Ad Astra – 4K UHD Review
This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure here.
20th Century Fox | 2019
PG13 | 2hrs 3 min | Sci-Fi | Adventure | Mystery
HD | 1080P | DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Upscaled 4K | 2160P | HDR10 | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Aspect Ratio 2.39:1
Staring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Donald Sutherland, Kimberly Elise, Loren Dean
Directed by: James Gray
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 4K HDR10 video look like? Almost reference, and the 7.1 soundtrack? Just makes reference.
Entertainment: 4+
Video: 5-
Audio: 5
Technical Review – Native 4K UHD HDR10
Ad Astra was shot by cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema using mainly 35mm film, with some digital footage captured in the ARRIRAW format at 3K4. The camera and lens compliment being:
The movie was originally finished as a 2K digital intermediate at the 2.39:1 aspect ratio, but for this release it was up-converted to 4K at the 2.39:1 aspect ratio and graded for HDR for this 4K HDR10 release. This dual-layer BD66 disc has been well authored and shows no excessive use of noise reduction or edge sharpening and no obvious compression artifacts. The picture is vey film like with a noticeable layer of varying sized natural grain but no swarming or clumping. The package also contains the HD version with DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 on a BD50 disc and a redeemable digital code.
The image flies onto your screen almost hitting a reference HDR10 presentation. Even though this is an up-converted 2K DI this 4K release has good overall image clarity with a solid display of crisp, sharp detail with refined texturing throughout. From the opening shots of the space structures, the threads of the astronauts space suits, bolts, rivets and latches seen in the exterior shots, to the shuttles cockpit showing buttons, wire and devices. Objects, clothing, threads and facial close-ups provide good detail and definition, with natural skin tones and accurate rendition of pores, eyelashes, hair strands, stubble, beads of sweat, blood and features, all without any undue exaggerations. CGI, green screen and special effects integration are good, having realistic textures, blending well with the real action shots and never looking soft. Several soft blurry head shots do exist of Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) in his space suit as part of the script. Effects like explosions, flying objects, debris and smoke are well integrated into the live action with few distractions.
Contrast balance varied from subdued to excellent, often representing McBrides personal mood and journey. With black levels varying from dark charcoal grays during poorly-lit interiors to the deep inky blacks of space and moon shadows and the blacks of the spaceship interiors that showed good low level and shadow detail. Peak whites and specular highlights from the twinkling stars, electrical sparks and blazing sun, to the many light sources, various metallic objects and surfaces, ship thrusters and engines and final detonation all providing a true-to-live look and feel, with metallic surfaces offering up a glistening, realistic shine. All creating a very good dynamic contrast range and enhancing visibility of objects in both exterior and interior shots, generating a good depth of field.
Although the color palette is a little subdued on occasions favoring a neutral earth-tone scheme, colors show good fidelity, with saturated primaries and secondaries and hues that are pleasingly accurate favoring warmer tones of tans, browns, ambers and warm yellows. Not to be outdone there are plenty of impressive, red, blue and purple hues with some scenes having golden sheens and bright cyans. Red primaries are bold and strong as seen in various outfits, console buttons and blood splatter, with an array of fiery oranges and yellows from the various rocket launches and explosions.
This video is very good on all fronts, providing an almost reference HDR10 image.
Audio – Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Ad Astra launches into your home theaters with an excellent, reference, Dolby Atmos mix that defaults to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 in my system. The soundtrack was thoroughly engaging whether during an emotional drama or an action scene, having good dynamics, clarity and room shaking bass.
The sound presentation is quite dynamic at times, with very good sub involvement and moderate surround action. The soundstage is front heavy with surrounds being active as the scenes demand it with ambience, directional cues and movement, delivering an acoustic environment that drops the listener both into calm environments and action sonic spectacles alike. Effects placement are accurate and natural, with movement in both the rear and side surrounds that together with the general environmental and room acoustics effects pull you into the various locals and environments. Like the silent corridors of the Moon and Mars accommodations to the rockets and shuttles cockpits and passages. From those quieter, dialogue-heavy sequences, to the roaring shuttle and spacecraft engines, weapons fire, falling rocket debris and reverberating rocket and cockpit sounds. All energizing the surrounds and helping to engage you in the scene.
Sub action is very good and wall rattling, having a solid, low-end deep extension that this movie deserves. Fully supporting the rumbling roar of the various rockets and shuttles engines, explosions, detonations and impactful weapons fire, digging all the way down to the 20Hz regions. Imaging continuously feels broad and expansive following the action as it moves on and off-screen. Dialogue is always crystal clear and well detailed with a transparent mid-range and solid front-center imaging and prioritization, providing good clarity and detail no matter how loud and chaotic the supporting action.
Flushing out the soundscape and supporting the movie throughout its entire length, the films low-key score, composed by Max Richter and Lorne Balfe offers a good supportive mix, providing an atmospheric and haunting refrain for those floating through space. Hitting a good balance between the dialogue and effects the score provides a light spill into the surrounds and very good integration within the soundstage.
A good reference audio track that compliments the video in every way.
Story Overview
Thirty years ago, Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones) led a voyage to Neptune in the hopes of discovering extraterrestrial life, but contact was eventually lost with the ship and crew. Today a series of immense energy surges sweep the entire solar system and are destroying the unprotected Earth. The US Space Command suspects that these surges may be connected to McBride’s Lima Project and call on his son Major Roy McBride (Brad Pitt), an esteemed astronaut, to travel to Neptune to see if his father is still alive and causing these surges. As war and pirates scavenge the planets Roy is made to try to contact his father to see if he is still alive. Having ascertained the existence of the original ship and with the surges continuing to destabilize the galaxy, Roy forces his way onto the rocket that is to “nuke” the Lima Project vessel. After an eventful journey through the unending space to Neptune, Roy is left holding the “nuke”. Is his father still there, how will they react to each other after decades of separation and will Roy do what is asked of him?
My 2 cents
On its surface this is a space epic, but at its heart it will speak to those who have lost parents, victims of depression and those feeling like they just don’t belong. Clearly there is a lot of angst going on between Roy, Clifford and Roy’s wife Eve McBride (Liv Tyler).
The movie opens with a visually impressive space scene then slows a little for the rest of the journey with a few road bumps thrown in. Acting and action are generally good supporting a story that seems to be equally about the son and fathers relationship as it is about the action, space and sci-fi. Overall reference audio supporting almost reference video.
Purchase from Amazon here.
