Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 4K Ultra HD

In "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the mighty Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of the death of their beloved King T’Challa. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) if they are to forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary by Director Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw, gag reel (HD 02:28), the featurettes "Envisioning Two Worlds" (HD 10:55) and "Passing The Mantle" (HD 05:50), four deleted scenes (HD 10:11) and a Movies Anywhere digital copy.

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10 picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed digitally in anamorphic Panavision® using the Sony CineAlta Venice IMAX camera system and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate format. Theatrically, the movie was exhibited in 3D but no 3D Blu-ray Disc was provided for review. The 3D conversion was by SDFX Studios. The picture is beautifully stylized with a vivid color palette that exhibits saturated hues. The various environments are distinctive in appearance from Wakanda to the United States. Primaries are strong but natural. The range of nuance color shadings is incredible. Flesh tones are perfectly natural. HDR contrast is extremely wide with deep black levels, revealing shadows and extremely bright white levels. The imagery appears with great depth throughout. Resolution also is excellent and reveals fine detail throughout in the often elaborate production and costume designs. Facial resolution is revealing of fine detail, even makeup as well as skin pores, hair and complexions. This is a vividly colorful picture with imaginative production and costume design that is reference quality, (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is quite dynamic with virtually constant dimensionality. Atmospherics are strong with at times unique characteristics. Sound effects are creative and often bombastic during intense action scenes involving advanced technological gadgets and weapons. Explosions are intense with deep bass response extended to sub-25 Hz during explosions and some sound effects. Both atmospherics and sound effects generally sound natural and realistic, Ludwig Göransson's orchestral/choral score is expansive with aggressive surround envelopment. Foley sound effects are perfectly syncretized with picture. Dialogue generally is well integrated spatially and intelligible.

The Immersive Sound element is comprised of an extension of the orchestra/choral score as well as numerous atmospherics, computer voices, space craft flyovers, a few warrior grunts, a crash alarm, jungle sounds, underwater sounds, propelled movements, screams, swoops and numerous sound effects. This is a very effective dimensional height layer.

This is an elaborate holosonic® spherical surround soundtrack with a vast variety of atmospherics and sound effects that sound dynamic. (Gary Reber)