The Maze Runner 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

The Maze Runner 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Those who stay up to speed on entertainment news will know that The Maze Runner star Dylan O'Brien was seriously injured in an on set accident several weeks ago, and reports (which have been kind of oddly intermittent) have ultimately disclosed that the third Maze Runner film is now on a pretty extended delay while the star recuperates. In the meantime, Fox's 4K UHD release of The Maze Runner may help to fill the gap.

The Maze Runner 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.

The Maze Runner is presented on 4K UHD with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.40:1. The film was captured at a variety of resolutions ranging from 2K to 5K and then finished at a 4K DI. This 4K UHD presentation boasts a noticeable if perhaps slightly subtle at times uptick in detail levels, offering improved delineation of elements like the forestry surrounding the glade where the kids are more or less prisoners. There's also a nice improvement in textures as well, with fabrics on clothing or even skin pores receiving finer resolution and overall better detail levels.

However, as has been the case with some others in the first wave of 4K UHD releases, it's actually in HDR related aspects like palette nuances and contrast that this release shows the biggest differences from its 1080p Blu-ray version. The Maze Runner had some interesting color grading choices, but certain sequences here look manifestly different, with more of a yellow tint rather than the almost greenish ambience that infused the first version. Some of the darkest scenes, like the fireside sequence, boast at least incrementally improved shadow detail, and in fact the gradation of oranges in that fireside sequence is more pronounced now courtesy of HDR. Some of the CGI tends to step right up to the "cartoonish" look I've mentioned in other 4K UHD reviews, though the film's tendency to exploit some of its more lavish VFX in kind of dingy environments which slightly mask the visuals may actually redound to the presentation's benefit in this regard.

I experienced one very brief HDMI handshake issue at disc bootup which kept just the first second or two of the Fox logo and fanfare from displaying, but after that everything worked perfectly.

The Maze Runner 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This release sports the same DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix I assessed in our original The Maze Runner Blu-ray review.

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

The 4K UHD disc ports over the commentary from the original Blu-ray release. The 1080p Blu-ray included in this package features all of the supplements detailed in our The Maze Runner Blu-ray review.

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

The Maze Runner is on a forced hiatus with O'Brien's unfortunate recent injury, but this 4K UHD version of the first film features some interesting and at least slightly different color grading and a subtle but noticeable uptick in detail levels. Early adopters who never bought the standard Blu-ray release will most likely find this a worthy addition to their collection. Recommended.