Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Paramount has released the 2014 film 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. The disc carries over both the Atmos soundtrack and the supplements from the original Blu-ray, which is also included in this set.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

Paramount's new 2160p/Doby Vision UHD presentation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is certainly quite the boost from the Blu-ray. The Dolby vision grading amplifies the film's contrast and boosts the overall color vividness by quite a bit. This is easily the most readily identifiable area of gain for the presentation, and even before conducting a proper A-B comparison, it was evident that the Dolby Vision grading was pushing the colors to an extreme well beyond Blu-ray's limits. The color temperature does not run extremely hot but contrast definitely runs heavy. That was true with the Blu-ray, and it is very true with this UHD. The image is several degrees brighter, colors several degrees more intense, and the image just lights up the screen with a relentless sense of bold coloring, full tonal expression, and no end to the overall punch and vitality. Some audiences might feel that the color amplification pushes a little too far, but this is definitely a very bold, very aggressive Dolby Vision presentation. Black level depth is wonderful, both inkier and deeper but at times teetering on the point of crushing detail. But the overall black punch and depth are very satisfying and fit the movie's mold quite well. White balance yields brilliant bursts of pure white, and skin tones look very healthy if not slightly flush.

It would be incorrect to label the resolution upgrade as revolutionary, but it is definitely present and accounted for. In addition to the color assault, the new 2160p presentation boosts textural clarity and intimacy beyond the Blu-ray. Content is much sharper, especially around various city exteriors where rough concrete and various odds and ends enjoy the sort of tactile and tangible real-life definition that pushes to the farthest nitty-gritty elements the source has to offer. Facial features and hair are obviously crisper. The entire image has a sheen of clarity and superior tack-sharpness about every square inch. It can be slightly noisy at times, but there are no compression issues of obvious note, even in the deepest, darkest corners. This thing just looks brilliant start to finish.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The last time I reviewed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, way back in 2014, I was not yet equipped to review Dolby Atmos audio. That, of course, has changed in the years since. This appears to be the same Atmos track, but I can now add a few thoughts on the full audio experience. For starters, the same core 7.1 track is here, and it remains wonderful. It's large, it's deep, it's seamless, it's a whole lot of fun. The entire review for the previous presentation holds, so I will simply link it here as the foundation of this review. Listening now with the added benefit of active Atmos channels, the experience is all the more exhilarating. The track blends at times seamless, at times heavy, and at times discrete overhead effects for maximum action entertainment impact. The track's very aggressive posturing and large construction parameters are a natural fit for Atmos, and the film's over-the-top approach to all elements makes it a natural for the added top end extension. It's rather aggressive but even with the discrete effects it's aggressive in a way that supports and complements the material rather than engineered to distract and take attention away from the movie. This completes the experience, and fans who might not have had Atmos support in the past will definitely want to revisit the movie to get the full experience this time around.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles contains no extras on the UHD disc, but the bundled Blu-ray, which is identical to the 2014 issue, offers the full legacy assortment of bonuses. A digital copy code is included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Digital Reality
• In Your Face! The Turtles in 3D
• It Ain't Easy Being Green
• Evolutionary Mash-Up
• Turtle Rock
• Extended Ending
• Music Video
• Making of "Shell Shocked"

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is, pardon the pun, a shell of what it should be. It's a rollicking sort of carefree Action/Adventure film but it's so stock and lacking in meaningful creativity as to be borderline insulting. The entire movie is a transparent mess of cliché and modern moviemaking tripe that emphasizes style, fast camera work, and sound over good core storytelling and meaningful drama. Certainly the franchise doesn't necessarily lend itself well to the deeply complex themes of today's world -- at least not on the surface -- but an effort to move beyond an assembly line style of filmmaking would have gone a long way. As it is, this is the new poster child for modern cinema drivel, a movie that offers nothing more than a facelift for any other Michael bay-influenced motion picture. Viewers that disliked Bay's Transformers films (Bay produced this movie) will probably find Ninja Turtles equally unpalatable, while core franchise veterans will likely be disappointed with this directionless, paint-by-number "extravaganza." Paramount's new 2160p/Doby Vision UHD presentation of the film delivers eye-popping visuals that bring the movie to life in a way that the Blu-ray just cannot achieve. From the razor sharpness to the amplified color spectrum, this is the film at its most visually arresting. The Atmos track is legit, and the supplements are fun. Though I am not a fan of the film, those who are will definitely want to upgrade.