The Way of the Gun 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		0.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

The Way of the Gun 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 9, 2025

Note: June's releases from boutique etailer Lionsgate Limited include a 4K/1080 debut (Freaky Tales 4K) in kitsch-tastic VHS clamshell packaging, a Vestron Video Collector's Series release in 1080 only (All of Me), and this release, which in some ways is in keeping with many Lionsgate releases at least in terms of its SteelBook packaging, but which is itself kind of a "one off", in that in this case no previously released 1080 disc is included in the package.

Christopher McQuarrie won a well deserved Academy Award for writing The Usual Suspects, but evidently like a lot of Academy Award winning writers, what he really wanted to do is to direct, with The Way of the Gun being his first feature in that role. The result is intermittently energetic, but probably will not keep people guessing the way the circuitous tale of Keyser Söze and/or Roger "Verbal" Kint did in the Bryan Singer film. And in fact probably the biggest let down with regard to The Way of the Gun is that, unlike the decidedly sui generis The Usual Suspects, The Way of the Gun is not only more formulaic, it, as my colleague Ken Brown suggested in his review of the old 1080 release (see below), might be considered warmed over Tarantino by some.

As mentioned above, Lionsgate released The Way of the Gun on 1080 disc way back in 2009 (and I'm frankly kind of surprised that disc is not included in this package, per several previous SteelBook releases in particular from Lionsgate). Ken Brown's The Way of the Gun Blu-ray review of that release offers a plot recap, list of supplements, and Ken's reaction to the technical presentation.

The Way of the Gun 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: This release does not include a 1080 Blu-ray, so these screenshots are taken directly from the 4K UHD disc and downscaled to 1080 and SDR. Color space in particular is therefore not accurate. Since this release does not include a 1080 disc, the 2K video score above has been intentionally left blank.

The Way of the Gun is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate's Lionsgate Limited etailer with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. One place where Lionsgate Limited might consider upping their ante for collectors and technical enthusiasts in particular is by giving more information on their 4K transfers, but I could find nothing offered here. Ken wasn't especially enthused about Lionsgate's old 1080 release (so maybe it is a good thing it's not offered here), and he specifically mentioned DNR as an issue. For better or worse, there is a grain field clearly observable throughout this presentation, though I'm frankly not sure that's always a good thing. While there's some appealingly textured organic moments on display, grain is quite frequently either gritty and black or mottled and yellow, and for those who are prone to experiment with freeze framing, there are some very odd looking moments where the combination of grain and some nicely suffused background tones add up to some near pixellating or even macroblocking. Not all of this is of course noticeable in motion, though I will say that the black gritty grain in particular tends to add a somewhat dirty look to things, especially against brighter outdoor skies. All of this said, this transfer's biggest plus is probably a nice accounting of detail levels and at least some occasional luster from the HDR / Dolby Vision grades. This is not a film that really exploits a candy coated palette, but some of the outdoor material in particular looks nicely suffused. While I don't have the old 1080 disc to do a side by side comparison, my hunch is some of the cooler blue to teal tones in particular probably resonate more strongly here than in the old presentation.

Note: I had two very brief and passing issues with this disc that might just be "ghosts in the machine". I had a bit of an issue getting audio to engage when I first played the disc, and had to cycle through all three choices twice (two commentary tracks) before the Atmos track kicked in. I then had the disc freeze probably around halfway through, which actually froze my player (I had to force stop everything). Neither anomaly reoccurred when I started the disc the second time after the freeze.

The Way of the Gun 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Ken also wasn't especially enthused about the old 1080 disc's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix, but I found this new 4K disc's Atmos track to be nicely immersive, if perhaps understandably not at the consistent "turn it up to 11" ambience of more contemporary action surround mixes. Ken had reservations about a number of items on the old track, but I found both (admittedly occasional) LFE and (somewhat but less occasional) rear channel placement in particular to offer memorable moments. The Atmos speakers probably get their most noticeable workout in the absolutely crazy quilt finale, where everything descends into chaos. This final sequence is also another good example of side and rear channel engagement. I frankly didn't find Joe Kraemer's score to be innovative, but it's enjoyable, and it's fantastic to see music highlighted in some of the supplements (see below). Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.

The Way of the Gun 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Intention is Everything (HD; 20:50) is a good retrospective overview.


• Trigger Discipline (HD; 8:42) features Ian Roylance, property master.


• Commentary with Director Christopher McQuarrie and Composer Joe Kraemer


• Score Commentary by Composer Joe Kraemer


• Cast Interviews (HD; 7:22) feature Ryan Phillippe, Benicio Del Toro, Juliette Lewis, Taye Diggs, Nicky Katt and James Caan. These are accessible either individually or as a group with a Play All option.


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:17)


• TV Spot (HD; 00:42)

This exclusive SteelBook features a kind of lurid design aesthetic. A lenticular O ring is awash in bright yellows and red-oranges. The same color scheme permeates the front and rear panels of the SteelBook, with the front offering Phillippe and the rear offering Del Toro. The interior panels offer a sonogram, which will be meaningful for fans of the film. A digital copy is also enclosed.

The Way of the Gun 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I am frequently inundated with private messages from readers asking for details when either exclusive Amazon SteelBooks or now these Lionsgate Limited offerings are announced by Lionsgate, and the Lionsgate Limited releases in particular seem to be throwing prospective consumers for a loop, since other than the very imprint branding itself there can be a huge variety in terms of content, format and packaging. This release is both kind of "standard" (i.e., SteelBook packaging) and "unique" (i.e., 4K UHD disc only). The 4K UHD presentation seems to have addressed some of the issues Ken had with the old 1080 version, but may have introduced some others, while the new Atmos mix is often quite propulsive and enjoyable. This release offers a more generous supply of bonus items than the old 1080 release. With caveats noted, Recommended.