Battleship 4K (2012) Ultra HD 2160p REMUX

A fleet of ships is forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origins in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals.

Battleship 4K (2012) Ultra HD 2160p REMUX Review
Battleship was shot on film, and even considering that it was reportedly finished at 2K -- making this an upscale to 4K -- this UHD represents an honest improvement over the 1080p Blu-ray. Universal's 2160p/HDR-enhanced presentation finds a firmer, more organic picture that bests even a considerably good Blu-ray by an honest, but not substantial, margin. The image is, in a word, firmer. Details are much tighter and more organic, and there are some real "wow" moments in a classic showdown between the two. Skin textures are a very revealing difference and maybe the most stark contrast available between the competing releases. Switching between the two formats and looking at various close-ups, there's no mistaking a greater density, depth, and general detail to skin. The UHD isn't quite as naturally organic as the best transfers on the market -- there's still, maybe, a hint of smoothness or room for slight improvement -- but the Blu-ray is almost smeary in comparison. Raised and more naturally dense and complex textures aren't quite the radical leap forward, such as various adornments on military uniforms, but there's still a noticeable uptick in raw clarity. A good example is a close-up shot featuring Liam Neeson at the 15:12 mark. It's tight enough to notice fine-point differences, and it features a close-up of his face and his Navy cover, too, both making for good comparative analysis. Even digital elements shine; the effects are so good it's hard to tell where real stops and make-believe begins, and even with the added resolution the movie never betrays its wares.

The HDR color enhancements don't alter the movie's look in any way. If anything, and as seems to be the case with the best of the UHD releases, they prove more a complimentary refinement. Brightness is toned down a bit. The palette is firmer but doesn't sacrifice vitality. Brightly colored adornments against white Navy dress uniforms, bright blue skies, multicolored flags, and orange fireballs are appropriately rich and pop right off the screen, but there's much more balance and a greater sense of color nuance and depth on the UHD. Black levels hold up well and appear fairly deep but could stand to maybe push a shade or two darker. Flesh tones are natural and refined, much less pasty here compared to the Blu-ray. A fine grain structure compliments the entire experience. The movie looks great in action on the UHD format, a fine example of an honest upgrade in terms ofd both color and clarity while maintaining the movie's intended look and feel. Even sourced from a 2K DI, this one looks great.