Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning 4K Ultra HD

In "Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning," Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF tea pursue a dangerous AI called the Entity that's infiltrated global intelligence. With governments and a figure from his past in pursuit, Hunt races to stop it from forever changing the world. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary by Director Christopher McQuarrie and Actor Tom Cruise; commentary with McQuarrie, Editor Eddie Hamilton, and First Assistant Director Mary Boulding; commentary by Composers Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey, and Score Producer Cécile Tournesac; five featurettes: "Taking Flight" (HD 17:03), "To The Depths" (HD 03:17), "To The North" (HD 03:36), "Through The Mine" (HD 02:44) and "The Score" (HD 01:35); deleted footage montage with optional commentary by Director McQuarrie (HD 09:35); Olifants River Canyon with optional commentary by Director McQuarrie (HD 09:11); Biplane Transfer with optional commentary by Director and Tom Cruise (HD 04:03); promo spots: Parachute Burn, Snorri Rig Camera, Jump Flip and Long Wing; still galleries, isolated score track; and a Movies Anywhere digital copy.

The 2.39:1/1.90:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 4K Ultra HD HDR10 picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, was photographed digitally and on Kodak Vision3 film in anamorphic Panavision® using the Arri Alexa Mini LF, Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2, Sony CineAlta Venice Rialto, Sony CineAlta Venice and Z CAM E2-F6 camera systems and sourced from a 4K Digital Intermediate. The setting is varied, but a primary environment is the remote Arctic and underwater in the ice-covered sea, as well as mountainous facilities where a rogue artificial intelligence (AI) known as The Entity is located. The scenes are very elaborate with excellent production design. The action scenes are incredible. Throughout the imagery is sharp and clear. Visual effects are incredible. Fraser Taggart's cinematography is visually stunning. The picture is very cinematic. Color fidelity is excellent with naturalness throughout as in every location. Hues are nicely saturated with warm and rich tones. Undersea hues exhibit greenish tones. Above ground hues appear natural and realistic. The red and yellow planes toward the movie's end are vividly hued with lakes and a mountainous river valley as a backdrop. Flesh tones appear natural. The color gamut exhibits nuanced hue shadings, which enhance realism .HDR contrast is superb. Black levels are deep and solid with revealing texture. Shadow delineation reveals gradients of dark grays with excellent depth. White levels are at times brilliant, The lighting design also is wonderful. Spot lighting is perfectly executed. Resolution exhibits fine detail throughout. Facial features reveal detail in ski pores, lines, wrinkles, stubble, beards and hair. Costumes are nicely detailed and exhibit fabric texture. Structures, environments and objects are all realistically textured and detailed. This is a visually exciting and often intense visual experience that is exceptionally well crafted, directed and produced. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is very dynamic sounding. Atmospherics sound realistic in all settings. Sound effects are a prominent driver of the immersive sonics, They are extremely varied and realistic, such gunfire, The visually intense action scenes are boosted in dynamic sonic intensity. The sound effects are supported with intense bass extension and transient attack with powerful .1 LFE channel energy. Foley sound effects enhance realism. The orchestra/choral score is dynamic and powerful with a perfect forward balanced presence. The music, which often bursts into incredible dynamic energy, aggressively extends to the surrounds with full-on envelopment of the sound field. Dialogue, while often ADR produced, has excellent spatial integration.

The Immersive Sound element is terrific from the very first segment with dialogue shifting from one channel to the next continuously. The orchestra/choral score is extended aggressively to the height layer. As well, selected atmospherics and a few powerful sound effects are extended, such as intense winds and turbulent undersea water and loud intense effects sounds during the sunken submarine scene. But it is the music that is the main treatment. which effectively fills the height layer and enhances dimensionality. Still,there is always more treatment that could have been achieved.

This is an exciting action thriller with a holosonic® spherical surround soundtrack that delivers powerful enveloping sound effects and atmospheric sonics, and driven by an expansive orchestral/choral score. To fully realize its beauty requires a competent home theatre system. (Gary Reber)