The Hurt Locker 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		5.0

The Hurt Locker 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 23, 2022

Lionsgate has been releasing a number of their catalog titles in "new, improved" SteelBook editions, but The Hurt Locker is the first such release in my personal recollection that offers the disc 4K UHD debut of a film packaged that way, rather than re-releases like American Psycho 4K, which featured SteelBook packaging for a previously released 4K UHD disc (in this case, American Psycho 4K). The Hurt Locker evidently received a digital 4K UHD release a couple of years ago, but our database doesn't show any other 4K UHD releases on disc as of the writing of this review. The visceral intensity of the film has not only not diminished but perhaps in fact increased in the years since its release, since many of the issues it addresses, if only subtextually, have become part and parcel of our evening (and/or any other time of the day) newscasts. This 4K UHD release may not offer the kind of mind blowing upgrade some videophiles have almost become used to experiencing, though any perceived deficits may be due at least in part to a smaller format (16mm) and a number of stylistic quirks including lots of "jiggly cam", zooms and pans along with other handheld techniques that can tend to keep fine detail levels at bay, at least a times.

The Hurt Locker was released on 1080 Blu-ray way back in 2010, and those interested in a plot summary and reaction to the film will be well served by Martin Liebman's The Hurt Locker Blu-ray review of that release.

The Hurt Locker 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

The Hurt Locker is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with a 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. Marty gave top marks to the 1080 disc's video, and while this 4K version offers many of the same strengths as the original release, those hoping for a huge uptick in detail levels and/or palette nuance may come away a bit disappointed, though truth be told some of the perceived deficits here are due strictly to limitations of the 16mm source and deliberate stylistic choices that, for example, keep relatively neutral tones like beiges and ochres at the forefront of the presentation. The grittiness of the source material (both literally and figuratively) is well rendered here, though as I've mentioned in some other reviews of Lionsgate's 4K releases, the grain field can look a bit swarm like at times, especially against brighter backgrounds. The prevalence of "jiggly cam" may at least give the perception of a lack of fine detail levels at times, since the frame is so in motion and it can therefore be hard to focus on individual items, but there are clear upticks in fine detail in more stationary moments. Even little things like a fly that crawls up the hand of William James (Jeremy Renner) as he prepares to sharp shoot in one scene has better delineation and generally speaking minutiae like grains of sand and fibers on uniforms have better precision in this version. HDR and/or Dolby Vision offer a slight but I'd say only marginal change to the overall look of the film, which is still bathed in what Marty Liebman called "earth tones". There's a rather interesting bluish undertone to some scenes that I didn't notice as much in the 1080 version.

The Hurt Locker 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Hurt Locker receives an impressive Atmos upgrade on this 4K UHD disc. Marty understandably gave top marks to the 1080 disc's DTS- HD Master Audio 5.1 track, and all of the positives Marty mentions, from the clear panning of helicopter sounds to the horrifying explosions that devastate the countryside are all rendered with impeccable clarity and at times thrilling directionality. The Atmos track offers really forceful moments both high and low, so to speak, with a whirlwind of surround activity that helps to keep the listener perhaps slightly disoriented within the maelstrom enveloping the characters. The mix is very smartly handled, considering how "busy" some scenes are, and virtually all dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly, with the possible exception of just a few lines uttered in more chaotic moments where a layered sound design can partially eclipse what's being spoken. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.

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

The 4K UHD disc offers the same slate of supplements as the 1080 disc:

• Audio Commentary with Director Kathryn Bigelow and Writer Mark Boal


• The Hurt Locker Behind the Scenes (HD; 12:30)


• Image Gallery (HD; 23:24) offers an optional audio track featuring a Q&A with Mark Boal and Kathryn Bigelow held at the Institute for Contemporary Art in London.

The SteelBook packaging features a front cover image of Jeremy Renner in back of a huge explosion and a back cover image of Anthony Mackie in back of an armored vehicle and other soldiers. The overall color scheme is kind of gold-green, with a touch of orange for the explosion an armored vehicle. I've never had this happen before with a SteelBook, but the copy Lionsgate sent to me for review purposes split when I opened it, so that the front cover completely detached from the back. An illustrated slipcover is also included.

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

The Hurt Locker is one of the more viscerally disturbing war films in recent memory, and its power is surprisingly strong now more than a decade after its initial release. As long as fans somewhat temper the expectations as to what a 4K UHD "upgrade" of this title may mean in terms of a video presentation, this is a worthwhile release with solid technical merits, and the Dolby Atmos track is outstanding. Highly recommended.