6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
One man must race against time to stop history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds as they get together to plot a war that could wipe out millions of people and destroy humanity.
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom HollanderAction | 100% |
Adventure | 83% |
Comic book | 60% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Japanese, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
When Kingsman: The Secret Service became a perhaps unexpected smash when it was released in 2014, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out there were going to be follow ups, and indeed Kingsman: The Golden Circle was released in 2017, to sometimes withering reviews (including a not overly positive assessment by yours truly), but to once again encouraging box office returns. And so we now have The King's Man, writer-director Matthew Vaughn's attempt to offer viewers "the rest of the story" in terms of how Kingsman came to be in the first place. From an "epic adventure" standpoint, The King's Man is probably a step up from Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and it certainly manages to stuff in a veritable grab bag of "real life" historical figures into a story set largely around a nascent World War I era, but it's another overly labored effort that, rather like the first film, has a hard time deciding what its tone should be.
The King's Man is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of 20th Century Films and Disney / Buena Vista with a 2160p transfer in 2.39:1. Captured with a variety of Arri Alexa and Black Magic models, and perhaps surprisingly finished at "only" 2K (given the fact that source resolutions often exceeded 4K, at least according to the IMDb), this is by and large a very sharp, well detailed and appealing looking presentation. The 4K presentation noticeably ups fine detail levels across the board, and potential problem areas like the fine tweeds worn by some of the men offer no resolution issues whatsoever. There's really appealing clarity and sharpness for the most part which elevates even some very wide framings from a general detail perspective. The palette has a bit more nuance here than in the 1080 version courtesy of HDR, but I wouldn't term it an overly dramatic change. As I mentioned in my review of the 1080 version, there are some passingly curious anomalies that seem to afflict what I'm assuming may have been greenscreened material, where edges of (real) objects (props or actual humans) lose a bit of clarity, and where there can be swirly ripples surrounding objects in motion, an aspect which I found to be more noticeable in this version than in the 1080 version for whatever reason.
The King's Man features a Dolby Atmos track which arguably ups (no directional pun intended) the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track included on the 1080 disc, though I'd suggest not by a ton. There are some clear engagements of the Atmos channels in expected moments like battle scenes with explosions overhead or the biplane scene with Orlando, but I found the Atmos rendering to be very similar to the (admittedly excellent) DTS- HD Master Audio 7.1 track on the 1080 disc. There's the same appealing directionality and immersion that the 7.1 track offers, and even some relatively quieter scenes have nice attention paid to discrete channelization of ambient environmental effects. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English, French, Spanish and Japanese subtitles are available.
The 4K UHD disc has no on disc supplements, and the score above reflects that fact. The 1080 disc included in this package includes the supplements detailed in our The King's Man Blu-ray review. Additionally, a digital copy is included and packaging offers a slipcover.
There's a lot to like about The King's Man, and I personally found it to be generally more enjoyable than Kingsman: The Golden Circle, which may admittedly be damning with faint praise. I just wish Vaughn and his team had provided a bit more information about the Shepherd and his hold over such a gaggle of notorious villains as well as maintaining a more consistent tone, which may have been well nigh impossible given this film's bizarre mashup of anti-war sentiment with visceral battle scenes and then almost slapstick laden comedy bits. There are some hugely enjoyable performances here, though, including a great scenery chewing effort by Rhys Ifans as an unforgettable Rasputin. Technical merits are generally solid, with the 4K version offering some nice upticks in detail levels, for those who may considering making a purchase.
2017
2021
2014
2023
2023
2022
2020
2021
2023
2023
Theatrical & Extended Cut
2016
2020
2023
2009
IMAX Enhanced
2019
Collector's Edition
2021
2018
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2021
2019
2023