Death On The Nile 4K Ultra HD

In "Death On The Nile," although Belgium's premiere sleuth Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) plans a spectacular Egyptian vacation aboard a glamourous river steamer, the trip tuns into a terrifying search for a murderer after a picture-perfect couple's honeymoon is cut tragically short. (Gary Reber)

Special features include four featurettes: "Death On The Nile: Novel To Film" (HD 15:30), "Agatha Christie: Travel Can Be Murder" (HD 05:53), "Design On The Nile" (HD 11:01) and "Branagh / Poirot" (HD 05:35); eight deleted scenes (HD 10:45); official trailer and a Movies Anywhere digital code.

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 4K Ultra HD HDR10 picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed on Kodak Vision3 film stock in Panavision Super 70 using the Panavision Panaflex System 65 Studio camera system and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate.Film grain is extremely fine and virtually non-existent. The black-and-white upfront war sequence is a bit on the darkish gray scale and generally soft in appearance. The color picture is stylish and gorgeous with a warm and rich color palette that is strongly saturated while natural in appearance. The imagery effectively creates a sense of period. The waters of the Nile are at times realistically flat and smooth with the glow of sunrises and sunsets, and moon reflections. The settings on the shores, including the Egyptian statues artifacts. Flesh tones are perfectly natural. HDR contrast is excellent and dynamic with naturally deep blacks, revealing shadow delineation and bright natural specular white level highlights. Resolution is superb with fine facial features revealed in Poirot's mustache, hair, beards, facial lines and skin pores, complexion nuances. Clothing is finely rendered along with object textures. This is a stunning picture that is wonderfully appealing. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is nicely dynamic with a natural sonic characteristics. Dialogue focused, there is excellent intelligibility but the capture sounds a bit forward and wanting in spatial integration. At times the dialogue is directionalized. Atmospherics sound realistic as well as sound effects, such a rock fallings and gunfire. The orchestral score serves as a background complement and exhibits a wide and deep soundstage that envelops the four-channel soundfield. The blues music and signing sounds lively and nicely recorded. The club scene excites the soundfield. Surround sound is generally subtle though there are moments of energy. Bass energy is natural sounding and without exaggeration.

The Immersive Sound element is comprised of mostly the extension of the orchestral score to the height layer, which at times sounds strong. Atmospherics and sound effects are spotty such as crowd din, dialogue, rock crashes, earth rumble, steamer's lower hull rumblings and minor subtitles. Far more could have been accomplished.

This is a satisfying holosonic® spherical surround soundfield that effectively complements the storytelling. (Gary Reber)