in particular is much, much better reproduced now. All edge-enhancement patterns are eliminated as well. Furthermore, grain has an organic quality and is better exposed. The previous release reveals odd looking grain that produces various density fluctuations. Basically, there are unnatural shifts from visibly sharpened material to slightly more attractive material, so these are not the type of fluctuations that are part of the original cinematography. On the 4K makeover, this effect is eliminated, too. Color balance is very good. It is similar to that of the previous presentation, too, which is a good thing. Brighter ranges of supporting nuances appear better balanced and are expanded. Darker ranges of supporting nuances look very good, but in a few areas I think that they could have been slightly better to eliminate very light crushing. The overall dynamic range of the visuals, however, is unquestionably superior. There are no large cuts, debris, warped or torn frames to report.
I did not just sample the 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray. I viewed entire sequences, some with indoor footage and some with outdoor footage, and even upscaled a few to 4K. I think that the 1080p presentation is every bit as satisfying as the native 4K presentation. For example, the shift in quality from the harsh older presentation to the organic new presentation is practically unmisable during the brightest daylight sequences, like the one where Kevin Costner and Sean Young are in the red convertible. Also, I should mention that I like how some of the darker footage looks in 1080p a little bit better. All in all, I think that both presentations are wonderful upgrades.
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I viewed the entire film with the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. It is a very good track. All exchanges are very clear, stable, and easy to follow. There are no distracting age-related anomalies to report. However, I feel that in a couple of areas, usually when music is used or has been used, balance is somewhat uneven. I also mention this in our review of the Shout Factory Blu-ray release of No Way Out. Perhaps this is how the soundtrack was finalized, but I feel that a few minor tweaks can make meaningful improvements.
4K BLU-RAY DISC
Everything that you will see in Roger Donaldson's No Way Out is still part of American political reality -- the kabuki theater and deadly games controlled by high-ranking government officials, the chameleons and the traitors, the illusion that there is a reliable system in place that can prevent bad things from happening at the highest echelons of government. It is a tremendous thriller, and I consider it one of the best American films from the 1980s. Kino Lorber's combo pack introduces a wonderful new 4K makeover of it that looks very good in native 4K and 1080p. A separate Blu-ray release is available for purchase as well. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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Warner Archive Collection
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