The Visit 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The Visit 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Kino has released the 2015 found footage Horror film 'The Visit,' directed by M. Night Shyamalan, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video and a few new supplements. The included Blu-ray has also been remastered. This is the film's UHD debut and its second major Blu-ray issue; Universal first released the film to Blu-ray in 2016.

The Visit 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from the UHD disc output at 1080p. They are not representative of the UHD/Dolby Vision image you will see on your screen.

The Visit is not exactly the kind of movie that is going to flourish on the UHD format. In my review of the original Blu-ray, I wrote that the image "isn't exactly 1080p paradise" and the same really holds true for this release as well. This is a "found footage" film and shot with consumer grade gear, so even if it's been edited with care and shot with some semblance of style, purpose, and structure above and beyond just throwing a camera in someone's hand, it still carries the hallmarks of the genre. It's not really mean to "look good," so it's really a case of "what you see is what you get."

The UHD image is, indeed, a classic example of "what you see is what you get." There's not a lot of gain here despite the increased muscle provided by the 2160p resolution and the Dolby Vision color grading. It's not astronomically better than Universal's original disc or the newly mastered Blu-ray which is included. They all look fairly similar, truth be told, and I will not say much on the Blu-ray because everything said about the UHD essentially holds true as well for it. I'll make note when there's reason to make note, mostly in the realm of the color grading on each disc.

But the UHD is certainly a perfectly fine way to watch the movie. In fact, it's the best way to watch the movie. It's as sharp and clear as the digital HD source allows, yielding very good definition up close to skin features, hairs, and many odd and ends around the grandparents' house, especially in the kitchen and certainly when cooking is involved and various ingredients are seen. The very nature of the film does not allow it to quite reach that level of professional zenith, but the consumer gear is good enough to capture a clean, efficient, and effortless image that may not greatly bolster detail or clarity over the Blu-ray but that at least offers pinpoint refinements here and there: a hint more clarity, a smidgen of increased sharpness. It's not enough to make a difference, but viewers will get the definitive visual experience at this resolution, even if it's just be a degree rather than leaps and bounds. But that should be expected of a movie of this nature. Look at a static shot of the kitchen table at the 40:54 mark. One can spot small increases in tangible sharpness to the placemats, the wood, and the fruit, but it's a minuscule gain. It's not going to make a major difference in a watch, but for those that have to have the absolute best of the best, this is it.

The Dolby Vision grading brings a little extra punch and pizza to the image. There are some nice, bright, and bold color elements in the film, especially clothing and home furnishings (a good example comes at the 13-minute mark: a pink sweater and blue bedding). There is definitely some improved depth here compared to Kino's remastered Blu-ray (and the Universal Blu-ray as well) and it is in the color spectrum where the UHD truly differentiates itself from the Blu-ray. Viewers will enjoy richer and more robust colors that manage to push fuller and more vivid without betraying the movie's "found footage" essence. One might think better color grading would be a net minus for the film, but it really works in drawing the viewer into the film and complements the proceedings rather than detracts from them. Skin tones are a little fuller, too. Black level depth is solid, and white balance, especially out in snow, appears crisper and more natural on the UHD.

The Visit 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This release of The Visit includes what appears to be the same DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack as found on the original Universal Blu-ray. Please click here for a full review.

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

This new UHD release of The Visit contains a blend of new supplements, old supplements, and supplements new to Blu-ray. The UHD disc and t he Blu-ray both house a new commentary while the Blu-ray disc offers all of the legacy content from the Universal release in addition to some previously made extras that are only now releasing to Blu-ray. Supplements marked as "new" may be newly made or new to Blu-ray. See below for a breakdown of what can be found, and where. New content is briefly reviewed as applicable, ands coverage of legacy content can be found by clicking here. Kino has provided a non embossed slipcover, but there is no digital copy code inside.

UHD and Blu-ray:

• NEW! Audio Commentary: Entertainment Journalists/Authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry discuss the film.

• The Making of The Visit
• NEW! Cast and Crew Interviews (1080p, 19:21): Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie, M. Night Shyamalan, Jason Blum, and Marc Bienstock cover a wide gamut of material in short order, collectively speaking on the story, the characters, and some other elements as well.
• Deleted Scenes: Check in with Mom, An Evening with Nana and Pop Pop, Waiting for the White Thing with Yellow Eyes, Searching Mom's Room, Someone Was in Our Room, Tyler Educates Nana, Pop Pop Hates the World, Visiting Mom's Favorite Joints, Tyler Internalizes What Happened the Night Before In a Self-Reflecting Manner, and Becca Considers Reality Television.
• Alternate Ending
• NEW! Behind the Scenes Footage (1080p, 3:21): A collection of rapid-fire "fly on the wall" glimpses into the goings-on during the shoot.
• Becca's Photos: Image Gallery
• NEW! The Visit -- Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD Ads (1080p, 1:44): Brief previews tied to home releases.
• NEW! The Visit -- US TV Spots (1080p, 5:55): TV-based ads for the film.
• NEW! The Visit -- UK TV Spots (1080p, 2:20): The UK's TV-based ads for the film.
• NEW! The Visit: International Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:02).
• NEW! The Visit: U.S. Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:33).
• The Veil Trailer (1080p, 1:29).
• Bug Trailer (1080p, 1:22).
• Thirst Trailer (1080p, 0:43).

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

I had not revisited The Visit since I reviewed the Blu-ray back in early 2016, and I really feel no reason to re-examine my writing or scores from that time. The movie is good Shyamalan, not great Shyamalan, and while lacking that more classic feeling twist, what it offers is a solid viewing experience that serves as one of the best of the "found footage" genre, which I've always found to be less than it's cracked up to be, even looking at the "granddaddies" of the genre like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. Kino's new UHD release gives viewers the best presentation possible, offering a hair more clarity and detail on the UHD and a nice upgrade on the Dolby Vision color grading, too. A handful of new extras round out a pretty impressive package. recommended!