Bugonia 4K Ultra HD

"Bugonia" is a psychological thriller that follows two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap a powerful CEO they believe is an alien out to destroy humanity. What begins as a paranoid act spirals into a battle of delusions and control—one as viscerally unpredictable as it is provocative. (Gary Reber)

Special features include the featurette "The Birth Of The Bees: The Making Of Bugonia" (HD23:06) and a Movies Anywhere digital code.

The 1.50:1 HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD Dolby Vision/HDR10 picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, was photographed in Super 35 and VistaVision on 35 mm Kodak film using the Arricam ST, Arriflex 235, Arriflex 435, Beaumont VistaVision Camera and Wilcam W-11 camera systems and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate. The grain structure is fine and never distracting. The picture exhibits natural realism whether during exterior setting or within the interiors of the house the crazies live in. The imagery exhibits a gritty texture. There are segments that revert back and are in black and white that exhibit good gray scale. Colors are bold and saturated. The color palette is natural with vivid hues. Flesh tones are realistic. HDR contrast is excellent. Scenes are mostly bright and well illuminated. Black levels are realistic and deep as well as shadow delineation. Resolution is excellent with revealing detail in facial features such as skin pores, line, beards and hair. Closeups are excellent. Emma Stone’s transformation is particularly effective with her shaved head. Clothing fabrics are revealing. Structural attributes and object textures are detailed. This is a generally an adept presentation that is well lit with effective closeups. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is compleely produce with virtually all-ADR produced dialogue track that is absense any sense of spatial integration. Atmospherics are manufacutred in the form of din. Sound effects at times ingnite with sharp transients. The sonics loudly intensifiy with sharp violent sound effects.
Foley sound effects are realistic.The orchestral score is dynamic sounding and intense with energized SPL, a wide and deep soundstage, and an aggressive extension to the surrounds. Fifelity is excellent.

The Immersive Sound element is poorly treated with contrived atmospherics and sound effects such as din or hum, headphone voice, police siern, bee sounds, and other noises. Music is extensively absent excep for a couple of pssages. It appears the height layer treatment was far from being effectively executed, and adds nothing of consequene to enhance dimensionality.

This is a holosonic® soundtrack whose sound design is unrealistically produced. (Gart Reber)

Bees instantly surround the viewers, placing them in the middle of their activity as their buzzing swirls through the stage with excellent support from the heights as well. Dialogue is typically front and center and is always clean and understandable. Directionality is spot-on, and objects move realistically throughout the field, with specific and identifiable objects being easy to track. The excellent score from Jerskin Fendrix dazzles, and it's used to raise tension in the extended cat-and-mouse game between Stone's Michelle and Plemons' Teddy. Often playing an atmospheric role, when it's allowed to dominate the track, listeners can truly appreciate not only Fendrix' work, but the precise instrumentation, complete with bright and assertive horns, delicate and menacing strings, and powerful drums. Bass levels are substantive but never overpowering, and offer support to musical elements and sound effects both mundane and more surprising. It's a wonderful track that expertly supports the film without unnecessarily stealing attention from the on-screen action and dialogue, being more impressive than oppressive.