3:10 To YUMA – 4K UHD Blu-ray Review
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Lionsgate | 2007
R | 2hrs 2 min | Adventure | Action | Western | Drama | Crime
HD | 1080P | LPCM 7.1 | Dolby Digital 5.1 EX | Dolby Digital 2.0
Upscaled 4K | 2160P | HDR10 | DTS X | DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 | Dolby Digital 2.0
Aspect Ratio 2.40:1
Staring: Russell Crowe | Christian Bale | Logan Lerman | Dallas Roberts | Ben Foster | Peter Fonda
Directed by: James Mangold
Ratings & Reviews
Please see here for my comments on reviewing movies.
My ratings are simple being marked out of a maximum of 5+. My reviews are biased towards the technical production aspects of the film with brief comments about the story line. Extras, sorry, that’s just not my ‘bag’.
So what did the 7.1 soundtrack sound like? Good, and the 4K HDR10 video? Quite good.
Entertainment: 4+
Video: 4+
Audio: 5-
Technical Review – Upscaled 4K UHD HDR10
3:10 To Yuma was shot on Super 35 mm photochemical film by Greek cinematographer Phedon Papamichael, using Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL and Platinum cameras with Panavision Primo Lenses. It was originally finished as a native 2K Digital Intermediate at the 2.39:1 aspect ratio. For this theatrical release the original 2K DI was upconverted to 4K and graded for HDR 10 viewing. This triple-layer BD-100 disc has been well authored, shows no excessive use of noise reduction, some occasional edge sharpening but no overtly obvious compression artifacts. Its cinematography produces light and uniform grain with no signs of swarming or clumping. This two disc package also includes the BD50 HD version together with a digital code.
The upscaling of this image, while good, was a little inconsistent with quite a few shots and closeups looking rather soft, revealing the movies original film source. However, despite that the overall image clarity is very good with good detail and plenty of texturing. Clothing, threads and facial close-ups generally provide good detail and definition with natural skin and flesh tones, accurate rendition of pores, facial stubble, wrinkles, eyelashes, hair strands, cuts and bruises without any undue exaggerations. From the seams in Ben Wades sketch book to the wood grains and leather saddle cracks and stitch work, all provided good detail. The metallic surfaces of handheld and gatling guns and rifles display plenty of detailed imperfections as did the livery coaches metalwork. CGI and special effects integration were generally good except on a couple of shots where the background hills look like they had been photo shopped in.
Deep blacks were plentiful, were noise free, and showed good low level and shadow detail as found in the various room sequences. Peak whites and specular highlights provided clean detail with no clipping; like the bright edges of clouds, suns glow, small particles of dust and dirt, flames, muzzle flashes at night and the glint of sunlight off various metallic surfaces like the handheld and gatling guns and rifles. Taken together providing a solid dynamic contrast range and enhancing visibility of objects in both interior and exterior shots like hills and building outlines.
This not a colorful movie. It is based in the rough drab and gray midwest with plenty of earth tones and a warm color fidelity that is apparent in all shots, in particular faces. The entire range of brown hues cover everything from dirt to rocks to the wood of buildings and furniture, with a little gray thrown in here and there. Brighter colors and hues do erupt from the yellows of the flames and explosions with a splash of red, the greens of the mid-west foliage to the crimson blood reds. Morning clouds provide flashes of pink and magenta while late afternoons display some yellow and orange hues.
This is a good looking ‘gritty’ image, but stops well short of making it to reference.
Audio – Dolby TrueHD 7.1
3:10 To Yuma provides a new DTS X soundtrack that defaults to 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio in my system. I found the track engaging and impactful during the action scenes with well extended bass and solid dynamics.
The overall sound presentation is dynamic, with occasional good sub involvement and action from all surrounds. The soundstage is medium deep and wide, and surrounds are constantly active with ambience, directional cues and movement from flying debris, zipping bullets and falling shell cases to the bombastic racket of explosions and shots fired. Effects placement are accurate and natural, with movement in both the rear and side surrounds with the general environmental and room acoustics effects consistently pulling you into the many locals and environments. From the impactful and authoritative gun shots and zipping bullets, the falling shell casings and ricochet of gunfire off the armor plating, to the reverberation of each shot and the stampeding of the horses. All fill the surrounds helping to pull the listener further into the scene and keeping you engaged at all times.
While the sub action is not extreme it does provide a solid and extended bottom end. Certainly making itself felt during many of the action sequences, having good punch and muscle from the gun shots and explosions and in particular as the 3:10 to Yuma pulls into Contention. Imaging continuously feels broad and expansive as action moves on and off-screen. Dialogue is always crystal clear and well detailed with solid front-center imaging and prioritization, even during the more intense sonic moments.
Marco Beltrami’s score was nominated for Best Original Score and compliments the movie throughout. The score manages to capture the ambience of the film, both in action scenes and in the more intimate scenes with Beltrami managing to present a perfect balance between old and modern, intimacy and action, western and mainstream. It hits a good balance between dialog and effects, enveloping the whole listening environment with occasional light spill into the surrounds and effortless integration within the soundstage.
Additional audio options on the 4K disc include an English Dolby Digital 2.0 track optimized for late night listening.
A very good soundtrack being well paired with the video.
Story Overview
Set in Arizona in 1884. A struggling rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale), a Civil War Veteran and farmer who is up to his eyes in debt and desperate to hold his family together is on his way into the local town of Bisbee when he witnesses the infamous outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) and his vicious gang of thieves and murderers rob a Southern Railroad stage coach. Wade has plagued and robbed the Southern Railroad for years and after he is finally captured, Dan, for a sum of $200, volunteers to be part of the railroad company posse escorting him to the town of Contention, where the 3:10 train will transport him off to prison in Yuma. During the journey to Contention, Dan and Ben develop a mutual respect for each other but that cannot stop the inevitable. Ben’s gang, headed by his trusted lieutenant Charlie Prince (Ben Foster), wants their leader back and are ready to gun down anyone and everyone who gets in their way.
My 2 cents
Back in the sixties and seventies you couldn’t drag me away from Wagon Train and Bonanza. However, once Sci-Fi arrived I was hooked and I have only watched three or four westerns since, that was until the 3:10 to Yuma rolled into the station. Well, I was pleasantly surprised just how much I enjoyed the simple plot of this old-fashioned western remake. Good action and good acting supported by respectable video and good audio .
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