The Kill Room 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

The Kill Room 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 16, 2023

The worlds of art and crime connect in “The Kill Room,” which is largely being promoted as a reunion for stars Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson, who last acted together in 1994’s “Pulp Fiction.” A lot of time has passed since the release of the Quentin Tarantino film, but not everything has changed, as “The Kill Room” has Thurman portraying a rattled woman turning to drugs and dangerous men to keep herself distracted, while Jackson once again inhabits the part of an easily agitated, profane man caught up in a criminal situation that slips out of control. Slightly fatigued Tarantino- isms are certainly present in the screenplay by Jonathan Jacobson, intended or not, but the story launches with compelling oddity, highlighting the strange ways of art appreciation and manipulation, which is far more interesting than underworld entanglements that come to claim the effort’s second half.

Patrice (Uma Thurman) is in a tough place, dealing with her decline in art world circles while her gallery loses popularity, unable to create attention for artists like it once did. She’s losing money, turning to drugs to numb herself, while intern Leslie (Amy Keum), keeps the business going as painters like Grace (Maya Hawke) threaten to leave. Learning more about Patrice’s business from a drug dealer, Gordon (Samuel L. Jackson) has an idea to help launder all the money he collects from criminal enterprises, offering a partnership with the needy woman. Presenting a plan to create art to help move cash around, Gordon turns to enforcer Reggie (Joe Manganiello) to create paintings for Patrice. However, such a simple exchange is complicated by Reggie’s unexpected popularity, with his dark visions and crude technique attracting attention from the art world and potential buyers. This growing buzz about “The Bag Man” forces Patrice to scramble, keeping Reggie busy with his creativity while the gallery owner manages more mob activity in her life.

“The Kill Room” sets its mood through Reggie’s criminal actions, introduced as a hulking man testing shop owner patience and truthfulness with a tale of spoiled coffee and a demand for a refund. It’s a way for Reggie to understand the level of security these establishments have, and it brings some intimidation to the picture, establishing the enforcer’s threat. For Patrice, all is not well with her business, which is struggling to retain collector attention, frustrating Grace, who isn’t shy about sharing her displeasure with the owner. Jacobson finds fertile dramatic ground in this world, as Patrice is content to lose herself in drugs and denial, while rivals such as Anika (Dree Hemingway) love to rub her nose in their successes, creating hostilities woven into false pleasantries, charging social interactions. Patrice is being left behind, and it burns her, struggling to make sense of her downfall as her reputation takes a few sizable hits.

The first hour of “The Kill Room” focuses on Patrice’s desperation, putting on a show of success while, in reality, everything is going the wrong way. A rescue plan is devised by Gordon, who runs criminal operations out of his bakery, sparking to the idea of art sales as a way to launder money, giving Patrice a way out of her financial hole. What follows is an amusing understanding of the arrangement, which requires Reggie to create paintings, unlocking something deep within for his pieces. “The Kill Room” isn’t a full-blooded satire of the art scene, but the picture enjoys toying with broad depictions of buyers and sellers, and there’s some humor with Reggie’s rise in exposure, with Leslie unknowingly putting a killer’s face on display, sending Patrice into panic as she seeks to limit publicity.

The Kill Room 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray.

"The Kill Room" comes to UHD with a Dolby Vision presentation. Detail is excellent, examining fine wrinkles on facial surfaces and rough textures on displays of art. Fine hairs are also present. Clothing is fibrous, investigating business attire and street outfits. Gallery interiors are dimensional, exploring various displays and rooms. Exteriors secure deep distances as the action visits city streets. Colors embrace the varied palette of the art displays, which bring vivid hues to the viewing experience. Primaries are just as powerful, favoring blood reds and dark blues. Colder concrete tours are noted, along with warmer interiors, finding natural light (real or otherwise) maintaining a yellow intensity. Skin tones are natural. Blacks are deep, getting close to solidification at times. Highlights are bright, but not uncomfortably so. Compression isn't grand, with mild banding present at times.

The Kill Room 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix carries sharp dialogue exchanges, preserving performance choices, especially from Thurman, who aims to wrap herself around every line. Scoring supports with distinct instrumentation, and soundtrack selections add fuller pop beats to the listening experience, helping with low- end activity in a picture that's not too active with heavier events. Surrounds push out music and do very well with atmospherics, providing a circular sense of gallery and street activity.

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

Blu-ray:

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:27, HD) is included.

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

"The Kill Room" follows Reggie's development as an artist, bringing his work into his art, which complicates Patrice's return to power as a gallery owner. Interest comes from the press and determined buyers, and the story finds its footing with this itchiness, putting Patrice in a dangerous position between reclaiming all that's been lost and testing exposure to unwanted attention from dark figures. Jacobson doesn't stay with a straightforward study of endurance for the main character, aiming to add to her woes with more powerful underworld figures and their own plans for art and cash. "The Kill Room" loses its way in the final act, hunting for a grand summation of scheming when it does just fine with a central crisis of dented redemption, blended with an examination of artistic expression from an unlikely source of grim beauty. Some thespian fizziness from Thurman and Jackson doesn't hurt the cause either.