5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Gunslinger Roland Deschain roams an Old West-like landscape in search of the dark tower, in the hopes that reaching it will preserve his dying world.
Starring: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor (L), Claudia Kim (III), Fran KranzAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 63% |
Fantasy | 47% |
Horror | 7% |
Western | 3% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Thai: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Cantonese, Indonesian, Korean, Malay, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Thai, Vietnamese
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
UV digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
There are certainly no shortage of movies out there that are based on books, and those movies based on books written by Stephen King tend to be better than most. Sure some of them has flopped or settled into a decidedly "mediocre" place in the cinema history books, but many of them, be they sourced from novels or short stories -- The Shawshank Redemption, The Shining, Stand By Me, and It to name a few -- are legitimately great films, some even masterpieces, of the cinematic realm. But perhaps King's most revered realm hails within the bountiful pages of his Dark Tower series, a collection of books quite unlike anything one of the 20th century's (and 21st's, for that matter) most prolific writers had ever published before. Widely considered his magnum opus, the series, much like The Stand, would seem in need of significant breathing room for any screen adaptation to work, never mind do it justice. That's not what's happened with The Dark Tower, Director Nikolaj Arcel's film that capably condenses the story down to its bare essence and into a tidy 90-minute film at that. King purists will probably run and hide, but those looking for a fairly crafted film with some nifty ideas and good acting should find the film agreeable enough.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.
The Dark Tower's UHD release supports Dolby Vision. Unfortunately, we are not currently capable of reviewing Dolby Vision but are
researching equipment options and will be upgrading in the near future. As for the basic 2160p/HDR10 component, it's a winner. Big time. The image
boasts serious upgrades over the Blu-ray, particularly in terms of its textural excellence. The movie was reportedly shot at resolutions of both 3.4K and 6K and finished at 4K,
so this is a "true" 4K release rather than another generic upscale. There are moments, and chapter 14 serves as a very good example, where the
image
matches, if not surpasses, most everything else on the market, whether shot digitally or on film. Facial definition is off the charts intimate and
complex, and
while some might make a case that there are times it appears a tad overly sharp, there's no mistaking its inherent richness and density.
Viewers will see every single bump, pore, scar, and bead of sweat with definition that really cannot be beat. Even considering the digital photography,
the
movie plays with a very filmic quality about it. It feels big and bold as textural intricacies become commonplace, sharpness abounds, and the movie
becomes a wonder of 4K excellence. Even Jake's hair looks amazing, both considering its shapely density and its individual strand detail. Environments
are sharp as a tack and revealing of every small surface detail, whether inside Jake's apartment or, late in the movie, a gun shop. The HDR color
palette offers a modest boost to overall saturation. Colors enjoy a slight, but crucial, uptick in density and vibrancy, appearing more real and
occasionally even leaving otherwise pleasing and even punchy shades on the Blu-ray looking a bit dull by comparison. Black levels are strong and flesh
tones appear perfect across the spectrum. No noticeable encode or source anomalies are present, and even noise is muted. This is a fantastic UHD
picture that's amongst the finest the format has seen, if not right there at the very top.
The Dark Tower's UHD release features a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, which offers a nice step up from the Blu-ray's DTS 5.1 track. While the listens are not fundamentally different -- both maintain heightened clarity, attuned positioning, strong low end support, enveloping surround usage -- the added channels, both rearward and overhead, increase the track's spacial capabilities by quite a bit. Environments suddenly feel more alive and full, more open and effortless. The overheads don't necessarily command the stage with a parade of distinct elements, but they do offer support in creating a firmer, more realistic general atmosphere that's obvious in the most hushed of environments and basic dialogue exchanges and in big action scenes alike. Add in all of those basic components -- hearty bass, pinpoint movement, precise sound placement, wide and clear music -- and the track is one to be reckoned with. Perfectly replicated dialogue rounds a high quality track into finished form.
The Dark Tower's UHD release contains all of the core supplements on the bundled Blu-ray disc. The UHD contains only the usual Sony
"extras" including a cast and crew still photo tab and a collection of categorized "moments" (2160p/HDR [presumably Dolby Vision]/Atmos):
Roland, The Man in Black, Jake, and Mid-World. Below is a review of the Blu-ray extras. A UV digital copy code is
included with purchase.
The Dark Tower certainly could have been much more, and needed to be much more if it was going to somehow remain faithful to the novels that precede it. But even at a very fast 90 minutes that's more or less the story's most unadulterated, no-frills and few-details essence, it makes for a serviceable, and even often enjoyable, surface-level entertainer. Hopefully the series will again be one day revisited, perhaps for the small screen (and please be more faithful than Under the Dome. Thanks.), where it can truly breathe and explore. Until then, this is a solid enough facsimile that will please casuals more than King fanatics. Sony's UHD delivers reference video and audio presentations alongside a healthy little allotment of bonus content. Recommended.
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Highlander II: The Quickening
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