Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Planet Earth III 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Bring the outside in.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III February 18, 2024

Planet Earth is an ongoing flagship series for BBC Studios' renowned Natural History Unit, whose filmmaking teams have been entertaining and informing viewers with jaw-dropping sights and sounds from across the globe since 1957. Following in the footsteps of the original 2006 series and its 2016 sequel, this recent "third season" carries the torch proudly with eight more episodes guaranteed to delight nature lovers of all ages. Though easily confused with one of the studio's countless other high-definition endeavors like Green Planet, Life , and Seven Worlds, One Planet, Planet Earth sets itself apart from the pack with a more accessible narrative structure that goes down easy.

Even so, there's a sort of unavoidably homogenous tone that comes with yet another beautifully-shot, carefully edited, and sonically sweetened production narrated by BBC mainstay David Attenborough (now 97!), whose six-plus decades of hosting expertise make him as reliable a presence as ever. But while the experience of watching all eight episodes of Planet Earth III doesn't exactly feel like a completely separate affair from those mentioned above, there's a higher-level status that arrives with this series. I was a fan of nature documentaries long before the 2006 original thanks to Marty Stauffer's Wild America and childhood trips to the National Air and Space Museum's IMAX theater... but the big-budget Planet Earth really felt like an event when it first aired, and that same feeling carries over 18 years later.

In any case, those familiar with Planet Earth -- or most of BBC's nature documentary output during the last 20 years, for that matter -- should generally what to expect from this third "season" of the series: jaw-dropping UHD footage, interesting educational factoids, a bit of climate change finger-wagging, and of course a variety of locations to satisfy everyone, whether you prefer deep-sea adventures, desert delights, coastal excursions, or romps in the swamp. Eight episodes are presented in all and are basically summed up by their titles ("Coasts", "Ocean", "Deserts & Grasslands", "Freshwater", "Forests", "Extremes", and "Human"), with the last taking a look at both wildlife heroes and they way certain species life amongst a dense human population. While several of the subjects presented here may be more than a little similar to previous BBC productions, Planet Earth III has no shortage of new stories to tell even if the backdrops look awfully familiar. Filmed over a five-year period on all seven continents, it's yet another standout accomplishment from the world's premiere nature documentary studio. Simply put, if you liked the first two, why stop now?

As with many of their recent releases, BBC Video presents Planet Earth III as a compact 4K/Blu-ray combo pack; the only other home video option being a separate DVD release that probably looks like crap on a big-screen TV. I'm very pleased to report, though, that unlike Green Planet, Planet Earth III's eight episodes are identical on both formats aside from a bit of post-show Blu-ray bonus footage detailed below. (That earlier release actually trimmed Attenborough's on-screen footage from the 4K episodes, which apparently aligned with the "American TV cut" because old guys are scary to look at or something.) Regardless, this fairly-priced six-disc set is yet another no-brainer that absolutely belongs in your collection of nature documentaries; it's certainly appealing enough for multiple watches due to the accessible strength of this subject matter, as well as the almost demo-worthy appeal of its terrific A/V presentation.

Planet Earth III 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio, the 4K-sourced Planet Earth III is, unsurprisingly, a standout effort with almost no perceivable drawbacks. This beautiful 2160p transfer displays a staggering amount of fine detail and texture regardless of the environment, from remote forests to bustling cityscapes, sun-baked savannas to lush rainforests, dark undergrounds caverns to snow-capped mountaintops. The image rarely falters, with mostly harsh environmental factors to blame when sporadic noise or softness creeps in; nature documentary filmmaking has likely gotten quite a bit easier with the advent of more portable and lightweight digital equipment, but one can only imagine the difficulty involved in capturing the bulk of this footage. Without a doubt, what's on display here is just as good as some of the very BBC Earth 4K releases to date, including Planet Earth II, Blue Planet II, Dynasties, and The Green Planet.

What truly separates the 4K presentation from its Blu-ray counterpart, aside from little to no instances of compression artifacts or banding, is its expert use of HDR color enhancement that takes this 2160p transfer to another level entirely. Vivid primaries offer some of the most immediate visual rewards, yet other scenes -- coral reefs, rare species of birds, and stunning sunsets -- serve up a dozen or more distinct colors at once, with each working together to push and pull our eyes from corner to corner of these beautifully framed compositions. From the lush greens of dense jungles to the fluorescent hues of tiny poisonous insects, from the deepest blues of icy Antarctic waters to the warm earth tones of the Australian outback, almost no colorful stone is left unturned here. Also impressive are dense but rarely oppressive black levels which, during Planet Earth III's darkest moments, stand in bold contrast with its most vivid tones but look no less powerful. Contrast and strong gradients also fare well with a smooth and sleek appearance, while the lack of blooming and other telltale signs of contrast boosting round out the visual presentation nicely. Unsurprisingly, it runs at a high bit rate on these 4K discs: Discs 1 and 2 (3 episodes each) are 100GB, and Disc 3 (2 episodes plus a 1080p BTS documentary) are 66GB, which proves to be more than sufficient enough for near-flawless playback.

