Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.5

The Shallows 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

This UHD improves on an already stellar BD presentation.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 27, 2016

There will probably never be a better shark movie than Jaws, Director Steven Spielberg's acclaimed and beloved 1975 film that famously made people "afraid to go into the water." Others haven't necessarily tried to top it, but many have tried to duplicate its essence. From silly creature films to inspirational tales of survival, the "Shark" genre may not be a prolific turnstile breadwinner for studios, but it's something of a mainstay in popular culture and always, seemingly, a popular draw when one is released. The Shallows may very well be the best Shark film since Jaws, essentially transforming 127 Hours into a movie about a wounded girl trying to survive with a deadly shark encircling her one and only watery refuge. It's well done, emotionally impacting, and very absorbing, a testament to the power of simple storytelling that gets down to the very essence of humanity, life, and death.

Predator and prey.

Medical student Nancy (Blake Lively) has traveled to Mexico to surf the same waters her late mother visited while she was pregnant with her. She catches a ride out to the beach from an agreeable local and finds herself out on her own when her friend stays behind after a night of partying too hard. She hits the waves and finds solace and satisfaction in the water, but she makes a potentially fatal mistake when she wades back out for one more run before heading back to the hotel. She finds a dead whale a little ways out and soon, its killer: a large, hungry shark bent on feeding on everything in the water. She's bitten in the leg, tearing open a large gash of her flesh. She manages to reach a rocky formation and find temporary safety, but the shark isn't about to let its meal slip away after a respite. It circles her rock, leaving her wounded, tired, and with no avenue of escape.

The Shallows gets quick to the point, crafting enough character construction to mean something and having a bit of fun in the water before things turn south for Nancy and her fight for survival begins. Character development can be a bit cliché -- she lost her mother and she's returning to a beach that meant something to her -- but Director Jaume Collet-Serra and Writer Anthony Jaswinski handle it with care, building on simple, tangible themes and human emotion not just to elicit a response from the audience, but to have Nancy's fight for survival mean something to her and to the viewer. Sure it's cliché, but it's representative of real life. The film tackles core emotions that don't necessarily drive her survival instinct but at least add another layer to it, culminating in a simple and well done moment about an hour into the movie that gets to the very heart of humanity, life, and death. Indeed, the film blends simple emotional content with visceral and nail-biting moments of intensity and survival very well, but it's in those other moments that fill most of the movie where The Shallows truly shines.

The film draws plenty of intensity from the slow-burn waiting game where it spends the majority of its time. Beyond the cheerful and character establishing open and several moments of high intensity frights, The Shallows mostly invests in Nancy and her plight, as much her emotional state as her physical deterioration. That underlying fear of uncertainty only elicits a deeper emotional response as her window for survival begins to erode, whether due to her failing health or the coming of the high tide. The movie is very well made on all fronts, with Blake Lively masterfully maneuvering through the part's physical and emotional demands alike. She explores that foundational essence of her being to satisfaction and builds on it as she rests and recovers and tries to figure out how -- if -- she's going to survive her ordeal. Her ability to blend the two -- to find that inner center of her soul while realistically portraying a wounded, fearful individual whose hope for survival rests more on her ability to focus and stay positive than anything else -- elevates the movie well beyond its superficial simplicities. Director Jaume Collet-Serra (Non-Stop) captures the intricacies of her performance with a knowing eye for contrast and juxtaposition, enhancing her performance with a blend of intimate photography and sweeping vistas which not only capture the beauty of the environment but its perils, too. This is a complete movie, certainly not a classic but a fine example of well-made, strongly performed, and engrossing cinematic storytelling. It's too bad more movies aren't like this.

