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Alita Battle Angel – Blu-ray 4K Review
Alita: Battle Angel – 2019
20th Century Fox | 2019
PG13 | 2hrs 2 mins | Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi
HD | 1080P | DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Upscaled 4K | 2160P | HDR10+ | Dolby Vision+ | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
2.39:1 Aspect Ratio
Staring: Rosa Salazar | Keean Johnson | Christoph Waltz | Jennifer Connelly | Mahershala Ali | Eiza Gonzalez
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez
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’.
Not having immersive audio yet, what did the 7.1 soundtrack sound like? Very good in most respects, and the upscaled 4K HDR10 video? Also generally very good..
Entertainment: 5
Video: 4+
Audio: 5-
Technical Review – Upscaled 4K UHD HDR10
Alita: Battle Angel was shot digitally using the ARRIRAW codecs in 3.4K, Arri Alexa Mini, Pace/Cameron Fusion camera system and Panavision Primo lenses. It was finished as a native 2K digital intermediate, upsampled to 4K for Ultra HD release and graded for high dynamic range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The presentation is framed in the 2.39:1 theatrical aspect ratio. The 2K DI may seem an impediment to image quality, but the higher resolution capture does help bring out and refine a lot of the finer details. Never the less, it’s not native 4K quality.
Detail is generally very strong, and stronger in live action scenes, with fine texturing. This is reduced a bit in darker scenes and action sequences where the atmospherics created by mist and fog, soften the mage. The HDR grade and wider color gamut render rich and nuanced hues with deep and detailed blacks, bold highlights, and strong contrast.
Overall the film is quite dazzling in its integration of CGI and live action, but not particularly in its use of vivid primary colors. Dynamic range is very good from the inky blacks and dark action shots and shadows in the alleyways, to the piercing beams of light in various action sequences. However, there is a noticeable difference between the live action elements and computer rendered material. Human actors, cyborg faces, real materials and props are very sharp and provide good detail and definition with accurate flesh tones and visible pores, while costumes show excellent detail with visible fibers and more. Unfortunately some of the CGI tended to look both “cartoonish” and soft on a number of occasions. Zalem hovering in the sky and the trash piles below it were noticeably soft as where many of the city shots, particularly wide angle views. While some Motorball scenes looked like they were straight out of an animation rather than a live action film.
Alita is undoubtably the star of the movie providing an almost human personality and character with cyborg bodies that are intricate, detailed and moved with fluid precision.
I saw no up-conversion or compression artifacts and no banding throughout the movie.
Audio – Dolby TrueHD 7.1
The Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 track defaults to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 in my system. The mix is sonically impressive and fairly aggressive for the entire movie. Supporting good all-round imaging and immersion, excellent atmospheric cues, a broad front soundstage, and good bass that is reasonably extended, if not just a touch lite for a movie of this scope and style. Surprisingly while the 0.1 LFE channel does get some excellent ‘workouts’ with some very deep bass it was not over active and some of the action sequences could definitely have benefitted from more LFE action.
The surround activity is generally high and fairly constant drawing you into the mix at the various locales. In particular the crowded cityscape provides many opportunities for a vast array of ambient environmental sound effects just like the Motorball sequences. The various fight scenes similarly provided good sound immersion from the rear and side surround channels, like the barroom brawl and underground battle with Grewishka.
Dialogue delivery is crip and clear across the front channels with solid front-center imaging and prioritization, even during the more intense sonic sequences.
My only real criticism of the sound track is that it would have benefitted from more LFE action.
Story Overview
In short: a centuries old cyborg that had been de-activated, stripped down and thrown out is brought back to life and goes on a quest to find out just who she is.
While foraging for cyborg parts in a pile of trash Doctor Ido (Christopher Waltz) discovers the remains of a deactivated cyborg that is still “alive”. Originally created as a fighter, long, long ago during an age of despair, Doctor Ido recognizes that within this abandoned shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an exceptional history. Providing her with a new cyborg body, well two actually, he manages to rebuild her. When Alita (Rosa Salazar) awakens, try as she may she is unable to remember who she is and where she came from.
As Alita learns to navigate her new life in Iron City she is befriended by Hugo (Keean Johnson) who helps trigger some of her distant memories. After discovering that the city was left behind after a cycle of death and destruction by the Tiphares and is now run by corrupt forces, she begins to understand her true origins and purpose, discovering her unstoppable and unique fighting prowess.
If Alita can stay free of the clutches of these corrupt forces she will be the key to saving not only her friends and her new world, but other worlds to.
My 2 cents
After seeing the trailer for Alita: Battle Angel I had to buy it. The story is based on the graphic novel (‘Manga’) Series Gunnm by Yukio Kushiro. It is a sci-fi adventure with an adequate and well executed story line, that revolves around a wonderfully portrayed character, Alita, on a path to her own discovery. The movie is generally a very good integration between CGI and real action, with Alita as the true star of the movie showing her humanity, and emotional complexities as she remembers her old life. Doctor Ido, the cyborg doctor, cannot go without a mention, as he forms a ‘fatherly’ bond with Alita after bringing her back to life and provides a second strong character that makes the movie work.
Overall I found the movie very entertaing and a good watch. However I found the ending rather abrupt and felt as if I had been left dangling over a cliff! Well I suppose that gives them the opportunity to start filming Alita II that will hopefully conclude her quest.
An entertaining movie and visually and aurally very pleasing, but it doesn’t make reference level like some other 2K upscaled movies like Aquaman and The House With A Clock In Its Walls.
