Soul 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Soul 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Target continues their ongoing line of Disney/Pixar exclusive 4K variants with Soul, released simultaneously alongside the wide-release 4K edition and its Blu-ray counterpart. (Per usual, an exclusive Best Buy Steelbook is also available.) Disc contents are identical on all releases but the packaging size and content are beefed up here with an exclusive Filmmaker Gallery Book tucked inside containing concept art and other behind-the-scenes details. Unlike much earlier Target 4K variants such as Toy Story 4 and The Little Mermaid, however, its inner packaging is a keepcase identical to the standard 4K edition, which makes this more of an exclusive slipcover than a unique collectible.

Soul 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For details about Soul's 2160p transfer, please refer to Marty's review of the standard 4K edition.

Soul 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For details about Soul's Atmos audio track, please refer to Marty's review of the standard 4K edition.

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

This three-disc release is housed in a black keepcase with two hubs (annoyingly, the 4K movie and Blu-ray bonus disc are stacked) that features artwork identical to the regular 4K edition. This differs from much earlier Target-exclusive 4Ks and Blu-rays, which usually came in custom Digipaks with full-spread inner prints and a more stylish appearance. Although a familiar Gallery Book is tucked inside the exclusive outer slipcover (which at least matches the overall aesthetic of those earlier releases), as a whole it feels like a cheaper product will less thought put into it.

• Filmmaker's Gallery Book - This 32-page book is sized about a quarter-inch smaller on all sides than the 4K package. It leads off with a Director's Note by Pete Docter and small concept images of characters including Joe Gardner, Joe's family, 22, Libba, Ray, the Dorothea Williams Quartet, Moonwind, and Mr. Mittens, with some also featuring short write-ups and other notes. Locations from the film get similar treatment but with longer write-ups by writer/co-director Kemp Powers, not to mention larger images (often two-page spreads); these sites include New York, The Soul World, The Great Beyond, The Zone, and The Astral Plane. Much like other Target-exclusive squarebound books, the pages are thick and glossy with attractive artwork and easy-to-read text.

For a list of the on-disc bonus features, please refer to Marty's review of the standard 4K edition.

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

Though not in Pixar's top tier of original animated movies, Soul is a very engaging drama with great visuals and lots of heart. Chances are good you've seen it already due to Disney's ongoing at-home release strategy but, as always, the 4K edition edges ahead of any streaming option in all categories: visuals, audio and, of course, bonus features. There are no shortage of choices available and, while Best Buy's 4K Steelbook is a better pound-for-pound option than the standard 4K edition, Target's own 4K variant is a no-brainer for those who prefer the beefier Digipak-style aesthetic... even if it amounts to little more than a very fancy slipcover. Recommended, in one form or another.