Primal Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Primal Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Paramount has released the 1996 Thriller film 'Primal Fear,' starring Richard Gere, Edward Norton, and Laura Linney, and directed by Gregory Hoblit, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video on the UHD disc. A Blu-ray is also included. I cannot independently confirm if it contains the same transfer as the previously released 2009 Blu-ray or if Paramount has provided a new one. Both the Blu-ray and the UHD contain a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack, which is presumably the same as found on the old Blu-ray. This set additionally contains all of the supplements from the original Blu-ray while also adding a single new 'Filmmaker Focus' supplement, which is the norm for the 'Paramount Presents' line, of which this is the 43rd issue.

Primal Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

As noted above, I did not review, nor do I have access to, the original Blu-ray release of Primal Fear. Ken gave it a positive, albeit not entirely enthusiastic, review, so I will share my own thoughts on the Blu-ray and, then, the UHD. The 1080p Blu-ray looks pretty solid. Really very good, in fact. It's filmic, maintaining a modest, but satisfying, grain structure with little in the way of fluctuation and not much, if any, real sense of tampering or tinkering. The result is a pleasantly film-sharp image with quality textures on display, capturing every shot's essence with good command of every element. A few softer shots appear here and there, but overall the image is quite agreeable. Colors are nicely defined. The palette is not vivid by any stretch of the imagination, but colors are solid and capture a healthy sense of accuracy and depth. There are a handful of minor print blemishes, but not enough to cause concern. The encode appears to be in very fine shape as well. I am inclined to bump the score over Ken's for the original Blu-ray. This looks very good.

Paramount's 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD presentation offers some improvements, but maybe not quite such drastic improvements as some might be led to believe. The picture is much like the Blu-ray, and in fact very much like the Blu-ray, meaning without substantial gains to textural output. Indeed, while there are some sharpness improvements, the emphasis is on the word some. Whether speaking of facial features, clothing fabrics, or city street exteriors, the picture is sharp and filmically organic, but it doesn't see that major boost to clarity that one would expect to see from a source that offers a much higher resolution capture than Blu-ray can offer. Here, the gains are tangible, but not dramatic, leaving the picture satisfying but not at that next level of excellence that most UHDs based on a film source (and, of course, mastered well) can offer. In fact, apart from the more obvious Dolby Vision color grading differences (more on that in a moment), some viewers might be hard-pressed to identify the Blu-ray from the UHD at-a-glance. Sharpness gains are in evidence, but not in such great quantities as to really push the UHD so far beyond the Blu-ray as to make a comparison a moot point, where the differences are obvious and stark.

The Dolby Vision grading is where the most substantial gains are found. The color palette is by no means radically altered, but there is a tangible add to overall color depth, rendering the picture a hair or two darker, but its colors are firmer and more satisfyingly rich. Whether bold primaries, dark woods, or even bland concrete and gray, the picture makes the most of its colors with the Dolby Vision tuning to enrich the picture and bring a fuller spectrum for contrast and natural color timing that the Blu-ray cannot quite achieve. The inkier blacks, more vivid and accurate whites, and superior skin tones are welcome additions, too, but to be sure these upgrades are only modest, but at least still greater than the marginal boost to textures.

Primal Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

My hunch is that this is the same Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack found on the original Blu-ray. I will link to Ken's review here, but I will offer a few words of my own. The track is pleasantly dynamic with some good directionality and depth, especially with some moving trains in the opening minutes. Positive rumble and excellent side-to-side movement stand as some of the most intense, and sonically excellent, moments in the film. Music is nice and wide, offering satisfying clarity and spacing. Location details are wonderfully implemented, too, such as choppers flying overhead or a throng of press crowding in on Vail when he arrives at the jail. Dialogue drives most of the experience, however, and it is supremely clear, centered, and well prioritized throughout.

Primal Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

All of the supplements are included on Blu-ray only; there are no extras, and not even the commentary track, on the UHD. The lone new extra is marked as such below, and reviewed. For full coverage of the returning supplemental content, please click here. As noted above, this is the 43rd issue in the prestigious 'Paramount Presents' line with the fold-open slipcover with original artwork inside. A digital copy code is included with purchase.

• NEW! Filmmaker Focus with Executive Producer Hawk Koch (1080p, 7:37): Koch discusses his initial involvement with Gary Lucchesi, project origins and the original source novel, Gregory Hoblit's direction, cast and performances, William Diehl's reaction to the film, and more.
• Primal Fear - The Final Verdict
• Primal Fear - Star Witness
• Psychology of Guilt
• Theatrical Trailer
• Audio Commentary: Director Gregory Hoblit, Writer Ann Biderman, Producer Gary Lucchesi, Executive Producer Hawk Koch, and Casting Director Deborah Aquila.

Primal Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Paramount's new UHD release of Primal Fear is OK, but it is a lukewarm upgrade, at best, over what is a fairly solid included Blu-ray. The audio is quite good. The supplements are fine, and the new extra makes for a worthwhile addition. Of course, collectors will want to add that new spine number to the collection, and the film is well worth the price by itself. Recommended, albeit more on the film proper than any sort of revelatory or revolutionary UHD presentation, which this is not (albeit still fairly satisfying).