The Man from Nowhere 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

The Man from Nowhere 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Kind of incredibly, it's been well over a decade since Well Go USA released their 1080 version of The Man From Nowhere, but in the "better late than never" category, they're back now witha 4K UHD upgrade of this often quite interesting film.

The Man from Nowhere 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc in this package.

The Man from Nowhere is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Well Go USA with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.35:1. This was shot on film and had a 2K DI, and this 4K UHD release boasts some good upticks in detail levels and some appreciable nuance in the palette courtesy of HDR and/or Dolby Vision, but it may also reveal a slightly more "video"-esque look than the now ancient 1080 version did, one that is rather sleek, glossy and surprisingly grain free. I'm not willing to state outright this had some high frequency filtering applied, since fine detail levels are often so commendable, and there's none of the usual suspects like a smeary quality on tap, but this was the single most interesting thing I noticed about the presentation in 4K, so much so that I had to go to the IMDb to make sure this was not digitally captured. There is visible grain throughout, probably more instantly noticeable against darker backgrounds, and in fact it can be just slightly yellow and chunky looking in some of the darkest scenes, but again there's a certain smoothness to this presentation that really caught my eye, for better or worse. HDR has certainly aided in providing shadow detail in any number of very dimly lit moments, but there's also some very evocative new luster to a number of the grading choices, including the repeated uses of very cool, icy blues, and somewhat warmer yellows. A surplus of close-ups helps to support really excellent fine detail levels on facial features, sometimes even in next to no lighting. My score is 4.25.

The Man from Nowhere 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

In what may be a slight disappointment for fans, Well Go USA has not provided an Atmos track on this 4K UHD disc despite the cover advertising that codec, and instead repeats what to my ears are the same DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 offerings in either Korean or English that graced the long ago 1080 release. Unless you absolutely can't handle reading subtitles, the original Korean track is the one to go with here, and it provides a bristlingly visceral experience from virtually the very first moments. The first sequence inside the dance club is alive with immersion and some floor rattling bass thumping emanating from the subwoofer. The action sequences are very well detailed with some exceptional directionality and very effective sound effects editing. Dialogue is clean, well positioned and easy to hear (though of course you'll probably be reading the subtitles). Underscore and effects are very well mixed into the 5.1 track and it provides a very cinematic experience throughout The Man from Nowhere. Optional English subtitles are available.

Note: I had the same temporary issue with this disc and Well Go USA's simultaneous 4K UHD release of The Wailing 4K where either due to a faulty HDMI handshake or some authoring error, playing the film the first time from the main menu did not engage the soundtrack. Only stopping playback and starting again solved the issue on both discs.

The Man from Nowhere 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K UHD disc sports no supplemental features. The 1080 disc in this package has the two minimal supplements covered in my The Man from Nowhere Blu-ray review.

Packaging features a slipcover.

The Man from Nowhere 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It can often be kind of interesting to go back and revisit films that haven't been seen in a while, and that was the case for me and The Man From Nowhere. When I wrote my original 1080 review in 2011, there may not have been the appreciation for South Korean cinema that there is today, as evidenced by some of my comments in that very review. Time may in fact have not especially "helped" The Man From Nowhere with regard to some of its more cliché ridden propensities, and as I stated in my original 1080 review, you may in fact have seen something at least somewhat like this before. Still, this is a film that manages to provide both visceral angst and a goodly amount of heart. The 4K UHD presentation offers some noticeable upticks in fine detail and additional nuance to the palette, but to my eyes had a slightly more "video" look to it than the 1080 presentation. With caveats noted, Recommended.