The Outpost 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

The Outpost 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Screen Media brings the realistic War film 'The Outpost' to the UHD format with new 2160p video. There is no HDR color grading and no new audio track. This is a director's cut version of the film which runs 127 minutes as opposed to the theatrical cut which clocks in at 123 minutes. This release includes several new supplements but does not carry over most of the material from the original 2019 Blu-ray release, so fans will have to own both versions in order to have access to all of the content.

The film's new cut opens with a lengthy text block discussing the editing process, stating that "it is kind of a joy to be given an opportunity to make what is known in our business as a 'director's cut," that "The Outpost was always intended to be a film made first and foremost for the veterans of what is known as the International War on Terror. We had always hoped that these warriors could show the film to their loved ones and say, 'see, this is what it was.' All the added scenes in this cut are meant to underline this objective." Lurie continues on to discuss the added scenes in detail, saying, "we see the true humanity of the American Soldier when they find a baby while on patrol. We see the love these men had for one another (and, I promise you, no greater a love there is) as they fill in for one another on guard duty, and, finally, the absolute randomness of the violence they suffered on an almost daily basis."

The Outpost 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Screen Media enlists The Outpost onto the UHD format with a 2160p transfer. There is no HDR color grading on this disc, retaining instead an SDR BT.709 spectrum. The color output is fine and chances are most viewers aren't going to miss the additional depth that may have been with HDR grading. There's certainly no significant want for greater depth, whether considering the earthen terrain in and around the camp or the gray and green military uniforms. These colors, and those beyond, are bold and very well saturated. Tones are tight across whatever content is on the screen, which does include some bursts of brighter red (flags and blood, for example) and small point color bursts on water bottles, chairs in the barracks, and the like. Along with excellent nighttime and lower light interior black levels there's nothing at fault at the deepest end of the spectrum, either.

The 2160p resolution is obviously the game changer here. The older Blu-ray was plenty sharp but at this resolution the image finds a new gear of complex excellence, here well capable of showcasing Afghan terrain, wooden barrack interiors and support elements, combat uniforms, weapons, faces, and just about everything else with a new level of intimate clarity and evident sharpness. The UHD never fails to impress across the board and while it's not leaps and bounds better than the Blu-ray, whether considering the director's cut included in this package or the theatrical edition released last year, it certainly seizes the opportunity to bring out the very best of every texture on the screen. There are no obvious encode issues, either, and while the UHD does not eliminate source noise it does handle it a bit better. Look at a scene at the 16-minute mark when Keating is meeting some Afghan locals. Noise is present but very well managed. There's nothing to dislike about this image, even in the absence of an HDR color component.

The Outpost 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This UHD release of The Outpost includes the same DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack found on the 2020 Blu-ray. Please click here for a full review.

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

The Outpost's UHD disc includes several extras, one of which partially carries over from the Blu-ray and the rest of which are new to this presentation. Note that the bundled Blu-ray is not the same as the previous release; it is instead another copy of the Extended Director's Cut with the exact same supplements, so fans wanting a copy with the commentary and some of the other deleted content need to hang onto the old release. Please click here for coverage of carryover content and to compare and contrast what's here and what's there.

• Introduction to Veteran's Day Special Screening (1080p, 4:32): Director Rod Lurie introduces some real veterans who contributed to the film.
• Inside COP Keating: Behind the Scenes, Behind the Lines (1080p, 15:02): Note that the supplement with the same title was twice as long on the 2020 Blu-ray.
• Real Life Stories (1080p, 5:34): Cast and crew discuss the real life battle, the heroism displayed in battle, crafting an accurate film, and more.
• "Everybody Cries" Music Video by Rita Wilson (1080p, 3:16).
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:07).

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

This is a terrific War film that is now on the UHD format in a solid overall package that doesn't include all of the usual bells and whistles -- there is no HDR color grading and no new soundtrack -- but Screen Media has included a few new extras (albeit without bringing over the content from the previous release) and presents the film in a longer Director's Cut. So there are plusses and minuses to consider but consider that even absent HDR the color spectrum is just fine and the 5.1 lossless soundtrack is one of the best of its kind. Recommended.