Underworld 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Underworld 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Black and Blue and 4K, too.

Sony has re-relased 2003's 'Underworld' to UHD in a typical 2160p/HDR/Atmos package that's meant to tie-in with the imminent release of the franchise's newest movie. The studio has curiously, and disappointingly, not released any of the other films in the series to UHD at this time. Special features carry over from the Blu-ray (also included) and add the two usual suspects, the "moments" collage and cast and crew stills. Also note that this UHD features a shorter cut of the film, running at 2:01:12, as opposed to the original Blu-ray, featuring a cut clocking in at 2:13:37.

Underworld 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Underworld is the cinematic equivalent of a bruise: black and blue. Where it differs from a messy, swirling, ugly bruise is that it's black and blue beautifully composed and juxtaposed to excellent visual and even thematic effect. Without much in the way of standout color beyond bursts of red blood and pale skin with some shades of gray thrown in, the movie is hardly the breeding ground for HDR "enhancement" that are some other, significantly more robust and colorfully diverse, films. Sony's 2160p/HDR-enhanced presentation offers a basic refinement in color, in no way altering the look or tone of the movie but yielding a firmer blend of black and blue, more subtly diverse shades that better differentiate environments, clothes, and characters. The movie's bleak tone is a bit more expressive, more telling of the tale and capable of finding an increased range for nuanced definition. Bright red blood, lipstick, and other splashes of color, particularly clashing with the movie's many pale skin tones, appear a bit more punchy but not drastically altered. Detailing is where the transfer finds its separation from the 1080p Blu-ray. While the movie was reportedly finished at 2K, it finds a healthy boost in raw detailing evident throughout and particularly where the dark shades of black and blue don't absorb textures. Pale skin tones are the most obviously noticeable beneficiaries, yielding tighter and better defined pores and lines. Textural qualities along various environments -- brick and concrete subways, woods, regal adornments, cold and utilitarian medical areas and tools -- are improved as well, and sometimes by a healthy margin. The picture was shot on film and, generally, grain appears refined and pleasing. It occasionally spikes and clumps in darker corners that sometimes succumb to a soupy swirl as blacks simultaneously lighten up rather than remain firmly darkened. Still, the movie excels on the UHD format despite some inherent limitations, chiefly its heavily filtered color palette and 2K scan. Fans should be quite pleased with the results.

Underworld 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Underworld's original release sported a widely praised LPCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack. The UHD ups the stakes considerably with a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) listen that's a healthy step forward. The presentation shows its range and depth from the outset, even as the Screen Gems logo is still appearing on the screen. The track instantly opens up to reveal its true size that seems to considerably expand the listening area's confines. It engages the entire stage with ferocity while maintaining a critical balance. Details encircle the stage and overhead, too, layering the listening area with a believable cacophony of sound that transforms the home theater into any and all of the film's locations. Bleak as those locations may often look, "bleak" is hardly the word to describe the sound. "Intense," "exciting," and "precise" all come to mind instead. Bass is dominant, but the rest of the range finds hand-in-hand balance with the low end as the entire track works in harmonious collaboration to define the most powerful crashes and the finest ambient support pieces alike. Gunfire could stand a little more raw punch, but the track otherwise shows no holes in its coverage. It's robust, serious about engaging the listener, and anything but timid in delivery. The overhead channels mostly support, but are noticeably engaged in that role in many scenes; the sense of greater top-layer coverage, as opposed to the more traditional 360-degree field, is welcome and clear and even critical in enhancing the movie's sonic playback. Rounded out by naturally positioned and pristine dialogue that's always well prioritized over the madness, this is a terrific track that approaches or meets reference standards in practically every scene.

Underworld 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Underworld's UHD release contains only the usual Sony goodies: a key cast and crew still image gallery and a collection of character specific Moments from the film (2160p, HDR, Atmos): Selene (9:54), Lucian (7:23), Michael (9:43), and Viktor (11:12). The included Blu-ray disc contains all of the supplements from the original release. Please see that listing for more information. For basic perusal convenience, below is a listing of what's included. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Audio Commentary: Director Len Wiseman and Actors Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman.
• Outtakes
• Featurettes: Fang vs. Fiction, The Making of 'Underworld', The Visual Effects of 'Underworld', Creature Effects, Stunts, Designing 'Underworld', The Look of 'Underworld', and Sights and Sounds.
• Music Video: "Worms of the Earth" by Finch.
• Storyboard Comparison

Underworld 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Underworld is a fine movie, though Sony continues to baffle fans by releasing a movie like this to UHD, one sourced from a 2K digital intermediate, while continuing to churn out favorite titles "Mastered in 4K" to 1080p Blu-ray only, like Taxi Driver and Talladega Nights. The obvious answer as to why this hits the new format, much like was the case with The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, is that it's tying in with a new movie in the series (and why not go the whole nine yards and release the entire series to UHD?), not because it's necessarily a gem in the Sony catalogue. Maybe it'll take, Heaven forbid, a remake of Taxi Driver to get it on UHD. Bottom line: more content is better than less, and Underworld makes for a very enjoyable and deserving UHD release, but several pressing "whys" beyond this movie's own scope are as prominent in the discussion as the quality presentation the disc delivers. Recommended.