Braveheart 4K Blu-ray delivers truly amazing video and audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
Braveheart chronicles the legendary tale of William Wallace, a Scottish rebel who leads an uprising against the cruel English ruler, Edward the Longshanks.
For more about Braveheart 4K and the Braveheart 4K Blu-ray release, see Braveheart 4K Blu-ray Review published by Martin Liebman on May 8, 2018 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.5 out of 5.
Paramount has released the multi-Oscar winning film 'Braveheart' to the UHD format with striking 2160p/Dolby Vision video and a new Dolby
Atmos soundtrack. The release contains no new supplemental content, but this set does carry over all of the previously released extras on the
included Blu-ray disc.
It's a time of great upheaval. The King of Scotland has died without a male heir to take the
throne,
and the King of England, Edward the Longshanks, has unceremoniously claimed the throne for
himself. Fighting has broken out both against the Crown and amongst the Scots, leading to the
death of young William Wallace's father. Years pass but nothing changes. William (Mel Gibson,
The Patriot) has
grown
into a strapping, hardworking, and honest young man that eschews the very notion of becoming
involved in local and national politics, instead longing only to make a life for himself and, he
hopes, a future family with his childhood sweetheart, Murron MacClannough (Catherine
McCormack,
28 Weeks Later).
They marry in secret out of fear of the Crown's "primae noctis" decree. Soon thereafter, an
overzealous
English soldier attempts to rape Murron, but she's saved by Wallace's timely intervention.
Nevertheless, Murron is unceremoniously murdered as an example to the people and a warning
against further interference with Crown business. Wallace and the townsfolk retaliate, beginning
a movement for Scottish independence that makes Wallace a folk hero to the people, and he
proves to be a cunning leader on the battlefield. Time and again Wallace rejects bribes from the
Crown in exchange for "peace" as his movement gains more traction and even the attention of
Princess Isabelle (Sophie Marceau), future Queen of England.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.
Braveheart shines on the UHD format. The film's 12-bit Dolby Vision color enhancement brings the movie to life with spectacular results.
Green grasses, even under the often somewhat overcast skies, are beautifully vivid with a firm, natural shading. Red blood is a constant in battle, and
the fresher blood's vibrancy and the dried blood's red depth are nicely offset and complimentary. Face paints are bold. Gray stone interiors, rock
formations, and worn metal weapons are beautiful variations of gray. Shiny silver armor dazzles. Even in low light, color balance and brilliance are
exceptional. Best of all, black levels are tremendous. Every shadowy corner, each of the film's absorbingly dark interiors are absolutely deep and dense
without any variation to crush or excess brightness. Skin tones are natural and accurate.
Textural efficiency is fantastic. Skin details are rock-solid, very firm and extremely revealing. There are a handful of softer focus shots here and
there, but the accuracy with which pores, hair, war paint, caked-on blood and mud, and other defining characteristics are presented is absolutely
breathtaking. Plaid cloth reveals every fine stitch and fabric texture, frayed edge, blood-soaked and otherwise muddied and soiled piece. Metal armor
and weapons show wear and tear with striking clarity. The image is sharp and well defined across the board, from front-focus characters, structures,
and
sprawling outdoor battlefields to intimate interiors and far and extreme background objects.
Comparing to the previously released Blu-ray, the UHD reveals a substantially more efficient and filmic presentation. Overall sharpness and image
clarity
see a positive across-the-board boost. Armor, clothes, terrain, skin, all of the basics appear much shaper and far more refined, but again it's the
striking Dolby Vision
color palette that's the true highlight. The format brightens the image, considerably, but does so without overemphasizing colors. On the contrary,
they're
much more stable and stout, deep and refined, a significantly higher yield in brilliance and dazzle. Reds and greens are a standout, as is Wallace's
warpaint. Dolby Vision's ability to present with much greater nuance, deeper blacks, and punch is second-to-none. The net result is a transfer that is
unequivocally one of the finest the UHD format has seen. No source deterioration, no encode flaws, refined and filmic grain and detailing, bold colors,
perfect
blacks…UHD just doesn't get much better than this.
Braveheart's new Dolby Atmos soundtrack is nearly as exciting as the accompanying 4K/Dolby Vision picture. The audio is exceptional. It's
large, it's clear, it's not lacking in any area. The track plays with plenty of space, superb musical definition and width, and a prominent, but very
balanced and effective, low end support to music and combat alike. The music absolutely soars. The clarity and precision, width, depth, and even
height are completely immersive, totally clear, just a joyful presentation of the movie's wonderful score that offers ample opportunity for crisp highs
and solid lows to present in total harmony. Action scenes are similarly robust, with various thuds, clanks, screams, and a chaotic din enveloping the
listener. Elemental balance is terrific and it's easy to become lost in the battle, visually and sonically alike. Atmospheric supports are rich and bring the
world to life with uncanny precision, and the sense of perfected space and the track's ability to offer complimentary sounds with precision placement
and
volume does not go unappreciated. Dialogue is excellent, presenting with a natural front-center locale, top-end clarity, and perfect prioritization.
Braveheart's three-disc UHD set contains all of the extras from the previous Blu-ray release. The UHD disc houses the Mel Gibson
commentary, as does
the included 1080p Blu-ray. That disc also houses the supplement Braveheart Timelines, which is not on the UHD. A UV/iTunes digital copy
code is included with purchase. For convenience, below is a list of what's included on the special features Blu-ray bundled with this set. For a full
supplemental review, please click here.
Braveheart is one of the great movies that has now received a highly desirable UHD release. Picture and sound alike are fantastic, and
the carryover supplemental content is very strong. In 2018, it doesn't get much better than this. Braveheart's UHD release earns my
highest recommendation.
Braveheart: Other Editions
4K SteelBook
3-disc set
Blu-ray
2-disc set $13.48
Blu-ray
2-disc set
Blu-ray
2-disc set
SteelBook
2-disc set
Blu-ray
2-disc set Best Buy
Blu-ray
2-disc set
Blu-ray
2-disc set
Blu-ray
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Blu-ray Bundles/Box Sets with Braveheart 4K (1 bundle)
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Paramount Pictures, in association with Fathom Events, will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Mel Gibson's Braveheart (1995) with a theatrical rerelease and brand new 4K SteelBook Blu-ray Edition of the film.
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