X-Men: Apocalypse 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		4.0

X-Men: Apocalypse 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

The X-Men saga (or perhaps more appropriately, sagas) continues with X-Men: Apocalypse, another FX kaleidoscope that offers a sequel of sorts to X-Men: Days of Future Past . Fox continues its largely winning ways with 4K UHD releases with this new disc (which also includes a standard Blu-ray, though no 3D Blu-ray).

X-Men: Apocalypse 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

X-Men: Apocalypse is presented on 4K UHD courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.40:1. The standard 1080p Blu-ray was almost impeccably sharp and well defined, with the exception of some relatively soft looking CGI, and that level of excellence is met and even surpassed on the 4K UHD disc. Some of the uptick in detail is quite subtle, with relatively minor elements like the sandy path that is seen in the opening Egyptian sequence having better distinction in this version. Another brief moment involves Apocalypse walking by a wood wall he reaches out and touches and the difference in the pattern of the grain (as in wood grain, that is) is quite striking on the 4K UHD version. HDR has added some additional nuances to what is often a fairly heavily color graded enterprise, and elements like Apocalypse's face have an interesting gradation of tones that isn't always quite as noticeable in the 1080p version (the shades of blue and purple in this film are quite remarkable, and HDR offers a wider gamut of tones throughout the presentation). As with some other 4K UHD experiences, some of the CGI tends to look perhaps a bit more artificial and "cartoon-y" due to the increased resolution and perhaps even due to HDR. Shadow definition is at least marginally improved in several darker sequences, notably some of the early moments in the pyramid and some later stretches when various X-Men are help captive by Stryker. I experienced some very brief judder in the opening CGI aerial pan over various Egyptian structures, but otherwise image stability is topnotch.

X-Men: Apocalypse 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This 4K UHD ups the sonic ante by offering a Dolby Atmos track that offers all of the wonderful immersion and low end that I described in our X-Men: Apocalypse Blu-ray review, while adding even more surround activity with its regular engagement of the Atmos channels, which often provide fantastic overhead elements in moments like the destruction of the pyramid. The later earthquake that is felt globally also provides some fun simultaneous overhead and under foot activity. The flight of jet is yet another moment where Atmos offers a new dimension in listening, with clear overhead panning effects helping to establish the visceral intensity of the flight. Fidelity is superb and dynamic range extremely wide on this problem free track.

For the record, the 4K UHD disc contains the following audio options: English Dolby Atmos, English Descriptive Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French DTS 5.1, Spanish DTS 5.1, German DTS 5.1 and Italian DTS 5.1. For audio and subtitle options on the standard 1080p Blu-ray (which are not the same as the 4K UHD disc), please see the specs listed in our X-Men: Apocalypse Blu-ray review.

X-Men: Apocalypse 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K UHD disc ports over the commentary from the Blu-ray disc, but is otherwise lacking in supplements. The 1080p Blu-ray disc included in this package has all of the supplements detailed in our X-Men: Apocalypse Blu-ray review.

X-Men: Apocalypse 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In any other franchise, X-Men: Apocalypse might have been better appreciated for juggling so many storylines and characters, but the irony is that Singer set such an incredibly high bar for himself with Days of Future Past that this film was perhaps fated to appear less fulfilling. Still, even with its haphazard careening from character to character and plot point to plot point, there's a lot of exciting action going on, even if there's a similar lack of emotional tether to much of anything. This 4K UHD version offers superior video and fantastic audio. Recommended.