World War Z 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

World War Z 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Paramount has released the exciting 2013 film 'World War Z,' directed by Marc Forster; starring Brad Pitt; and based on the novel by Max Brooks; to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. Paramount has simply carried over the existing DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack and the same extras Fromm the 2013 Blu-ray, which is also included. This is the second UHD release for the film; Shout! Factory previously issued it in the 4K format in 2023. This is the film's first UHD release from Paramount. Note that this UHD release only includes the PG-13 cut of the film which runs at 1:56:00. Also note that at time of writing, this UHD release is only available as part of the four film Paramount Scares: Volume 2 collection.

World War Z 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.

World War Z is not exactly a film that was ever going to become a reference grade UHD. It's not a bad looking film, but it's somewhat visually pedestrian, lacking that spunk and jazz, not to mention native 4K content. It was finished at 2K, so there's just not a whole lot going for it to seemingly push it to that next level of next generation visual excellence. That doesn't mean that the UHD isn't better than the Blu-ray -- it is -- but don't expect to find a dazzling UHD image....just a very solid one.

In terms of specifics here, I don't see significant difference between this Paramount issue and the previously released version from Shout! Factory. The UHD here essentially holds to the same thoughts and comments as found in the review of the previous UHD. It looks good all around, with a tangible increase in sharpness and clarity over the Blu-ray. The image captures nice detail in good light and stability in low light. In bright light, details are very crisp, yielding obvious gains over the Blu-ray (which is included) for facial detail, clothing elements, and environmental definition, ranging from war-torn city exteriors to surface imperfections deep in the bowels of an aircraft carrier. The picture is smooth and clear, delivering a satisfyingly dense and detailed picture that might not soar above the Blu-ray but that does offer the kind of noticeable gains that make this the clear superior of the two.

The Dolby Vision color grading brings solidification to the color palette as well, improving on what is with the Blu-ray, comparatively at least, a less stable, somewhat more gaudy and overly bright, color spectrum. The picture offers deeper, richer blacks, which are essential in grounding the movie's many scenes of low light terror. Here, depth is better, accuracy is improved, and shadow details are plainly superior to the Blu-ray. White balance is better, too, and skin tones take on a much more realistic appearance.

I spotted no obvious source blemishes such as amplified noise. Additionally, the encode seems to be in near perfect shape with no overt banding, aliasing, or other problem areas. This is a very good looking UHD. It doesn't reach a level of visual majesty because of the source itself, but it's a worthwhile upgrade from the Blu-ray, especially for the Dolby Vision color grading.

World War Z 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For this UHD release of World War Z, Paramount has released the film with the same DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack that accompanied the original 2013 Blu-ray. This is Paramount's standard practice, and while some fans might have desired to see the studio upgrade to an Atmos track, especially considering the film's big budget and action nature (not to mention its status as a relatively "new-ish" movie), listeners can rest assured that, if nothing else, the 7.1 track is still an excellent listen, even more than a decade since its debut. For a full audio review, please see my review of the original 2013 Paramount release's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack by clicking here.

World War Z 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of World War Z contains no extras on the UHD disc. All are included on the bundled Blu-ray, which is identical to the original 2013 release. Please see a bullet list of what's included on the Blu-ray below and please click here for full coverage. As it ships in the second volume of the Paramount Scares collection, a slipcover (which matches the other films in the set) and a digital copy code are included.

• Origins
• Looking to Science
• WWZ: Production
  
  
  • Outbreak
  • The Journey Begins
  • Behind the Wall
  • Camouflage

World War Z 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Paramount's new UHD issue of World War Z isn't drastically different from the Shout! Factory version in terms of its video presentation. It does feature the larger 7.1 lossless soundtrack as opposed to Shout!'s 5.1 track, but it also loses many of the extras from the Shout! issue. So, fans will probably want to hang on to both and have a cobbled together sort of "perfect version."