Men In Black 4K Ultra HD

Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith star in "Men In Black" as Agents K and J in the playfully hip and hilarious science fiction comedy Men In Black. Veteran MiB agent K (Jones), discovers a talented New York cop (Smith) whom he recruits to join the ranks of the elite organization that keeps control of the aliens populating our planet and ensures that those civilians who discover the secret have their memories wiped out. As partners, their first case is to stop an intergalactic terrorist “bug” on a mission to assassinate two ambassadors from opposing galaxies currently residing on Earth. Austin Powers celebrity Verne Troyer appears as “Alien Son.” (Gary Reber)

Special features include an enhanced telestrater feature commentary track by Director Barry Sonnenfeld, an interactive BD-Live multi-player game Intergalactic Pursuit, an Ask Frank The Pug interactive game, five extended or alternate scenes, the featurette Metamorphosis Of Men In Black (HD 23:12), and Original Featurette (HD 06:38). Two scenes are featured in Visual Effects Scene Deconstruction With Commentary, and there are Character Animation Studies of three of the films characters. Creatures Concept To Completion follows the development of five of the film's aliens, and there are three different photo galleries, Storyboard Comparisons of three scenes, an interactive Scene Editing Workshop featuring three scenes from the film, the four-minute music video “Men In Black” (HD 04:19), an “Alien” subtitle track, original trailers and teasers from the film, additional previews, and BD-Live functionality.

The 1.85:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10 picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed on Kodak film stock using Beaumont VistaVision and Panavision Panaflex Platinum camera systems and sourced from a fully restored 4K master Digital Intermediate format. The picture is gorgeous throughout and exhibits a wide dynamic range, thanks to HDR encoding, with black levels that are consistently elevated, shadow delineation that is well resolved, and bright white levels. While grain appears light, the appearance results in a complimentary cinematic image. The HDR color presentation displays a strongly saturated wide color gamut with bold, punchy hues that pop with a wide range of shades and intensities. The MiB suits exhibit terrific color definition with bright and crisp white shirts that contrast with the black suit jackets and matching neckties. Fleshtones are naturally hued and incredibly refined and detailed. Resolution also is incredibly crisp, displaying fine detail in skin pores, hair, clothing, and object texture. The production design appears enhanced and reveals the finest of texture, especially in the messy farmhouse and field, dense city streets and in MiB headquarters. Spatial dimensionality is quite good, as well. This is definitely an exemplary catalog title 4K Ultra HD HDR presentation that will thrill fans. A WOW! segment is at the opening of the film at 0:05:28 to 0:07:2. Another is from 01:21:24 to 01:26:35. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack has been remixed specifically for the home theatre environment. Fidelity is excellent throughout. The soundfield is expansive with aggressive frontal directionalization and surround envelopment that is directionalized for a terrific Holosonic® spherical surround experience. Deep bass is penetrating with extension deep in the .1 LFE channel, as well as giving the orchestral score a solid low-frequency foundation. Sound effects dramatically extend their domination to the surrounds with a spacecraft crash, explosions, whirling industrial ventilation fans at the entrance to MIB headquarters, and numerous other chaotic effects sounds. Most consistently prominent is the orchestral score, which also occupies a wide and deep frontal soundstage. Atmospherics also envelop the soundfield at times, primarily occupying the soundstage, such as city clatter and bustling office activity. At times the soundfield collapses to the front, depriving the soundfield of envelopment. Dialogue is intelligible with good spatial integration. The Immersive Sound element is effectively produced with a strong extension of the music, which provides a sense of excellent spatial dimension. Other height elements include low-level ambience, a speeding truck, a growling alien at the beginning, a fire extinguishing sound effect, a flash sound, a fire flash, spacecraft crash and explosive debris, alien voices, alien-killing weapon fire, a truck drive-up, low-level MIB and other people, and alien voices at different locals, a creaking door opening, whirling industrial ventilation fans, an elevator sound, an alarm siren, a female announcer at MiB headquarters, an alien whizzing sound causing mayhem at MiB headquarters, an echoed female voice, smashing glass and a store window blowout, a bullhorn voice, a breaking glass window, a woman's scream, a whistle alarm, the female voice countdown of “earth time remaining,” a spacecraft blastoff, MiB large blast guns, a spaceship explosion and crash, an alien swallowing effect, alien internals exploding, and other atmospherics and sound effects. The extended overhead music is powerful throughout, and object-based sound effects are well produced as overhead elements, for an effective Immersive Sound experience. This is a thrilling and entertaining soundtrack that fans will find totally engaging. (Gary Reber)