The World's End 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The World's End 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Universal has released Director Edgar Wright's 2013 film 'The World's End' to the UHD format. The new specifications include 2160p/HDR video and DTS:X audio. No new supplements are included but the bundled Blu-ray, identical to that which was released a decade ago, brings over a bunch. See below for reviews of new content.

At time of writing, this release is only available as part of a bundle with Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead; the film has already been announced for individual release at a later date.

The World's End 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

Universal presents The World's End on UHD with a 2160p/HDR presentation. Per IMDB the movie was shot on film but finished at 2K. The resultant upscaled image is, texturally, not a drastic departure from the Blu-ray; the shift comes more in color under the HDR spectrum which revitalizes the image across the board. Contrast boosts, improved tonal nuance, and a general feel of healthier, deeper colors are apparent from the outset. The Blu-ray appears comparatively bright and flat across its color spectrum where the UHD offers a more solidified, stable, and sturdy presentation. Warm woods around bars appear more richly realized. Skin tones are fuller and healthier. Black level depth is improved. Whites are not wholly brilliant but there's an obvious increase to crispness and intensity. The blue android "blood" finds another gear in terms of color saturation and boldness. Indeed, colors enjoy a good, well-rounded presentation that's very complimentary to the movie's visual structure.

The 2160p resolution brings with it only modest improvements to overall clarity and sharpness. The picture is very healthy and filmic as a rule and looks quite nice throughout. Grain is well rendered and consistent in stability and density. Facial features are proven winners, revealing various pores, freckles, facial hairs, and other elements with sure-handed sharpness. Clothing lines appear nicely defined and various locales, both barroom interiors and various city exteriors, appear with agreeable levels of sharpness and intricacy. None of this is a major boost over the Blu- ray, however. The UHD offers subtle textural and sharpness refinements, not massive improvements in visual clarity. The image suffers from no serious signs of print deterioration or encode anomalies. This is a pleasing UHD in total that is much more a product of its greatly improved color depth than it is the finer textural improvements.

The World's End 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The World's End belches out a healthy, agreeable, expansive, and expressive DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack which is a positive upgrade from the Blu-ray's 5.1 lossless presentation. As the film starts, the presentation is sonically straightforward. It's not until the 37- minute mark when the movie takes a turn to reveal its true direction (feeling a bit like From Dusk Till Dawn in that regard, taking a sudden twist well away from the established first act) when Gary finds himself in an altercation with an android in one of the pub's bathrooms. Music intensifies, spacing explodes, and heft increases significantly. To this point, the track was comprised of light music and mild atmospherics in support of dialogue, which is clear and well prioritized for the duration. Certainly the track for the rest of the film has some moments of core dialogue and mild atmospherics away from action, but the track's true prowess presents in its states of heightened intensity, as various clashes with the android army around town and within pub walls stretch sound systems fairly far and deep. The track makes good, positive, obvious use of all channels, with the overheads acting more as a compliment rather than discrete elemental delivery vehicles, but the added saturation around the back and up top only adds to the overall intensity and atmosphere. Bass is never timid, either, kicking into gear as needed and delivering full and firm reports.

The World's End 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The World's End's UHD disc contains three commentary tracks, which also appear on the bundled Blu-ray. Below is a list of what's included on that disc. For full supplemental content reviews, please click here. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase.

• U-Control
• Deleted Scene
• Out-Takes
• Alternate Edits
• Completing the Golden Mile -- The Making of The World's End
• Director at Work
• Pegg + Frost = Fried Gold
• Friends Reunited
• Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy
• Filling in the Blanks: The Stunts and FX of The World's End
• Animatics
• Hair and Make-Up Tests
• Rehearsal Footage
• Stunt Tapes
• VFX Breakdown
• Bits & Pieces
• There's Only One Gary King: Osymyso's Inibri-8 Megamix
• Signs & Omens
• Edgar & Simon's Flip Charts
• Trailers
• TV Spots
• TV Safe Version
• Galleries
• Trivia Track
• Credits
• Audio Commentary: Writers Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg.
• Audio Commentary: Director Edgar Wright and Director of Photography Bill Pope.
• Audio Commentary: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost & Paddy Considine.

The World's End 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Wright's rousingly funny adventure blends drinking and the end days in a movie that is anything but hazy. Universal's UHD offers a good upgrade over the Blu-ray, particularly considering the HDR color gamut expansion. The DTS:X soundtrack is a well-rounded upgrade as well. Highly recommended.