Hancock (2008) 4K Ultra HD REMUX HDR 10 bit

Hancock 4K Blu-ray remux delivers stunning video and reference-quality audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
There are heroes... there are superheroes... and then there's Hancock. With great power comes great responsibility — everyone knows that — everyone, that is, but Hancock. Disgruntled, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock's well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough — as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn't a man who cares what people think — until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey, and the unpopular superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all.
For more about Hancock 4K ultra hd and the Hancock 4K Blu-ray release, see Hancock 4K Blu-ray Review published by Martin Liebman on March 5, 2016 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.0 out of 5.

Hancock was filmed on 35mm and, according to IMDB, it was finished at 4K, presumably the source for this 4K UHD release and, by all comparative indications, the 2008 Blu-ray as well.

Hancock is another stunner right out of the gate from Sony. The HDR (High Dynamic Range) image pushes fairly warm -- flesh tones can range from rosy to red (and that's not a result of the occasionally errant "red push" outlined in the article above) -- but there's a consistency to the movie's stylized palette that accentuates every color, whether flashing police sirens, red spaghetti sauce, or small accents on clothes. Detailing is terrific. The 2160p image brings out an amazing array of fabric details, evident right off the bat on Hancock's ratty, grimy cap. All sorts of intimate textures are clearly visible there and elsewhere, whether his shoddy, tattered clothes seen early in the movie or the shiny, form-fitting black outfit he wears later on. Skin details are incredible. The transfer reveals fine facial pores with a tangible, intimate depth. Facial stubble and even very fine makeup textures are clearly visible. Grain retention is welcome, even, and consistent. It's a little thicker than the very fine grain structure seen in Pineapple Express, but there's no mistaking this transfer's gorgeous cinematic texturing.

Almost any shot will yield a good comparison between the UHD and the Blu-ray, but a few examples follow. First, look at a shot of Hancock passed out on a bench (the first screenshot in this review). There's actually not a serious increase in tangible resolution here. The bench, the cap, the jacket's outer material and inner lining, the facial stubble, none of it is worlds away more textured than the Blu-ray. Colors are a bit deeper, particularly the face and the red on the hat, but there's no significant leap in either color or detail. Next, skip ahead to chapter three, which begins with a several-second-long overhead shot. The color alteration is immediately evident, including the UHD's greater sense of warmth, but so too is the improved saturation and depth, evident on red rooftops, green grasses, fall leaves, blue swimming pools, even a bright yellow house that stands apart, seen at the top of the screen right at the end of the shot that looks more orange in UHD. Which is more accurate to the source is anyone's guess, but there's an increased firmness and boldness to the UHD/HDR presentation to be sure. The 21:27 mark offers a good, clear close-up of Will Smith's face. Again, raw detail isn't particularly boosted on the UHD -- pores are well pronounced on both and even a fine vertical line on his nose is very clearly delineated -- but his face definitely looks more flush and full with the HDR color scheme. Darker scenes offer refined black levels and shadow detail; a nighttime, outdoor dinner scene in chapter 10 is a terrific example of how the UHD disc offers a richer black level and shadow detail experience.

There's no mistaking that Hancock features a gorgeous transfer. The UHD/HDR presentation isn't so much more finely detailed as it is more punchy and warm in color and able to more finely delineate blacks and shadow detail. But unlike San Andreas, Hancock offers a carefully tuned refinement of its color whereas Warner's disc simply looks like a change in the contrast setting. As with all of these early UHD reviews, a refinement of the review process will evolve along the way as more titles become available, the studios' patterers emerge, and greater understanding of the format, particularly HDR color, comes into focus.


Hancock 4K Blu-ray, Audio Quality 5.0 of 5


Hancock makes its UHD debut with a brand-new Dolby Atmos soundtrack, replacing the standard release's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack. This review is based on a 7.1.4 setup, which is the "traditional" seven-channel plus subwoofer configuration with the addition of four "object" or "overhead" speakers to the mix.

