Platoon 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Platoon 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Shout! Factory has released the classic 1986 Oscar-winning War film 'Platoon' to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. Shout! has not offered a new audio encode or new supplements. The bundled Blu-ray, which houses the extras (commentaries are available on the UHD disc), is the same which Shout! released in 2018. Unfortunately, this UHD appears to use the same controversial master from that Blu-ray.

Platoon 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from the 1080p Blu-ray disc included in this set.

This 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD release of Platoon has been sourced from the same controversial master used for the studio's 2018 SteelBook release and as such there's really not much of a change here. The persistent DNR is still in evidence, rendering the would-be incredible texturing on various military uniforms and gear, gun barrels and magazines seen in close-up, and Barnes' scarred face all as less than ideal...there's not any significant boost to detail through the resolution gain here. Clarity is not rendered vastly superior here, either, and there is certainly no filmic look; the picture is not entirely waxy, and grain is not wiped off the full face of the picture, but this UHD is certainly not the fluid, filmic, and faithful image fans undoubtedly desired. If anything, the higher resolution only seems to accentuate the DNR concerns, revealing a smoother, rather than a more complex, surface area for the image. This is not a drastic increase in the evident DNR use, but there is no escaping it, either, save for some fleeting moments when the effects are rendered less drastic than in others. This is certainly not the waxiest home video image of all time, but it is far from what the film deserves, and demands, from the 4K format capable of so much more. The picture is not hindered by too many source drawbacks, but there is an obvious and persistent vertical line running through parts of the image, notably during the extended battle midway through the film (see chapters seven and eight).

The Dolby Vision color grading does not offer much of a boost over the Bu-ray, either. The predominant greenery seen throughout the film, notably on military uniforms and jungles, is presented with a little added depth but there's not much change overall. There is no feel for richer or more dynamic greenery. Black levels are not perfected or pushed far beyond the Blu-ray. Skin tones are likewise not much heathier or lifelike. Again, what might have been a boon for Platoon looks like a pretty simple Dolby Vision process; there has been little care to fine tune every scene and bring out the best of the film's limited color spectrum. This is hardly the worst image known to man, but one word sums it up perfectly: disappointment.

Note that the Blu-ray score above reflects that from the previous Shout! issue.

Platoon 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For this UHD release of Platoon, it appears that Shout! Factory has simply ported over the existing DTS-HD Mater Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack from its previous Blu-ray. The film's sound design has admittedly never been sonically dynamic in terms of lifelike intensity and punishing bang, and the presentation holds to the same core signature and sonic reports for various gun battles and jungle ambience that are long ingrained in the minds of longtime viewers, dating back to VHS presentations. The track offers little in the way of fluid surround support or a consistent sense of balance, but it does convey that classic (and Oscar winning!) sound design probably about as well as possible while holding to the film's natural elements. For a full audio review, please click here; note that the score above reflects that from the previous Shout! issue.

Platoon 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of Platoon contains all of its extras on the bundled Blu-ray (commentaries are available on both discs). See below for a list of what's included and please click here for more coverage. No digital copy code is included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Audio Commentary: Oliver Stone.
• Audio Commentary: Dale Dye.
• Snapshot in Time: 1967–1968
• Creating the 'Nam
• Raw Wounds: The Legacy of Platoon
• One Way, Many Stories
• Preparing for the 'Nam
• Deleted and Extended Scenes with Optional Commentary
• Caputo and the 7th Fleet
• Dye Training Method
• Gordon Gecko
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots

Platoon 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

For fans hoping for a new 4K master for Platoon and an image to put any previous releases to shame, this is sadly not it. For one of the greatest films of all time, and arguably the quintessential Vietnam War film specifically and quite possibly the greatest War film ever made broadly, that is quite the point for disappointment. The image is watchable but...this could have been so much more. With no new soundtrack and no new supplements there seems to be little reason to upgrade. For my money the 2011 Blu-ray, linked above, remains the best-looking version in the history of home video, though even there remains a good deal of room for improvement.