Morbius – 4K Blu-ray Review
This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure here.
Sony Pictures | 2022
R | 1hr 44 min | Adventure | Action | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Comic Book
HD | 1080P | DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Native 4K | 2160P | HDR10 | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Aspect Ratio 2.39:1
Staring: Jared Leto | Matt Smith (XI) | Adria Arjona | Jared Harris | Al Madrigal | Tyrese Gibson
Directed by: Daniél Espinosa
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? Excellent, and the 4K HDR10 video? Also excellent, both making reference quality.
Entertainment: 4+
Video: 5-
Audio:5-
Technical Review – Native 4K UHD HDR10
Morbius was captured digitally using the ARRIRAW codec at 6.5K and 8K by cinematographer Oliver Wood using Arri Alexa 65 and Panavision Millenium DXL2 cameras with Leitz Thalia and Panavision T-Series anamorphic lenses. It was finished as a 4K Digital Intermediate in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 complete with grading for high dynamic range in both Dolby Vision and HDR10. This dual-layer BD66 disc reveals little digital grain, has been well authored and shows no excessive use of noise reduction or edge sharpening and no compression artifacts. This two disc package also includes; the BD50 HD version with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and a digital code.
Not the brightest of movies, but with the film being shot in such high resolution formats, this 4K release benefits tremendously having excellent overall image clarity and an abundance of crisp detail with plenty of refined texturing. Clothing, threads and facial close-ups provide excellent detail and definition with natural skin tones and accurate rendition of pores, facial stubble, wrinkles, eyelashes, hair strands, cuts, bruises, blood and features without any undue exaggerations. The metallic textures of guns and ship display good detail, with the wider darkened corridor shots revealing good metallic and wood details. CGI and special effects integration are generally good throughout, blending well with the live action elements and never looking soft.
Deep blacks abounded throughout, were noise free, and showed excellent low level and shadow detail as found in the various night scenes, corridor, nightclub and darker room sequences. Peak whites, even if slightly subdued on occasions and overall highlights provided clean detail with no clipping, like inside the club and the dark corridor. All providing a solid dynamic contrast range and enhancing visibility of objects in both interior and exterior shots, helping to create a good depth of image.
The movies is weighted towards blues and grays that are occasionally pierced by reds and other primaries. Color fidelity is very good with well saturated primaries and secondaries, all having good color depth and density. Hues are vibrant and accurate, from the bright yellow signs to the supernatural oranges and yellows, the orange jumpsuit to the bright red flowers and red glowing eyes. Some more earthy color tones do appear during several of the flashback scenes.
Overall an excellent HDR10 image making it to reference class.
Audio – Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Morbius provides a stellar Dolby Atmos primary audio track that defaults to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 in my system. I found the soundtrack highly engaging with an overall sound presentation that is very dynamic, with excellent 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 supernatural sounds of vampirism and facial transformations to the bone crunches, blood-sucking, teeth piercing skin and falling debris.
Effects placement are accurate and natural, with lots of power and movement in both the rear and side surrounds together with the general environmental, room and corridor acoustic effects consistently pulling you into the various locals and environments. There is excellent movement from the zipping bullets, falling debris, rain and swarming bats as they pan through the rears to the sides and into the front channels. From the silence of the dark corridor to bullets fired, crashing debris, whirling helicopter blades, 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 extensive providing a solid and extended bottom end. Certainly making itself felt during all of the action sequences, having good punch and muscle from the gun shots and flying punches to the thunderous revving vehicles and crashing waterfall. 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 good clarity and detail no matter how loud and aggressive the action.
Complementing the movie throughout its entire length, the films score, composed by Jon Ekstrand and associated pop and classical numbers nicely flushing 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.
An excellent soundtrack that manages to rise to reference level.
Story Overview
Biochemist and brilliant doctor Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) is dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder that leaves him weak and unable to walk without assistance. He and his surrogate brother Milo (Matt Smith) who is also infected with the same blood disorder grew up in a hospital environment under the care of Dr. Nicholas (Jared Harris). Morbius is determined to save others suffering his same fate so spends his life looking for a cure. At his wits end Morbius begins to engage in illegal experiments on himself using vampire bat blood. At first the treatments are successful but as time passes he is transformed into a vampire with superhuman strength and reflexes with bat-like hearing and an unquenchable thirst for human blood. Despite help from a fellow scientist Martine (Adria Arjona), somebody gets hold of his “cure” performing the same physical feats of strength and killing people in their wake. Now Morbius must convince a pair of FBI agents, Rodriguez (Al Madrigal) and Stroud (Tyrese Gibson), that he is not the culprit and must find a way of reversing the “cures” effects and stopping the individual who is framing him for murder.
My 2 cents
I am not a Marvel nerd but I did enjoy this movie despite the acting and script, it’s a little “dark” and violent but that goes with the films genre and story. So ignore the poor reviews and you decide. Yes, it’s yet another Marvel Comic book flick, so hang your preconceptions up as you settle in and enjoy an entertaining ride for your eyes and ears. I am already looking forward to its second viewing if only to understand the two post-credit scenes.
Purchase from Amazon here.
