G.I.Joe: Retaliation – 4K Blu-ray Review
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Paramount Pictures | 2013
PG13 | 1hrs 50 min | Action | Adventure | Thriller | Sc-Fi
HD | 1080P | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Upscaled 4K | 2160P | Dolby Vison | HDR10 | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Aspect Ratio 2.39:1
Staring: Channing Tatum | Bruce Willis | Dwayne Johnson | Adrianne Palicki | Ray Stevenson | Joseph Mazzello
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
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? Very good in all respects, and the 4K HDR10 video? Also quite good.
Entertainment: 4+
Video: 4+
Audio: 5
Technical Review – Upscaled 4K UHD HDR10
G.I.Joe: Retaliation was shot on film in Super 35 format using ARRIFLEX 235 & 435 cameras and Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2 cameras with Panavision Primo spherical lenses. The film was originally finished as a 2K Digital Intermediate and framed at 2.39:1 for its theatrical release. For this Ultra HD version Paramount appear to have only up-sampled the original scan and given it a UHD grading in both HDR10 and Dolby Vision on a dual-layered BD66 disc.
As you would expect, this Super 35 film creates fine film grain that is generally quite light, but is always natural and organic with no distracting clumping or swarming, creating a pleasing cinematic feel. Wide shots are quiet sharp and well textured with no signs of edge enhancement or digital noise reduction artifacts. Clothing and threads are well detailed as are facial features, with close ups that are clear showing, pores, hair, sweat, blood and freckles but lacking the expected 4K refined intimate detail.
The HDR treatment provides blacks that are generally quite solid but on occasions slightly elevated but always having good shadow detail, bright specular highlights and luminous unclipped whites all helping create a solid dynamic range. Colors show a solid and vibrant palette, with well saturated reds and yellows and the various shades of green grasses and trees topped by the vibrant blue skies. Skin tones are generally accurate but looked a little ‘over cooked’ on a few facial close-ups.
While the image is good, this HDR10 version does not compete at a reference level.
Audio – Dolby TrueHD 7.1
G.I.Joe: Retaliation primary audio is the same English Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack mix from previous releases. From the outset it provides a dynamic, full and wide soundstage with a solid, balanced and well exercised 0.1 LFE channel. Action scenes erupt with gunfire and explosions as aircraft zip around the stage with heavy ground vehicles and tanks rumbling all around. The surrounds being continually engaged helping pull you into the various environmental atmospheres from total mayhem and chaos to the quiet of the mountainous retreat.
Imaging continuously feels broad and expansive as action moves on and off-screen, with dialogue always clear and detailed with solid front-center imaging and prioritization. Music is robust, smooth and detailed, with effortless integration within the sound stage, being well balanced between the dialogue and effects.
There is nothing to criticize regarding this soundtrack, providing as it does, a reference mix.
Story Overview
Following on from the closing scenes of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, team G.I. Joe find themselves not only fighting for their lives but their very existence. With the Nanomite threat now neutralized Cobra agent Zarton (Arnold Vosloo) is still in disguise as the President of the United States (Jonathan Pryce). He hatches a scheme to get the Joes out of his way so that he can free Cobra Commander (Luke Bracey) and launch their plans for global domination. Sending the Joes on a retrieval mission they are decimated by a devastating surprise attack, leaving only a small group of renegade Joes to stand in Cobras way: Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki), Flint (D.J. Cotrona), and Snake Eyes (Ray Park). They ultimately discover that something is amiss in the White House and that the commander in chief is not who he seems to be. Under the guise of calling for an international summit to discuss nuclear disarmament Zartan brings the world leaders together and as Cobra holds the entire globe hostage with new technological weapons of mass destruction orbiting the earth, the Joes and an old friend have to save the day.
My 2 cents
Pushed by my daughter I finally succumbed to buying this sequel. Just don’t take the movie too seriously, enjoy the outrageous stunts and special effects and of course the soundtrack. To my surprise I (we) actually quite enjoyed this fun, popcorn action flick, that exercised my surround system and LFE channel. Pity they didn’t create a 4K image to match the sound. Clearly it is setting up for a cast replacement that may have bigger box office clout for the 2021 release of Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins.
Purchase from Amazon here.
