Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Shooter 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 8, 2022

Paramount has released to 2007 film 'Shooter' to the UHD format. The film was previously released to Blu-ray in 2007. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. All extras from the original release, sans the commentary track, carry over. At time of publication, this disc ships in SteelBook packaging which is virtually identical to a Blu-ray SteelBook reissue from 2018.

Mark Wahlberg stars as U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant Bob Lee Swagger, the best sniper in the business. On a mission in Ethiopia, he and his partner are left for dead by their own government when they are ambushed by a group of heavily armed men. Swagger escapes, but his partner is killed in the attack. Several years later, Swagger lives alone in the mountains and is approached by Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover) to help his country in preventing an assassination attempt on the President of the United States. Swagger reluctantly agrees and heads to several east coast cities where the President will be speaking. He finally decides that Philadelphia is the city best suited for the potential shooter, and through his description of the likely set-up for the shot, he unwittingly plans the assassination for a group of unscrupulous men, whose reach goes far and wide, into the upper echelons of power. Set up to be the patsy, Swagger barely escapes with his life and unwittingly involves a rookie FBI agent Nick Memphis (Michael Peña), a man who begins to piece together the assassination in hopes of exonerating Swagger. Swagger becomes a man on a mission, out to prove himself innocent and punish those responsible for setting him up as the fall guy in one of the most notorious crimes in history.

For a full film review, please click here.

Shooter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shooter was first released to Blu-ray in what feels like ages ago in 2007 on the still nascent 1080p format sporting an MPEG-2 encoded 1080p transfer that held up well enough at the time. Obviously, this new 2160p/Doby Vision UHD presentation is much its superior. The improvements are immediately evident, including, as far as the Dolby Vision color grading is concerned, brighter, crisper, more stable opening title whites and more beautifully deep and true browns and other natural colors seen as the snipers cover themselves in grasses and other natural camo. Brilliant patriotic reds, whites, and blues dot the scene in the lead-up to the assassination, as do the warm bricks and other architectural accents in a beautiful outdoor sequence. Throughout the film vivid colors abound; there's a depth and grace to the spectrum that marches well beyond the Blu-ray, with oftentimes the extremes -- whites and blacks -- being the most satisfying of beneficiaries.

The resolution increase does many favors for the film, too. The picture is faithfully filmic. Grain is very light and and complimentary, resulting in a gorgeous watch from beginning to end that shows what this format is capable of and what it is all about. Details are very strong. Close-ups reveal intricate pores and hairs with nary any problem. Clarity abounds throughout the film and practically in every frame. Sharpness approaches maximum throughout the film, including basics like skin and clothes and structural elements but also extending to weapon barrels, stocks, and scopes (especially during the opening sequence). Viewers will not be left wanting any improvements to resolution. Just as important, the image is free of any obvious sign of print degradation and the encode is about perfect, too. This is a winner from Paramount.

Shooter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Also receiving a much-needed upgrade is the audio presentation. While there is no Dolby Atmos sound mix, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless presentation certainly improves upon the old Blu-ray's lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation. So, this is the same number of channels but within a superior encode. The track is full and vigorous, impressing from the start with prominent gunfire and mortar shell launches resulting in a chaotic battlefield din that makes use of the full stage and the subwoofer to draw the listener into the chaos. The track enjoys excellent definition to soaring score and additional action elements which include various gunshots, each hitting with appropriate sonic signature and depth. Chaotic crowd din following the assassination is immersive and natural ambience helps pull the listener into various locations, both outdoors and inside various office spaces. Dialogue is clear and well prioritized. It holds ground in the front-center speaker for the duration.

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

This UHD release of Shooter contains most of the supplements from the original Blu-ray release but is notably absent the director commentary track. All other supplements are included. They are listed below for convenience while full reviews can be found by clicking here. A digital copy voucher is included with purchase.

• Survival of the Fittest: The Making of Shooter
• Independence Hall
• Theatrical Trailer
• Deleted Scenes: Included are Nick Memphis Intro at FBI, Timmons in the Alley, Sarah and Swagger Discuss Conspiracy, Extended Shopping Scene, Swagger and Memphis at the River, Swagger and Memphis Driving After Farmhouse,, and Swagger and Memphis in Motel Room.

The SteelBook design is practically identical to the previous Blu-ray SteelBook issue from 2018 but there are a few minor differences. The previous one was matte, this one is glossy and smooth. There are now some metallic accents on the embers on the front panel. There is a minor layout change to the back panel bottom right matter. The old SteelBook held two discs, staggered-stacked; this one includes only one disc in a central hub on the right. The inner print background now appears dark purple rather than black. For a general overview of the SteelBook, please click here.

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

Fans are going to be well pleased with Paramount's work on this release. The 2160p/Dolby Vision video looks terrific and the 5.1 lossless soundtrack is a delight. No new extras are included and, in fact, one key extra, a filmmaker commentary track, has been removed. Nevertheless, for its excellent video quality and that Shooter remains a solid watch, this UHD release of Shooter comes highly recommended.