There's a new reference Atmos track on the block, and it's Hancock. Sony's remix offers a slick presentation that finds just the right balance between aggressive use of the overhead speakers and balanced use of the overhead speakers. The movie's opening action sequence is of reference quality. A hungover Hancock blasts off from a bench with a mighty push, sending a soaring, almost majestic wave of energy into the stage. As he flies to a freeway chase, the whoosh of flight practically pulls the listener alongside him. Any time he flies, really, that gust of air that pushes through the soundstage is amazingly robust and full. Around the same time in that opening action sequence, a large jet plane zooms through with one of the finest examples of sound imaging this reviewer has ever heard. Moments later, Hancock lands on top of the bad guys' car with a noticeable thud emanating from above. Fast forward to a bank shootout midway through the movie. Gunfire pops with good authority and immersive placement. Shots ring out from all over the stage and impact surfaces all around the listener. A cacophony of chaos shreds the listening area and immerses with an added overhead height presence that gives the scene a wonderfully full and satisfying feel. A storm rips through the stage in chapter 12, again sending a heavy, but refined, punishing wind into the stage that, mixed with tossing and turning debris, makes for another spectacular example of the Atmos track's ability to fully immerse the listener into the movie. But the track doesn't just jump on the big effects. In that bank robbery scene, a dialogue exchange between Hancock and the criminal offers excellent, room-filling reverberation with a clear, but finely integrated, overhead support. Sprinklers are set off during a climactic action scene, and listeners can hear and practically feel water dripping down from the ceiling.

There are a couple of moments when the track could probably use a slight boost. Dialogue can be ever so slightly muffled under the most chaotic conditions, and there are a few points where one could argue for a little more bass, particularly when train cars topple over after Hancock saves Ray early in the movie. But it's otherwise so rich and dynamic it's hard to numerically knock it, especially considering how well it handles other elements, like music. Of note in that department is a Rap song that plays when Hancock begins his prison sentence. It's wide, aggressive, and thumps. Music in general sports wonderful clarity throughout the range and welcoming and very wide stage presence. Dialogue, save for those few muffled lines, comes through with perfect center focus, articulation, and prioritization. Overall, this is a terrific track from Sony and easily one of the best reference level Atmos mixes on the market.

Hancock (2008) 4K 2160p Ultra HD Review
Our person
John Hancock can not be called an ordinary person. After all, he knows how to fly, has a superhuman strength and invulnerability. But also an ordinary superhero, he too can not be called. He does not look like a smiling Superman scout. Hancock is very fond of a drink, he is careless at work (on the way to the next criminal manages to smash in the dust and ashes half a block), rude and unsociable. Naturally, he does not enjoy success in society. But do not judge him too severely. Hancock is rude and cynical, only because the world around him is rude and cynical. His life was developing, apparently not very smooth, so he became so gloomy. And despite everything, he wants to do good, because in the end, he does what every hero should do (even without a super-), he saves people and struggles with crime. But people hate it. And he answers them the same. But one day he saves a guy named Ray. Ray sees in Hancock is a superhero. And since, he has a suitable profession (a PR agent), Ray decides to help Hancock and fix his reputation. This, strangely enough, succeeds, but the situation is complicated by new circumstances.

Recently, not a single dozen films have appeared about people with superpowers. The main difference of "Hancock" is in a very unusual approach to the topic. The main character does not suffer from constant introspection (like some Spider-Man) and does not try to show us how cool and cheerful he is (like Iron Man). No, Hancock finds a kind of middle ground. He just lives and works, trying not to cycle on any nonsense. The character himself came out very bright and charismatic, in which, in my opinion, a great merit of the main actor - Will Smith. Performer of the main female role - Charlize Theron also played well. With spec. effects and so everything is clear - they obviously did not regret money. The plot itself is also not bad. Unlike many such stories, there is no clear supervillain (well, do not consider such a silly bandit with a hook?). The main enemy of Hancock is his own psychological problems (no, there has been no introspection at all, but he is fortunately not as bored as in "Spiderman 3"). In the plot there are many fighting scenes and jokes (though, in my opinion, in many respects a very satirical property), and a bit for romance. True, the very explanation of the same WHO'S THAT SUCH SUPERHEROES AND WHERE THEY HAVE come out vague and unconvincing, but this is a trifle. Because there are no more complaints about the film. Not counting a bit of a tight scene at the end.

A wonderful fantastic comic thriller. I recommend watching all the fans of this genre, to all true fans of Will Smith. And even if you are sick of endless kinomiksov, this movie you still like it. After all, in fact, he is in many respects a parody of them.

8 out of 10