The Commuter 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

The Commuter 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Liam Neeson is back as yet another character with a "particular set of skills", as a former cop approached by a mysterious woman on a commuter train and presented with an odd task which will result in a handsome payoff.

The Commuter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080p Blu-ray.

The Commuter is presented on 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with a 2160p transfer in 2.39:1. Though digitally captured with Arri Alexa Minis (and finished at a 4K DI), one of the things that caught my eye in this 4K UHD version was a much more noticeable prevalence of digital grain, especially in scenes like the opening montage detailing Michael's daily grind. It's apparent in the 1080p Blu-ray version, but at almost subliminal levels at times, while in this version it tends to stand out more, especially when backgrounds are lighter. The 4K source material offers a considerable uptick in detail levels from the 1080p Blu-ray, but often on what are probably picayune elements. To cite a couple of examples, there's a brief tracking shot over a nightstand in the film's opening seconds, and the 4K UHD version offers a much more palpable accounting of the textured dustjacket on a book that Michael is supposedly reading. Later, when Michael meets Joanna, the kind of diamond checked pattern on her dress has much clearer delineation between the color segments than in the 1080p Blu-ray version. Somewhat after that sequence, when Michael looks for the cash stowed away in the bathroom, the kind of tiled walls look grittier and better defined in this version as well. Typical elements like facial features also pop better here, especially when some of the almost hallucinatory close-up framings are employed. What was kind of surprising to me was the lack of any really overt tweaks to the palette courtesy of HDR. There's the same kind of slate gray ambience in much of the train footage, and even shadow detail tends to hover at around the same levels seen in the 1080p Blu-ray.

The Commuter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 4K UHD release features the same effective Dolby Atmos track described in our The Commuter Blu-ray review.

The Commuter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Lionsgate has once again commendably ported over all (meaning both) of the supplements contained on the 1080p Blu-ray disc and detailed in our The Commuter Blu-ray review.

The Commuter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Commuter is ultimately so relentlessly silly that its high octane thriller elements are repeatedly undercut. Still, for those looking for an undemanding adrenaline rush, The Commuter will probably suffice handily enough. While there's an expected uptick in detail levels in this 4K UHD presentation, I'm not sure it's so outstanding as to warrant an immediate investment, especially since the film doesn't really offer a surplus of "wow" visuals to begin with. That said, technical merits are excellent on this disc, so fans of the film may well want it in this format.