The Purge: Election Year 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

The Purge: Election Year 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Universal has released all three films in the 'Purge' franchise to UHD in a single boxed set, currently the only way to own the films on the 4K format. Please click here for more on that set.

The Purge: Election Year 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

The Purge was digitally photographed at a resolution of 2.8K and finished at 2K. This is arguably the best looking of the three Purge movies on UHD, though that's talking degrees, not leaps and bounds. The image is unquestionably solid. Facial textures are impressively robust, revealing those always-referenced pores and other qualities with remarkable efficiency and satisfying definition. Clothes -- whether light-fabric blouses, heavy jackets, bulletproof vests, or Purge costumes -- showcase fine detail with impressive complexity. Even with the digital source and the image's clean, smooth façade, depth is never wanting, particularly in well lit and dense areas, like the convince store's interior. The HDR-enhanced color palette is by no means leaps and bounds different than the Blu-ray, but the increased color depth to skin and objects and added vitality yield more robust shades, whether, again, in well-lit areas or even contrasted against the image's many darkened backdrops. Those black leaves are handsomely deep, only a degree or so away from perfect, favoring an ever-so-slight brightness. This is a very nice upscale UHD from Universal.

The Purge: Election Year 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

DTS:X Master Audio suits this film and the Purge franchise very well. The previous two releases offered generously large and powerful sound, and Election Year is no different. Take a helicopter attack in chapter 10. The flying machine powers through the stage -- which includes a tangible overhead support element -- with chest-rattling intensity, and the mini gun fires with a heart-stopping power as bullets rip through the stage. Gunfire from a sniper at an elevated position firing on the candidate a bit earlier offers strong shot depth and quality elemental zip with a noticeable angle to it that mimics the location of the shooter and the position of the targets. Musical depth and width are fantastic. The track's ability to mesh detail and power is striking. The announcement and blaring alarm that signals the start of the Purge offers fluid, wide spacing, total stage saturation, and a pleasant overhead engagement. Clear, balanced dialogue rounds another reference Purge DTS:X track into final form.

The Purge: Election Year 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Universal's UHD release of The Purge: Election Year contains no new extras, and no supplements of any kind. Previously released extras -- two featurettes and deleted scenes -- can be found on the bundled Blu-ray disc. A UV/iTunes digital copy code is included with purchase.

The Purge: Election Year 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Purge: Election Year takes some of its cues from urban Survival films like Escape from New York while still admirably fitting into the established Purge universe. Universal's UHD release of The Purge: Election Year delivers. Though upscaled, the 4K/HDR video impresses and the DTS:X soundtrack offers an engaging, reference-grade listen. No new extras are included. Fans will find this a worthwhile upgrade from the Blu-ray.