Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Smokey and the Bandit 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

A B-Double-E-Double-R-U-N on 4K UHD.

Universal has released the fan-favorite 1977 Burt Reynolds film 'Smokey and the Bandit,' Directed by Hal Needham, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/HDR video and Dolby Atmos audio. No new supplements are included, but the UHD disc does include all of the legacy extras from the original 2012 Blu-ray, which is also included here.

Smokey and the Bandit 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

There was a time when Universal was the bane of every home theater enthusiast's movie watching life, when treasured catalogue titles wee plopped onto Blu-ray with little care for the end product, when old masters prepared for standard definition DVD were simply repurposed for 1080p. Those days are gone. The studio has turned over a new leaf with the arrival of the UHD format. Rather than regularly disappoint with its catalogue UHD releases, the studio has largely dazzled with the likes of The Blues Brothers and Animal House and, now, Smokey and the Bandit, another older fan favorite that couldn't reasonably look any better than it does right here, at least not in 2021.

The picture is beautiful and well ahead of the aging Blu-ray and its capable, but heavily processed, appearance. Gone is the clumpy, chunky grain, replaced here with a fine, organic grain presentation. It's slightly dense but very attractive. The result is a perfect film-like appearance and, without any of the telltale signs of grain processing or noise reduction in play, details left fully intact. The picture is absolutely tack-sharp; there's no want for additional textural might. Granted, a few shots here and there display a somewhat flatter and smoother appearance than others (see 36:35 for example), but these appear to be that way at the source rather than a problem with the transfer. Broadly, however, the picture's sharpness stands tall. Viewers will find facial textures highly revealing, period attire impeccably clear and intimately refined, location details striking for inherent complexity, and vehicle interiors and exteriors alike so clear they may as well be in the theater, not on the screen. The movie couldn't look any better; it's filmic and faithful and absolutely blows the old Blu-ray out of the water.

The HDR color presentation is a revelation, too. Every color enjoys significant solidification here, all of them adding enormous depth and vitality that render the Blu-ray flat and obsolete. Look at the Cadillac Eldorado ("Mr. Big") at the 3:54 mark, the bright red convertible filling most of the frame. The color leaps off the screen with newfound vitality and depth on the UHD and appears comparatively dull and flat and lacking life on the Blu-ray. It is one of many examples of vastly superior color reproduction here where the entire palette bears the HDR fruit, exploding off the screen with vastly improved stability, accuracy, tonal nuance, vibrancy, and depth. There's just not a bad color in the film: blue skies, natural greens, gray pavement, beige police uniforms, nothing that isn't transformed by the renewed life HDR brings to the table. Additionally, black level depth delights, whites are crisp and true, and flesh tones perfect. Add the absence of print wear and encode anomalies and this is another in the growing list of UHD gems from the Universal catalogue.

Smokey and the Bandit 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Smokey and the Bandit races onto Blu-ray with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack replacing the dated Blu-ray's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless presentation. While there are no sonic rearrangements or radical departures, the track adds some much-appreciated fullness and depth that bring the movie to more vivid sonic life. Indeed, the Atmos track doesn't redefine the listening experience with a barrage of discrete top layer effects but the fullness it offers helps create a larger sense of sonic atmosphere and place. When the truck engine rumbles to life in the opening moments, the spatial awareness, the depth and the way the growl just permeates the entire stage is of great sonic value and effect. The music to follow, a Country-Western song over the opening titles, is more front heavy but well defined and clear. Some surround and overhead elements are in play, but the front dominant component cannot be missed. That's true throughout. Vehicles zip and zoom here and there; much of the action takes place on the road and engine signatures, squealing tires on tight turnarounds, and other automobile sound effects breathe a bit easier here with a fuller feel for immersion into any given scene, whether inside the vehicle or hearing it from a roadside perspective. Atmosphere is well blended and lifelike, whether exterior elements or small details inside a truck stop partway through the film. Music, as with the opening titles, finds good essential front end definition and liveliness. There's not much deep subwoofer engagement but a little help here and there adds some much-needed power to the proceedings. Dialogue is clear and center focused. This is a fine audio accompaniment to a very fun film.

Smokey and the Bandit 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Universal brings Smokey and the Bandit to the UHD format with the exact same supplemental suite found with the 2012 Blu-ray; there are no additions or omissions. The material is included on both the UHD and the legacy Blu-ray, which is included in this set. See below for a breakdown of what's included and please click here for full coverage. Universal has also bundled in a Movies Anywhere digital copy code. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.

• Loaded Up and Truckin': The Making of Smokey and the Bandit
• Snowman, What's Your 20: The Smokey and the Bandit CB Tutorial
• 100 Years of Universal: The '70s
• 100 Years of Universal: The Lot
• Theatrical Trailer

Smokey and the Bandit 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Universal does right by Smokey and the Bandit on UHD. The picture quality is outstanding considering the resolution gain, the natural filmic texturing, and the HDR color application. The Atmos audio track is no radical rework of the 5.1 listen but the added fullness and immersion is much appreciated. No new extras are included and it's only in this context that the UHD falls short in any category (though, to be sure, the included legacy extras are fine). Highly recommended.