6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Captain Jack Sparrow searches for the trident of Poseidon.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Geoffrey Rush, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya ScodelarioAdventure | 100% |
Action | 85% |
Fantasy | 73% |
Comedy | 8% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
French: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
English SDH, French, Japanese, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin (Traditional)
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Pirates of the Caribbean has been a major moneymaker for Disney, even with some steadily declining domestic box office returns. Take worldwide gross into account and the first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl, remains the low-water mark while this fifth film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, holds down fourth place. Return on investment hasn't been much of an issue, but steadily declining critical reviews are, and that proved particularly troubling during Summer 2017 that saw a steady decline in box office revenue as well as a steady stream of panned blockbusters, including this Pirates film. But there's no denying that the films have lost appeal and gained bloat (even as this is the trimmest of the franchise in terms of gross runtime) while failing to innovate, prancing around the same core qualities that shaped the first film and that has been shaping and defining the franchise ever since. Gone is the freshness, here is the staleness, a franchise that has become dependable only in its ability to recreate itself not in terms of innovation but rather recreate itself in terms of throwing the same elements onto the screen time and again.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.
As with so many of today's blockbusters and UHD releases, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales was finished at 2K and photographed at a resolution below 4K (3.4K, in this
instance), yielding an upconverted 2160p 4K/HDR-enhanced image. Disney's second release to the format delivers a high yield image despite the
technical details and the numbers that necessarily must be bandied about. The image on the screen proper is enjoyably robust, awash in sharp
textures and well defined details that don't outdo the magnificent Blu-ray by leaps and bounds but that do deliver a tangibly more robust image.
Facial definition is more dense (Barbosa in particular). Details around the ship -- rope, weathered woods, worn banners and sails -- reveal superbly
complex definition and showcase the fine-point craftsmanship and labor of love that clearly went into constructing the various set pieces. Costume
fabric definition is
stout, revealing mildly finer texturing with the improved resolution and clarity over Blu-ray. The HDR colors offer improved saturation. There's no
shortage of vibrancy, but the image is rendered a little bit darker, with shades firmer and deeper. Leafy greens are a prime example, but various shades
of clothes -- particularly in scenes that take place on land, such as when Jack is first introduced in the film -- as well as other colorful bits, like orange
fireballs, reveal the improved shading every time. Black levels hold deep, critical in the many nighttime exteriors and foggy low-light scenes. Flesh
tones are noticeably warmer, but not excessively so; Barbosa's face is much more red. Noise and other eyesores are essentially absent. The image is
very good, better than the Blu-ray by-the-numbers but considering that the Blu-ray is so good as to stand as reference-quality, fans cannot go wrong
with either one.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales features a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that, compared to the Blu-ray's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack...isn't quite as good. Well, maybe "good" isn't the right word. It's not nearly as "dynamic." Not nearly as "punchy." The track is certainly more than technically capable, delivering finely-tuned music, carefully engineered yet rip-roaring effects, and crisply defined environmental subtleties with striking ease and perfectly immersive placement in every nook and cranny around the listening area. But when the chips are down and the track is tasked with going full-throttle action and excitement, it can't match the vigor and tenacity (or low end engagement) that the DTS track has on offer. It's not puny, but it lacks the ultra-aggressive chops that the DTS track delivers. Still, it's all in good working order, featuring pinpoint definition to everything from slight creaks and moans on board various vessels or penetrating depth to seafaring action and chaos, often intermixed with soaring musical cues. The top layer is generally used in modest support of action, but the DTS track does nearly as good a job with raw stage saturation. Dialogue is pure and refined with firm center placement beyond exacting examples of reverberation.
Disney's UHD release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales contains no extras on the UHD disc. All supplements, as listed
below,
can be found on the bundled Blu-ray. A Disney digital copy code is also included with purchase. The UHD also thankfully ditches the annoying Disney
Blu-ray chapter image that lingers on the screen for what seems like an eternity after resuming
playback after pause; the image disappears instantly here.
This ship has sailed, as the saying goes. Dead Men Tell No Tales may offer serviceable entertainment, great visual effects, and the return of fan-favorite characters, but it also offers more of the same of everything else. There's no identity, a convoluted plot, forgettable new faces, and repetitive action. And with talk of a sixth film on the drawing board and with the resounding chorus of "hang it up!" echoing along ship's deck, the filmmakers had better find a way to reinvent the franchise, though no doubt the next film will be a moneymaker, too, regardless of critical voices, franchise fatigue, or stale plot elements. It's only a question of how much it'll make. ROI, baby. Today's movie are all about ROI. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales' UHD release is fine, but is it overall better than the Blu-ray? Audio-wise, no. Video-wise, yes. But the Blu-ray's picture quality is nearly as good, and the sound is much more dynamic on that aging format. That's not to say this version isn't recommended, particularly since buyers get both, but this is a case where one can make the case that the Blu-ray may be the better overall experience.
2017
2017
Digital Bonus Content
2017
with bonus digital content
2017
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2017
DVD Packaging
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