The Shallows 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 Shallows looked fantastic on 1080p Blu-ray, and the 4K UHD/HDR release takes it a step further. Even as the film was photographed at less than 4K resolution -- primarily 3.4K according to IMDB -- and finished at 2K, the UHD represents a nice little upgrade for the movie. Viewers will immediately note the transfer's prowess on the dry and still fully healthy Nancy. Extremely fine facial definition is clear, individual hairs are sharp and plainly visible, and the pickup truck's exterior features richly and realistically featured dull paint, rust, and weathering. The beach is gorgeously textured with a finer detail to sand. Colors are brilliant. Water is a striking aqua color. Greens pop with amazing precision. Clarity is breathtaking, particularly out on the water. The image's high-end attributes are easy to spot, and its improvements over Blu-ray become ever more clear with a side-to-side comparison. Colors are the real winner here. The HDR enhancements are more refined than anything else, but still make a big, immediately obvious impact. Color saturation is improved, authenticity and punch are increased without sacrificing integrity. Water is the standout winner, improving on the Blu-ray with greatly increased saturation, fullness, and lifelike presentation. It's hard to imagine real life looking much better. Details are more incrementally improved than anything. Overall image clarity receives a boost. Many of the film's longer, overhead shots are sharper, and intimate close-ups are more revealing. Again, as with many UHD releases, this isn't an astronomical leap in quality, but The Shallows represents the current best the format has to offer, particularly for movies that are upscaled to 4K. This is a reference UHD title top to bottom.

The Shallows 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Whereas the Blu-ray release of The Shallows contains a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, the UHD earns a premium Atmos sound mix that, like the video, offers a tangible, enjoyable upgrade over the basic release. The most enjoyable moments come underwater, when that sense of total aquatic immersion, pressure, and density is at maximum. The speakers are pushed hard, and the overhead channels add a legitimate sense of total saturation. The listener will feel everything but wet. Even as there's not really a "bottom layer" as there is a top, the added wrap-around and upper level really make several such moments, whether Nancy be in great peril later or enjoying the surf early on, all the more authentic and enjoyable. The overhead channels add a bit of atmospheric help, too. Light details aren't prominent up top, but little environmental ticks gain better traction and stage immersion, whether seagulls or gently rolling waves heard from the beach. Of course, all of the basics are terrific, too. Music is remarkably clear and makes good use of the added surround-back channels to create fuller envelopment. A strong low end supports various action scenes, and dialogue maintains crisp, polished, prioritized, and natural front-center placement. With the video alongside, this disc does represent one of the best UHD demo discs on the market.

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

Beyond Sony's usual assortment of "Moments" (2160p, HDR, Dolby Atmos, here including Nancy [14:28], Memorable Moments [15:15], Survival [11:39], and The Shark [15:39]) and cast and crew stills (which, here, are limited to Actress Blake Lively and Director Jaume Collet-Serra), this UHD release of The Shallows contains no additional bonus content. All of the core extras are included on the standard 1080p disc. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Chloe Sees the Shark (1:36), Call for Help (2:16), and A Conversation with Seagull (1:09).
• Shooting in the Shallows (1080p, 5:57): A discussion of the challenges inherent to making this movie, with emphasis on making a movie in the water, Blake Lively's physical preparations for the part, and the differences of shooting on location and on a stage.
• When Sharks Attack (1080p, 7:34): A real-life shark attack survivor recounts his experiences while experts discuss the realities of shark attacks.
• How to Build a Shark (1080p, 6:56): A look at the thought process that went into designing the shark, and moving from concept art to practical models and digital creations.
• Finding the Perfect Beach: Lord Howe Island (1080p, 6:01): As the title suggests, this piece looks closely at the primary shooting location, including how it enhances the movie and the challenges it posed.
• Previews: Additional Sony titles.

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

The Shallows is just a really good movie. It's slickly made but never feels so, capturing a gritty essence of danger and soulful presentation of the human spirit. With a great led performance, excellent construction, a terrific pace, and classic edge-of-seat intensity, the film serves as a reminder of cinema's ability to lure in an audience and take it on a journey of both peril and triumph. Sony's 4K UHD/HDR release of The Shallows is fantastic. The 2160p/HDR-enhanced presentation is a dazzling display of the format's capabilities, and the Atmos sound is a clear step above the other release's 5.1 track. This is a must-own for every UHD-capable viewer and earns my highest recommendation.