Blu-ray.com review with screenshots
4K BLU-RAYhttps://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Aquaman- ... 11/#ReviewVideo Quality 4K 5.0 of 5 1080p 4.5 of 5
Although Aquaman wasn't filmed in 4K, that doesn't make Warner Bros.' 2160p transfer any less impressive. This is a top-quality effort that stands will the genre's most visually ambitious productions to date: image detail and textures are especially crisp, black levels are rock solid with no noticeable crush, and background depth almost approaches that of a 3D presentation at times. It almost goes without saying the the benefits of HDR breathe even more life into the film's striking color palette, which is undoubtedly the star of this 4K presentation. Aquaman's wide range of locales have their own district appearance: murky underwater depths, warm and inviting interiors at the home of Arthur's father, sun-soaked Sicily and the Sahara Desert, the dark and foreboding Trench, otherworldly Atlantis, and more; these all pop in different ways, while the latter is almost hypnotic in its overall atmosphere. Foreground colors fare exceptionally well too, from the fluorescent red of Mera's hair to the yellow-gold of Aquaman's "official" gear and, of course, an endless sea of blues, both underwater and above-ground. Given the relatively bland palette of most superhero films this decade, it's nice to count Aquaman among those who aren't afraid to flaunt some real color.
In further contrast, the IMAX-framed sequences, which are sporadic early on but dominate the second half, seem to favor a smoother overall appearance and showcase a similarly high amount of depth and clarity. The more expansive compositions give these moments a wide-open atmosphere that, despite their almost random and occasionally jarring contrast when they arrive, feel more comfortable once they've settled in. As a whole, this is a near reference-level effort that accurately preserves the film's ambitious and, at times, overwhelming visuals.
For those who haven't yet upgraded to 4K but want this combo pack for "future-proofing" purposes, the Blu-ray disc is excellent in its own right and, aside from format limitations and the lack of HDR, offers a perfectly acceptable viewing alternative. Please read my separate Blu-ray review for an evaluation of its video presentation.
Audio Quality 5.0 of 5
Equally impressive is Aquaman's Dolby Atmos track, which automatically unfolds to TrueHD 7.1 if your receiver or soundbar doesn't support the format. As expected, this is an incredibly dynamic and, at times, aggressive track that features a great deal of atmospheric effects and channel separation. The most obvious highlight is just about anything underwater, as the rear channels are used to great effect and create a convincing level of immersion. There's also a large amount of space and direction during action scenes, particularly the chaotic climax and an earlier fight between Arthur and his half-brother in a vast, crowded underwater arena. Low frequencies are outstanding and extremely deep -- literally and figuratively -- which adds some weight to the punchy explosions and gunfire, as well as the more sustained lower frequencies during several music cues. Speaking of which, the soundtrack and score also get priority treatment when they kick in, whether designed to amplify aggressive moments or blend in more subtly to the background. Dialogue remains clean and crisp throughout with no obvious sync issues. Overall, this is a top-tier effort that fans will adore. Just remember that Warner Bros.' Blu-ray forces you to choose this Atmos track manually; the default is a decent-sounding DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix. Why they continue to author discs this way (and thirteen years into the format's lifespan, no less!) is mind-boggling...so the sooner they catch up, the better.
Optional subtitles are included in English -- standard and SDH, as well as several other languages -- during the main feature, with occasional burnt-in subtitles for Maori translation. The former are perfectly legible and, due to the shifting aspect ratio, partially sit outside of the 2.40:1 frame during those scenes.
Special Features and Extras 3.0 of 5
Warner Bros. supplies a solid cross-section of extras, adding up to just over 100 minutes total. While there's nothing especially earth-shattering here in terms of content or presentation, fans should enjoy digging through everything. This series of short to mid-length featurettes includes comments from key cast and crew members including director James Wan; actors Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Amber Heard, and Nicole Kidman; screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick; and several others. All extras are contained on the Blu-ray disc.
Going Deep Into the World of Aquaman (19 minutes, 1080p), despite its title, swims closer to the shallow end. Nonetheless, it offers a quick and entertaining run-through of the production process from start to finish including the initial development, building the sets, costume design, CGI, and more. As expected, we also get a few brief comments from the cast and crew, most of which sound more like promotional pull-quotes.
Becoming Aquaman (13 minutes, 1080p) catches up with star Jason Momoa, who talks about his portrayal of the title character, his physical training for the role, and several other experiences (and clips) from the set.
James Wan: World Builder (8 minutes, 1080p) sounds like one of those back-patting featurettes that play out more like a resume puff piece, and it pretty much is. Still, there's some interesting on-set clips and comments about his directing style that fans should enjoy.
