Alien: Romulus 4K Ultra HD

"Alien: Romulus" is a terrifying sci-fi horror-thriller which takes the phenomenally successful Alien franchise back to its iconic roots. While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young colonizers come face-to-face with the most relentless and deadly life form in the universe. (Gary Reber)

Special features include "Alien: A Conversation" (HD 09:23), four alternate.extended scenes (HD 11:27), the featurettes "Return To Horror: Crating Alien: Romulus" (HD 25:34) and "Inside The Xenomorph Showdown" (HD 11:07 and a Movies Anywhere digital copy.

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD Dolby Vision/HDR10 picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, was photographed digitally using the Arri Alexa 35 camera system and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate. The production design is stylized and set in a space craft with intricate structural detail and lighting effects that create a sense of pending danger at any moment, which horrifically occurs when the Alien creatures are revived. The color palette appears realistic and boosts hues of gray throughout, contrasted with colorful lightening effects and the natural appearance of flesh tones. The sets provide good dimensionality and the visual effects are effectively dramatic. The adult Alien is slimy grayish in hue and scary. HDR contrast is excellent. Black levels are deep and solid. Shadow levels are revealing with effective depth. White levels are brightly illuminated. Resolution is excellent with fine textural detaill evident throughout. Facial features are well defined with details exhibited in skin pores, lines, makeup and hair. Costumes project realism in fabrics. The ships's structural and object textures are nicely defined as well as the mining station composition. This is a graphically effective picture of outer space habit and Alien creature infestation that delivers the frights. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is dynamic sounding throughout with an effective mixture of very nuanced and powerful sound effects, as well as haunting atmospherics. Sound effects are often powerful and enhanced with deep bass that can extend to sub 25 Hz in the .1 LFE channel. Sound effects are numerous and quite extensive and variable. Foley sound effects are intricate and in perfect sync with picture. The orchestral/choral score is a prominent sound element that is dynamic sounding and occupies a wide and deep soundstage with aggressive surround extension and envelopment. Surround energy is strong and often directionalized. Dialogue is generally intelligible and, as well, spatially integrated.

The Immersive Sound element is comprised of an aggressive extension of the music to the height layer as well as numerous and often powerful sound effects, atmospherics, nuanced dialogue throughout, a multitude of mechanical sounds, AI warning dialogues, screams, warning sirens, rain-like water dropping, Alien sounds and numerous other sounds. This is a height layer that never stops and occupies every frame for an extremely effective spherical dimensional experience. Other filmmakers should learn from this Dolby Atmos application.

This is a hauntingly effective holosonic® spherical surround soundtrack that is well crafted with a powerful dynamic presence that will thrill home theatre enthusiasts and deliver optimum system performance. (Gary Reber)