Pacific Rim Uprising – 4K Blu-ray Review
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Pacific Rim Uprising – 2018
Universal Studios 2018
PG13 | 1hrs 51 min | Sci-Fi | Fantasy | Action | Adventure
HD | 1080P | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Upscaled 4K | 2160P | Dolby Vision | HDR10 | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Aspect Ratio 2.39:1
Staring: John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Cailee Spaeny, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman, Rinko Kikuchi
Directed by: Steven S. DeKnight
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, what did the 7.1 soundtrack sound like? Good in most respects, and the 4K HDR10 video? Also very enjoyable.
Entertainment: 4+
Video: 5-
Audio: 4+
Better late than never!
Technical Review – UPSCALED 4K UHD HDR10
Pacific Rim: Uprising was shot digitally in the ARRIRAW codec at resolutions of 2.8K and 3.4K using ARRI Alexa Mini and XT Plus cameras with Panavision anamorphic lenses. It was finished as a 2K Digital Intermediate, which is typical for an effects-heavy movie, and they don’t come much effects-heavier than this one. The 2K DI was upsampled to 4K in the 2.39:1 theatrical aspect ratio and graded for high dynamic range for this Ultra HD release in both Dolby Vision and HDR10. Although this is an upscale, the UHD’s 2160p resolution presents a movie with a good command of fine detail and clarity.
The picture is generally sharp and well defined and shows no distracting source noise or any compression artifacts. Close-ups provide excellent detail, clarity and definition with very good skin tones. From costumes to pores, eyelashes and skin, sweat, tattoos, and scars, all show excellent detail, as do the more mundane, like general wear and tear on the many aging Jaeger’s both active and destroyed and the organic/cyborg Kaiju. Despite this excellent resolution it never interferes with the interface between real and digital. Colors are well saturated, rich and vibrant, from the Kaiju blood, holographics, the Jaegers and their weapons, to the explosions providing bright orange, red and yellow flashes.
Blacks are deep and virtually noise free supported by good low level detail, while peak whites provided clean high level detail with no clipping, creating a solid dynamic range.
There is little room for complaint with this upscaled UHD movie’s video.
Audio – Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Pacific Rim: Uprising‘s supports a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that defaults to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 in my system. The mix provides a moderately wide front soundstage with good use of the rear and side surrounds to support both the action sequences and general environmental atmospherics. Sound effect positioning and movement were good with action sequences making constant use of the surrounds to track the movement of various projectiles, with objects smoothly panning side to side and front to rear, but with no real surprises. Bass output was adequate, being generally solid and extended during the various fight sequences, especially during the final battle where things really start to ‘heat up’ and the surrounds take on an increased roll.
Dialogue was always clear and detailed with solid front-center imaging and prioritization, even during the various intense action sequences.
Maybe not the worlds best soundtrack, but there is little to criticize regarding this energetic mix.
Story Overview
In short: Jake Pentecost (John Boyega), son of Stacker Pentecost, reunites with Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots, including rival Nate Lambert (Scott Eastwood) and 15-year-old hacker Amara Namani (Cailee Spaeny), against a new Kaiju threat.
More detail: It is 2035, and the world is still recovering some ten years later after the Battle of the Breach, when the world was attacked by creatures, the Kaiju, from another dimension. The Kaiju were only defeated due to the design of massive fighting machines, the Jaegers, and the bravery and self-sacrifice of one man, Stacker Pentecost. Stackers’ son Jake (John Boyega), now lives alone in a comfortable life style scavenging Jaeger tech for the black market, eventually teaming up with Amari Namani (Cailee Spaeny), a young girl who has scavenged Jaeger parts to build her own miniature version of the massive Jaegers. They are both captured by the Pan-Pacific Defense Corps (PPDC) for theft, and drafted to be trained by Nate Lambert (Scott Eastwood), to help train other pilots on a new more advanced Jaeger. It turns out, all just-in-time, as somebody is about to unseal the breach. So begins the battle between the new and improved “robotic” Jaegers, the gargantuan Kaiju and the Jaeger team.
My 2 cents
Pacific Rim: Uprising is a reasonably well delivered special effects movie with good looking video and a solid sound track. It’s a little light on story and character but if you like big and loud then this is your movie. Just enjoy the movie for what it is, a Sci-Fi action adventure, and don’t get wrapped up in the minutia. Fans should enjoy this second in the series despite it’s shortcomings, my whole family did.
