Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – 4K UHD Review
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Warner Bros. | 2022
PG13 | 2hrs 23 min | Action | Comic Book | Adventure
HD | 1080P | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Native 4K | 2160P | HDR10 | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Aspect Ratio 2.39:1
Staring: Eddie Redmayne | Jude Law | Ezra Miller | Dan Fogle | Alison Sudol | Callum Turner | Jessica Williams | Katherine Waterston | Mads Mikkelsen.
Directed by: David Yates
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 HDR10 video look like? Generally very good in most respects, and the 7.1 soundtrack? Also very good.
Entertainment: 4+
Video: 4+
Audio: 4+
Technical Review – Native 4K UHD HDR10
The Secrets of Dumbledore was captured digitally using Arri ALexa LF and Mini LF cameras with Panavision lenses. It was finished as a 4K Digital Intermediate at the 2.39:1 aspect ratio and graded for HDR for this 4K release in both Dolby Vision and HDR10. This triple-layer BD100 disc has been well authored and shows no significant grain, excessive use of noise reduction or edge sharpening and no obvious compression artifacts. The package also contains the HD version with Dolby Atmos and a redeemable digital code.
The movie is generally rather dark throughout, being dominated by muted colors and steeped in grayish shades, giving the movie a rather moody feel. However, the overall image clarity is very good with crisp detail and good texturing. Clothing, threads and facial close-ups reveal very good detail and definition with natural, but muted, skin tones and accurate rendition of pores, eyelashes, hair strands, freckles, beads of sweat, blood and features, all without any undue exaggerations. With good supporting textures from stone and brick walls, streets and wooden wand detail. The extensive CGI and special effects integration are generally very good throughout, blending well with the live action elements and never looking soft.
Deep inky blacks abounded throughout, were noise and crush free, and showed excellent low level and shadow detail as found in the dimly lit streets, dark rooms and cavernous prison. Peak whites and overall highlights provided clean detail with no clipping, from the street lights, restaurant lights, small particles of debris, the suns glow as it bounces of the mountain top buildings and snow to the light sheen of metallic surfaces. All providing a good dynamic contrast range and enhancing visibility of objects in both interior and exterior shots.
This is not a very colorful movie and there are several scenes where you could be excused for thinking it had become monochromatic. However, what colors there are show good color fidelity, with lightly saturated primaries and secondaries and hues that are pleasingly accurate. The movies pallet revolves around the grayish shades of stone structures, street brick buildings, dark hallways and caverns, interspersed with shades of green from trees and wizards magical spells, flashes of fiery orange, the Erkstag prisons salmon pink blast-ended skrewts and brilliant yellow fires created by a giant Manticore, the bright yellow banner, the muted reds, purples and blues of the wardrobe and magical wand spells that light up the screen.
While the cinematography, imaging and transfer are very good, the overall dark imagery doesn’t really let this movie shine, so it’s not exactly goto reference material.
Audio – Dolby TrueHD 7.1
The Secrets of Dumbledore provides a Dolby Atmos primary audio track that defaults to a very good Dolby TrueHD 7.1 in my system, creating a similar sonic experience to those of the previous Fantastic Beasts movies.
I found the soundtrack engaging with an overall sound presentation that is quite dynamic, with sufficient sub involvement and action from all surrounds. The soundstage is solid and wide, and surrounds are constantly active with ambience, directional cues and movement, from the magical spells and explosions to the sounds of falling debris.
Effects placement are accurate and natural, with lots of power and movement in both the rear and side surrounds together with the various acoustic effects consistently pulling you into cavernous locals and various indoor and outside environments. There is excellent movement from the falling debris, magical flourishes and flying items. From the silence of the dark Erkstag prison, crashing debris as the Manticore gives chase and Credence’s street attack on Dumbledore, to the powerful magical wand flashes, shouts, and screams all filling the surrounds helping to pull the listener further into the scene and keeping you engaged at all times.
Sub action is good but not great, providing a solid bottom end. Certainly making itself felt during all of the action sequences, having good punch and muscle from the street attack on Dumbledore, the Erkstag prison attack, the various magical fight sequences, to the flying punches and dynamic wand spells. 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 with the mid-range continually providing excellent clarity and detail no matter how loud and aggressive the action.
Complementing the movie throughout its entire length, the films score composed by James Newton Howard nicely flushes out the soundscape. Hitting a good balance between the dialogue and effects the soundtrack envelopes the whole listening environment with occasional spill into the surrounds and effortless integration within the soundstage.
Even though the primary audio sounds very good, it is not reference quality.
Story Overview
Following on from The Crimes of Grindelwald, professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) knows the powerful Dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen – who has replaced Deep) is moving to seize control of the wizarding world and murder all muggles. In order to do so he must obtain the magical Qilin creature that will allow him to accomplish this feat. Dumbledore cannot stop him alone so he enlists the help of Magizoologist Newt (Eddie Redmayne), Jacob (Dan Fogler) and a team of wizards and witches. But how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines as they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers.
My 2 cents
Even though this is a long movie, I found The Secrets of Dumbledore entertaining throughout, with Mikkelson delivering a good performance in this magical world. However, Depp really owned this role and his absence is felt. The movie is a little drab and lacking in sparkle with video that doesn’t exactly thrill, but at least the audio helps push the movie along. I would have to agree with the many that it is time to either abandon the series or re-boot it with the original cast….and a good script. This movie is really only for fans of the series.
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