This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure here.
Murder On The Orient Express – Blu-ray 4K Review
Murder On The Orient Express – 2017
20th Century Fox 2017
PG 13 | 1hr 54mins | Crime | Drama | Mystery
HD | 1080P | DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Native 4K | 2160P | HDR10 | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
2.39:1 Aspect Ratio
Staring: Tom Bateman, Kenneth Branagh, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
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, and the 4K HDR10 video? Excellent reference quality.
Entertainment: 5
Video: 5
Audio: 5
Technical Review – 4K UHD HDR10
Murder on the Orient Express was shot mostly on 65mm photochemical film using Panavision cameras, with a small amount of additional photography accomplished digitally in the ARRIRAW codec (6.5K) using ARRI Alexa 65 cameras. It was finished as a native 4K Digital Intermediate, given an HDR10 color grade, and the result is presented here in the 2.39:1 theatrical aspect ratio. The image is terrific eye candy, sumptuous viewing and quite spectacular in almost all respects. Almost every frame abounds with fine detail from the opening shots of the whaling wall, to the costume fabrics, wood surfaces and craggy mountain peaks as the train travels on its way. Facial detail, skin textures and coloring were all outstanding and natural with costumes all showing exquisite detail, almost 3D like. Blacks were deep and solid showing excellent shadow detail, there was negligible noise or grain, no white compression and highlights had a beautiful shine and glow. All serving to create a terrific high dynamic range viewing experience. Colors were solid throughout with excellent saturation and range of hues. Only a couple of shots that were out of focus and some of the CGI scenes that were ‘less than real’, after the train was brought to a resounding stop, prevented me from giving this movie 5+.
Audio – Dolby TrueHD7.1
Murder on the Orient Express provides a Dolby Atmos primary mix which defaults to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 in my system. This is not an ‘in your face, big bottom end and lots of wiz bang” mix. Never the less it is still excellent in all its subtleties, complementing the outstanding video and supporting exceptional clarity, precise staging and movement with abundant use of the surrounds and rears for directional clues. This is clearly noted for the placement of a number of ambient environmental sounds including the cloistered environment of the train, where every sound is expertly rendered from the clink of the wine glasses to the muffled dialogues heard by Poirot. There is little LFE action except for the gentle hum of the train as it wends its way across the vast expanses. I found Patrick Doyle’s score pleasant and fitting for this production, making use of the surrounds on a number of occasions. Dialogue and effects are cleanly and clearly presented, with strong center stage images and appropriate panning. As character dramas go this is just about as good an audio experience as you will ever hear.
Story Overview
Leaving Jerusalem after solving the theft of a religious artifact Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is called upon to return to London to work on another case. Managing to snag a seat on the luxurious Orient Express in Constantinople he readies himself for a relaxing journey to Paris. Shortly after boarding the train Poirot meets Ratchet (Johnny Depp) a less than honest businessman who wants to hire him having received several death threats. Poirot refuses the generous offer and retires to bed only to be disturbed by strange noises and an avalanche that stops the train dead in its tracks. Upon waking he discovers that Ratchet has indeed been murdered, launching Poirot into a murder investigation that has to have been carried out by one of the other passengers, or was it?
This is a very entertaining, outstanding looking and sounding movie, with an very solid performance by Poirot (Kenneth Branagh). There are some terrific shots of Jerusalem, the sea and majestic mountain tops, and lets not forget the excellent images from within the Orient Express. This is a reference piece of work. It is highly recommend and deserves a place in your collection.
