We Were Soldiers 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

We Were Soldiers 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Paramount has released the 2002 Vietnam War film 'We Were Soldiers,' starring Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear, and Sam Elliott, directed by Randall Wallace, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, replacing the 2007 Blu-ray's DTS-ES 6.1 (remember those?) soundtrack. No new extras are included, and all of the extras for the set are on the bundled Blu-ray, which the same disc Paramount released in 2007.

We Were Soldiers 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.

It's sometimes interesting to look back on reviews from yesteryear and see how much things have changed over the years, and We Were Soldiers is certainly a good example of that. The picture quality on the Blu-ray doesn't hold up as all that great today. Perusing it for the purposes of this review reveals an image with some blatant issues: lifted colors, raised black levels, imperfect grain, compression problems, inadequate crispness, lower end detail, and so on. The UHD fixes just about all of that.

Paramount's 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD delivers a sizable upgrade from the ancient MPEG-2 Blu-ray. The image may not have that perfectly grainy, perfectly balanced, perfectly filmic look, but the sizable gains in all of those areas over the Blu-ray give it an appreciably solid appearance that brings out the natural film elements with pleasant accuracy. It may not rise to the level of the crispest, finest UHD image on the market, but it looks really solid. Grain is light but fairly firm. Textures look in no way scrubbed down but rather show a much firmer command and clarity over the Blu-ray, offering very good definition to faces and military uniforms, not to mention the terrain in Vietnam, whether down in tunnels or on the surface where grasses and leaves find significant gains to crispness that the old Blu-ray can't even approach. There is some inconsistency in the image, but I think some of the softness and less than ideally realized imagery traces back to the source rather than to the UHD itself. Even if it's not the sharpest UHD on the market, it's still significantly great gains over the Blu-ray which, in comparison and to be blunt, looks fairly pathetic.

The Dolby Vision color grading earns high marks was well, especially, again, in contrast to the terribly dated Blu-ray. First of all, it fixes some issues the old disc had with plainly raised black levels. While maybe not quite perfect, black levels on the UHD are richer, deeper, fuller, more accurate, more authentic...much more in line with expectations. Natural greens in Vietnam take several steps forward for punch, vividness, and distinctive shading, while explosions deliver a hearty boost to intense fiery oranges that are seen in several scenes. Red blood is more vivid, too, as are the military uniforms worn on both sides of the conflict. Back stateside, some of the colorful clothes the wives wear enjoy great gains in color accuracy and punch. White balance is improved as well, and skin tones take on a fuller and more natural look. However, it's worth noting that there are some serious fluctuations in color, giving some scenes an undersaturated look, others oversaturated, and yet others still right down the middle.

To cap things off, the UHD is free of some of the problematic encode issues, especially some light macroblocking, that plagued the Blu-ray. Additionally, the print here is cleaner and free of some of the pops and speckles that pop up now and then on the 1080p disc. Overall, this is a massive upgrade. It's not a perfect UHD, but fans will not be disappointed, in the least, with what they are getting for their money.

We Were Soldiers 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As noted above, Paramount has replaced the aged DTS-ES 6.1 lossy soundtrack from the 2007 Blu-ray with a neat and tidy DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This would have been an opportune time for Paramount to test the waters, so to speak, by actually upgrading a catalogue title to the Dolby Atmos configuration, especially a track such as this with ample room for engagement in the battle scenes and sequences, but as it is the new 5.1 track is very effective in the stead of an Atmos presentation.

There's not a sense of significant alteration between the tracks, but the lossless option certainly puts down a richer listening experience that tightens up details while retaining a sense of expansive audio content that features heavy gunfire and whirring helicopters cutting through the skies and dashing through speakers in a number of spots throughout the film. Listeners will find these action effects to be crisp and efficient, with satisfying low end weight and plenty of stage zip and zoom that effortlessly recreates the terrifying sounds of battle in the home. Action comes home with precision and accuracy, with all the elements swarming the stage and drawing the listener into the frightening fire, including flinging and thumping artillery shells. While an Atmos track would have certainly upped the game, literally and metaphorically, there is no mistaking that the 5.1 listen is an expert in immersion and never lacks serious detail. Lighter ambient elements likewise do not lack for immersive placement and lifelike detail. The track also handles music with excellent fidelity and space, whether dominant along the front or carrying support content in the surround left and right channels. Dialogue is clear and centered with crisp, authoritative lifelikeness to the well prioritized and center-grounded elements.

We Were Soldiers 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of We Were Soldiers contains no supplemental content on the UHD disc itself. All extras are only found on the bundled Blu-ray, which is identical to the disc Paramount released way back in 2007. For a list of the brief extras which are included, please see the bulleted list below. For full coverage of those supplements, please click here. This release also ships with a digital copy code and a non-embossed slipcover.

• Audio Commentary: Director/Writer Randall Wallace
• Getting it Right: Behind the Scenes
• Deleted Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer
• Previews

We Were Soldiers 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Paramount has done a fine job in bringing We Were Soldiers to the UHD format. The 2160p/Dolby Vision image is a great improvement over the Blu-ray. The new 5.1 lossless soundtrack is solid, too (even if an Atmos offering would have been even better). No new extras are included, but the legacy Blu-ray brings over the previously released content. Highly recommended!