The Chronicles Of Riddick 4K Ultra HD

A sequel to the 2000 film "Pitch Black," "The Chronicles Of Riddick" finds the escaped convict and space traveler Riddick (Vin Diesel) still on the run. When mercenaries hunt him down, he outmaneuvers them and takes over their ship. Thus begins Riddick's fight for survival and effort to free himself from his past, while trying to save the universe from the bloodthirsty warriors, The Necromongers. (Tricia Spears)

Both the Theatrical version from the original negativef (119.12) and the Director's Cut version (134:06) are available with new 4K restorations spread over three discs. Special features on Disc 1 include the new documentary "Ambition On Another Scale: Chronicling A Blockbuster Sequel" (HD 13:48); "Realizing Riddick" new interview with Writer/Director David Twohy (HD 13:49); "Back To Black" new interview with artist Brian Murray (HD 10:42); "Chronicles Of A Cult Film Celebrity" new interview with Actor Keith David (HD 10:17) and theatrical trailers. Special features on Disc 2 include archive commentary by Writer-Director David Twohy and Actor/Co-Producer Vin Diesel; archive introduction by Twohy; five featurettes: "Creation Of New Mecca" (SD 11:12), "Riddick Rises" (SD 13:26), "Keep What You Kill" (SD 17:30), "Visual Effects Revealed" (SD 06:01) and a "Virtual Guide To The Chronicles Of Riddick" (SD 07:40); Interactive Production Calendar; Production Vignettes; three deleted scenes (HD 7:43); the short film Toombs' Chase Log (SD 9:56); a guided tour of the set by Vin Diesel; on-set interviews with Twohy, Diesel, Actora Judi Dench, Karl Urban, Colm Feore, Alexa Davelos, Thandiwe Newton and Producer Scott Kroopf; promotional interviews with Twohy, Diesel, Newton, Urban, Develos and Feore and easter egg. Special features on Disc 3 include the featurettes "Escape From Butcher Bay" (HD 33:42) and "The Lowdown", a television special (SD 22:04). The packaging features a reversible sleeve and illustrated booklet.

The Theatrical 2.40:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 4K Ultra HD Dolby Vision/HDR10 picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, was photographed on Kodak Vision2 film stock in Super 35 using the Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL and Panavision Panaflex Platinum camera systems and sourced from a 4K Digital Intermediate. Like is the picture quality on the Director's Cut 2.40:1 version, but the soundtrack is limited to DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, not Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1. The picture on both versions is stunning with unimaginable visual special effects and a production design out of this world. Picture quality is superb with stylized imagery throughout. This creates the look of various environments or different atmospheres on different planets. Some scenes are awash in warm yellow tones, affecting all aspects of the color scheme. Others are well balanced and nicely contrasted, with accurate flesh tones and deep blacks. Whatever the scene, hues are nicely saturated. HDR contrast is excellent with solid blacks, reveling shadows and at times intense white levels. Dimensionality is often excellent. Resolution is superb, revealing detail in facial and body features, such as skin pores, iines, hair and beards, the elaborate costume fabrics and metallic wardrobe and object textures of all description. The computer-generated images are often seamlessly incorporated into the picture, to almost allow a suspension of disbelief. The picture is pristine throughout. Most viewers will be excited by the picture quality, which can be quite impressive with reference quality imagery. (Gary Reber)

The Director's Cut DTS-HD MA 5.1-channel soundtrack, sharing the same sound elements as the Theatrical cut, is no match for the Theatrical cut's Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel remixed soundtrack. This one requires you to hold tight as the sonics jolt the emotions. Atmospherics and sound effect are the major sound elements and often aggressively bombastic with intense transients that energize throughout the soundfield. Imaging and discrete localization is exhibited across the soundstage and within the surround soundfield, whether it is space ships or intense gunfire that bounces from one channel vector to another. The surround field is aggressively intense and always constant. Deep bass enhances the excitement with frequencies that extend to sub-25 Hz with SPL intensity in all the ear-level channels and the .1 LFE channel. The orchestral/choral score provides excellent support whether as a background sound element or during bursts of intensity. The music extends wide and deep within the soundstage and the surround field. Dialogue is generally intelligible throughout with decent spatial integration. Vin Disel's thought narration is perfectly positioned center forward.

The Immersive Sound element is yet another major sound element that delivers superb spherical dimensionality. The height layer is comprised of an extension of the orchestral/choral score, atmospherics, and extensive and intense sound effects, with the occasional dialogue presence . The result is effective at creating a truly immersive spherical sound experience. At times, the SPL levels rise to the level of the ear-channels. This is a masterfully crafted height layer.

This is a spectacular holosonic® spherical surround soundtrack that other filmmakers should emulate. The sonics are most impressively dimensional and enveloping, putting the listener in the midst of the environments depicted on screen. Reference quality throughout, but one must have a home theatre system capable of reproducing the intense dynamics and frequency extensions, as well as height layer reproduction. (Gary Reber)