If you’re looking for a pick me up for the New Year, here is our choice of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray releases to keep you on your toes. Among these discs you’ll find plenty of recent blockbusters and even a few classics, but one thing’s for sure – they all look and sound fantastic with state-of-the-art picture and sound. So grab the popcorn and turn down the lights.
AMBULANCE
This heist-gone-wrong thriller is directed by Michael Bay, the master of mayhem, who delivers the action in his usual frenetic style. Thanks to 4K and HDR10/Dolby Vision all this ballistic carnage is rendered with exceptional detail, rich colours and bright highlights. An equally energetic Dolby Atmos track immerses you in the action, while deep bass gives every gunshot added impact.
THE BATMAN
Taking the Dark Knight to extremes, this gritty version of the Caped Crusader presents a Gotham City that’s perpetually shrouded in rain and darkness. However, thanks to superb 4K photography and expertly applied HDR10/Dolby Vision those deep shadows are bursting with detail. Powerful Dolby Atmos gives the punches, gunfire, explosions, and especially the Batmobile, an extra kick.
BULLET TRAIN
John Wick director David Leitch brings his usual perfectly choreographed action to this film about a hitman, played by Brad Pitt, trying to survive multiple assassination attempts on a journey from Tokyo to Kyoto. The 4K images are pin-sharp, while the HDR10/Dolby Vision colours will dazzle. The bone-crunching Dolby Atmos track doesn’t pull its punches either, ensuring you feel every hit.
DUNE
This critically acclaimed adaptation of the first half of Frank Herbert’s seminal novel delivers epic sci-fi action and Oscar-winning cinematography that’s perfectly rendered in 4K and HDR10/Dolby Vision. Thanks to awesome Dolby Atmos sonics the desert world of Arrakis is brought vividly to life, with terrifyingly immersive storms and giant sand worms that’ll give your sub a workout.
EDGE OF TOMORROW
This time-loop sci-fi actioner is a cross between Groundhog Day and Saving Private Ryan, but benefits from a clever script, tight direction and a solid star turn from Tom Cruise. The war-torn visuals are impressive with some great use of HDR, but it’s the newly remixed Dolby Atmos track that will blow you away with its visceral object-based heroics and subterranean levels of bass.
ELVIS
This epic biopic of the king of rock ’n roll features a fantastic lead performance from Austin Butler, and the kind of flamboyant visuals you expect from Baz Luhrmann. The 4K disc perfectly handles all the extravagant detail and vibrant colours thanks to HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, while the Dolby Atmos-enhanced soundtrack makes it feel like Elvis is singing his heart out right in front of you.
THE GODFATHER TRILOGY
It’s often forgotten that older films shot on 35mm film also look amazing on 4K disc, especially when they’ve been fully restored. This box set of the three Godfather movies is the perfect example with all the detail from the negative and subtly applied HDR ensuring the trilogy has never looked better, with subtle colours and inky blacks that suit the shadowy world of the mob.
JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION
The latest and supposedly final entry in the blockbusting dino-franchise brings back the leads of the original Jurassic Park for an adventure that delivers epic globe-trotting and paleontological action. The pin-sharp 4K visuals get an excellent HDR10/Dolby Vision upgrade, while the DTS:X audio produces immersion through extensive use of the overheads and suitably monstrous bass.
SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME
This third entry in Marvel’s web-slinger franchise conjures up some multiversal madness to bring all three Spideys together in an entertaining and action-packed adventure. The disc’s picture and sound are equally super-powered, with amazingly detailed and HDR10/Dolby Vision-enhanced 4K visuals and immersive Dolby Atmos sonics that climb the walls thanks to the overhead channels.
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
This long-delayed sequel delivered blockbusting box-office thanks to stunning aerial sequences and an aspect ratio that opens out for the IMAX scenes. Pristine 4K images, blistering HDR10/Dolby Vision highlights, and a Dolby Atmos mix that puts you in the cockpit, help make this one of the best releases of this year, and the ideal demo disc to impress your friends and neighbours.
