The Expendables 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

The Expendables 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Did The Expendables 4 come out and nobody noticed? Perhaps a little unexpectedly, given that they’re not tied in to any new theatrical release, Lionsgate is revisiting the first two Expendables films and releasing them on 4K UHD.

The Expendables 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Expendables is presented on 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with a 2160p transfer in 2.40:1. The Expendables was shot on good old fashioned celluloid and finished at a 2K DI, and like so many other similar properties, the 4K UHD upgrade is at times subtle but noticeable, in terms of both detail levels and (perhaps especially) a better, more nuanced, accounting of the palette courtesy of HDR. I had actually forgotten how dark so much of this film is, with huge swaths playing out in minimally lit or nighttime settings, and the 4K UHD presentation increases shadow definition at least marginally, including the whole opening 20 minute or so stretch where virtually everything takes place in various shadowy environments (this proclivity is revisited later for much of the second half of the film, with a similar uptick in shadow definition throughout). Occasional CGI, including some greenscreen elements, are a little more noticeable now. There are some appealing and even evocative new tones in several sequences, including the kind of cool looking blue-purple scene between Rourke and Stallone late in the film. Grain is a little noisy looking on occasion, but nowhere near the levels seen in The Expendables 2 4K.

The Expendables 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

I didn't hesitate to state that the original Blu-ray release of The Expendables featured reference quality audio (courtesy of a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track), and that excellence is certainly only continued, and arguably increased, with the 4K UHD disc's fantastic sounding Dolby Atmos track. The fun starts right at the beginning with the old style Lionsgate gear logo, which has some new overhead sonics courtesy of the Atmos channels. But this is an incredibly effective track at virtually every turn once the film actually begins. There is increased force in elements like the rumbling of the motorcycle engines or the panning sounds of the plane the guys use to get to various locations. And of course the huge set pieces with their attendant explosions and gunfire provide a riot of immersion and some really (as in really) impressive LFE. Despite the overwhelming noise of some sequences, dialogue typically comes through quite clearly and is well prioritized on this very exciting track.

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

The 4K UHD disc has no supplementary material, and the score above reflects that deficit. The 1080p Blu-ray also included in this package features all of the supplements detailed in our original The Expendables Blu-ray review.

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

The video upgrade here is subtle but noticeable, and certainly more pleasing than that seen in The Expendables 2 4K, and the audio is simply amazing throughout, but why Lionsgate took a step backward and didn't port over any supplements to the 4K UHD disc is a little perplexing. At least those features are available on the 1080p Blu-ray also included in this package. Recommended.