Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Shadow in the Cloud 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

A fun action-thriller with genre roots: not to be missed on 4K UHD.

Shadow in the Cloud is an entertaining action-packed thriller starring Chloe Grace Moretz. Fans of genre fare will appreciate the horror undertones and the surprising thrills of the filmmaking. An underrated thrill-ride Moretz fans won't want to miss seeing.

Maude Garrett (Chloe Grace Moretz) boards a WWII fighter plane with a special package she is meant to protect. Yet danger looms and thrills escalate when a mysterious gremlin creature attacks the plane: causing everyone on-board to be in danger of death. Can Maude take-down the gremlin and keep the package secure?

Chloe Grace Moretz makes the film: Shadow in the Cloud is largely a one-person show. Though the supporting cast aids the film, Moretz drives the entire production. Her performance anchors the filmmaking and provides it with the take-off necessary to be an entertaining thrill ride. With a dedication to her part, Moretz makes her character an ultimate badass: tough and smart.

Chloe Grace Moretz delivers one of her best performances.

The cinematography by Kit Fraser (Eternal Beauty, Under the Shadow) is breathtaking. The visual splendor of the film is top-notch. The subtle use of vivid colors seduces the senses. This is a beautifully shot production and Fraser provides the entire experience with creativity.

The music score composed by Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper (The Patriarch, Alien Addiction) is one of the best elements to Shadow in the Cloud. The electronic-infused score is pulse-pounding fun. This is an exciting and offbeat score that gives the film an exciting edge that recalls the likes of 2011's Drive. Outstanding.

The screenplay by Max Landis (Mr. Right, Chronicle) and Roseanne Liang is entertaining. The story manages to be fun and thrilling – never taking itself too seriously. Some dialogue could have been better but the core concept is well-executed. A solid effort.

Directed by Roseanne Liang (Do No Harm, My Wedding and Other Secrets), Shadow in the Cloud finds its core strength in Liang's distinct vision. The stylistic flourishes are top-notch and the pacing was well executed. Liang brings out the best of the production design by Gary Mackay (The Tattooist, The Ferryman) and makes sure audiences go on a unique thrill ride. Liang did an exceptional job here and one can't help but look forward to her work in the future.

Shadow in the Cloud 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on 4K UHD, Shadow in the Cloud is presented in 2160p. The presentation comes from an upscaled 4K source (as a 2K native production). The high bit-rate of 85.30 mbps helps the encode impress throughout (even despite some resolution limitations). The biggest improvement over the standard Blu-ray edition is the HDR (high dynamic range) color grading. HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision HDR grades provide impressive results. Colors are deeper and more engaging.

Shadow in the Cloud 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The lossless audio track sounds superb from beginning to end. The dynamics of the presentations are uniformly excellent – showcasing both the score and sound design well. The action-scenes soar to vivid life with an engaging ferocity that the high-resolution audio provides. A top-notch presentation.

Shadow in the Cloud 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes in a DigiBook style package. The booklet is in German (unlike some Blu-ray imports which feature multiple languages in the booklet – such as English). However, even for importers the booklet has some nice still photography from the feature-film. The cover-art is also significantly better than the standard U.S. Blu-ray edition.

The U.S. Blu-ray edition (and some other international options) lack any supplemental features so the German edition is superior on this front as well. Extras include:

Shadow in the Cloud: Making-Of Featurette (HD, 18:14) features interviews with star Chloe Grace Moretz, director Roseanne Liang – as well as the production stunt coordinator – alongside clips from the feature-film.

Shadow in the Cloud Teaser Trailer (HD, 1:03)

Shadow in the Cloud Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:16)

Shadow in the Cloud 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shadow in the Cloud is an entertaining genre film. Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass, Hugo) delivers one of her best performances. Director Roseanne Liang (Do No Harm) imbues the production with creative style. The 4K UHD presentation is excellent (even though it is a 2K upscale, the HDR grade is impressive). The release comes with collectible DigiBook packaging and a nice selection of extras not found on the standard U.S. edition. Fans won't be able to resist picking it up. Highly recommended.