In contrast, the Blu-ray discs provide a very capable and satisfying alternative for those who have not moved onto the UHD format yet... but since no separate Blu-ray edition is available (only a stand-alone DVD set), this might be one more reason to think about it. Regardless, the scaled down 1080p transfer boasts respectable fine detail and textures with very robust color saturation. Compression artifacts and banding are more noticeable along the way, mainly during extremely "busy" sequences such as dense bird flocks, thick jungle foliage, and fast-moving chases, as well as the harsh gradients of sunlight and sudden fog. Yet it's still a great-looking Blu-ray release for the most part, with those drawbacks being more a consequence of native format limitations rather than sloppy disc authoring.

Planet Earth III 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The full-bodied Dolby Atmos mix (which annoyingly is not the default track, so be sure to visit that setup menu first) is as robust and immersive as expected, heavily sweetened by foley effects but inarguably a stunner from start to finish. Other added elements arrive in the form of an outstanding original score credited to Jacob Shea and Sara Barone (with a familiar main theme by Hans Zimmer); strong melodies and forceful percussive effects fully dominate the wide front soundstage, frequently fill the rears, and often fill the height channels as well, forming an effective "sonic bubble" that creates a virtually seamless audio experience from start to finish. Of course, more traditional sounds also get plenty of time to shine, from blustering wind and snow squalls to sudden downpours, thunderous hoof beats, and of course the endless chorus of birds, insects, and other creatures that float around via discrete placement. BBC mainstay David Attenborough's calm but authoritative narration fills the front stage nicely and is crisply recorded, which ties the overall sonic experience together neatly. All told, an exceptional effort that's just as demo-worthy as the visuals.

Comparatively, the default DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix is a fine substitute, though it's mixed a bit hotter or at least encoded at a higher base volume level. When adjusted to match its Atmos counterpart, this more basic surround track offers a similar overall experience (minus the height channels, of course) and should please those with more modest setups. Please note that both the Atmos and DTS-HD MA 5.1 mixes are included on the 4K and Blu-ray discs.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles have been included all eight episodes and applicable bonus features. These are formatted perfectly and sit low in the 1.78:1 frame with no sync issues or other obvious defects.

Planet Earth III 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This six-disc set ships in a Blu-ray keepcase (?) with a matching 4K slipcover; no inserts are included, but episode names are at least printed on each of the colorful discs. The extras, some hidden, are lightly spread throughout.

4K DISC 3

• Making of Planet Earth III (54:15) - This mid-length documentary offers a fine amount of fly-on-the-wall footage and candid "on-set" interview clips with the intrepid filmmaking crews, who collectively worked for five years across all seven continents to capture to footage seen during all eight episodes. Additional footage of the animals in action -- both from afar and up close and personal -- practically makes this documentary a bonus episode in itself (albeit one with a much more human narrative), as it also features additional voice-over narration from David Attenborough and the same immersive presentation style as the main feature.

BLU-RAY DISCS 1-3

• Additional Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes (8 segments, 7-8 minutes each) - Anyone familiar with BBC 4K releases should remember that the Blu-ray counterparts often feature additional footage directly after each episode, which in this instance is aptly (though somewhat confusingly) also entitled Making of Planet Earth III. The footage seen here, which varies considerably by subject, differs from the mid-length documentary seen above but features a similar "you are there" aesthetic to capture a genuine on-location experience.

Planet Earth III 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

BBC's Planet Earth III proudly carries a torch for one of the studio's most acclaimed and accessible ongoing series, presenting a bounty of engaging wildlife footage in a captivating way that will entertain nature lovers of all ages. Tied together by stalwart host/narrator David Attenborough (now 97!), it's yet another winning collection of well-rounded documentaries that's well worth watching. BBC Video's reliably great 4K/Blu-ray combo pack serves up terrific A/V merits and a small but enjoyable collection of supportive bonus features. Highly Recommended.