Aqua Tech (6 minutes, 1080p) is the first of a few visual-minded featurettes; in this case, we look at a few lighting rigs, set design, and pre-visualization. It's good stuff, and should have been at least twice as long.
Atlantis Warfare (5 minutes, 1080p) is a like-minded piece that looks as the gadgets and weapons designed for the film, both practical and CGI, while the latter also includes a look at concept art and visual development.
The Dark Depths of Black Manta (7 minutes, 1080p) - This short interview with actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II provides his own thoughts on the character including his background, arsenal of weapons, and character development, along with obligatory highlight scenes from the film.
Heroines of Atlantis (6 minutes, 1080p) likewise sits down with Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman discussing their characters Mera and Atlanna. It doesn't go into quite as much detail as the previous piece but is worth a once-over.
Villainous Training (6 minutes, 1080p) turns its attention towards Patrick Wilson (Orm), who talks about the roles physical challenges and playing the hero's evil half-brother.
Kingdoms of the Seven Seas (7 minutes, 1080p) is hosted by Dolph Lundgren (Nereus), who provides a quick tour of the six kingdoms featured in the film...as well as a seventh, since we all know a sequel is coming.
Creating Undersea Creatures (7 minutes, 1080p) - A fairly standard VFX featurette that mostly focuses on the unique animals seen in around the film's six kingdoms. Plenty of concept art and development clips are seen, though it's more of a showcase than a detailed technical rundown of how everything was completed.
A Match Made in Atlantis (3 minutes, 1080p) is the last of the actor interviews, as Jason Momoa and Amber Heard talk about the fun they had on set and share some outtake footage shot during production.
Scene Study Breakdowns (11 minutes total, 1080p) includes "Submarine Attack", "Showdown in Sicily", and "The Trench", and goes into slightly more detail about these three key scenes from the main feature.
"Shazam!" Sneak Peek (3 minutes, 1080p) - A scene from the upcoming DC film opening April 5th.
Standard Blu-rayVideo Quality 4.5 of 5
Presented in a mixed aspect ratio of 2.40:1 with IMAX-formatted scenes framed at 1.78:1, Aquaman looks as good as you'd expect for a recent effects-heavy blockbuster. Not surprisingly, the wide range of locales during this film have their own district appearance: murky underwater depths, warm and inviting interiors at the home of Arthur's father, sun-soaked Sicily and the Sahara Desert, the dark and foreboding Trench, otherworldly Atlantis -- just to name a few -- and they all appear to be represented accurately on Warner Bros.' 1080p transfer. This gives Aquaman a much more varied and visually interesting appearance compared to most modern superhero movies and, while it still relies on the occasional grim-and-gritty palette so common these days (not to mention an abundance of teal and orange), the stray splashes of vivid color are pretty refreshing. Primaries fare extremely well here, from the fluorescent red of Mera's hair to the yellow-gold of Aquaman's "official" gear and, of course, an endless sea of blues, both underwater and above-ground. Black levels are also typically rich, with the disclaimer that most underwater sequences are designed to rarely extend beyond a deep grey. Likewise, fine details and texture are impressive: from fish scales to skin pores, the film's razor-sharp appearance also tends to feel a bit softer by design when we're under the ocean.
In further contrast, the IMAX-framed sequences, which are sporadic early on but dominate the second half, seem to favor a smoother overall appearance and showcase a tremendous amount of depth and clarity. The more expansive compositions give these moments a wide-open atmosphere that, despite their almost random and occasionally jarring contrast when they arrive, feel more comfortable once they've settled in. As a whole, this is clearly an outstanding effort that accurately preserves the film's ambitious and, at times, overwhelming visuals.
Audio Quality 5.0 of 5
Even better is Aquaman's Dolby Atmos track, which automatically unfolds to TrueHD 7.1 if your receiver or soundbar doesn't support the format. As expected, this is an incredibly dynamic and, at times, aggressive track that features a great deal of atmospheric effects and channel separation. The most obvious highlight is just about anything underwater, as the rear channels are used to great effect and create a convincing level of immersion. There's also a large amount of space and direction during action scenes, particularly the chaotic climax and an earlier fight between Arthur and his half-brother in a vast, crowded underwater arena. Low frequencies are outstanding and extremely deep -- literally and figuratively -- which adds some weight to the punchy explosions and gunfire, as well as the more sustained lower frequencies during several music cues. Speaking of which, the soundtrack and score also get priority treatment when they kick in, whether designed to amplify aggressive moments or blend in more subtly to the background. Dialogue remains clean and crisp throughout with no obvious sync issues. Overall, this is a top-tier effort that fans will adore. Just remember that Warner Bros.' Blu-ray forces you to choose this Atmos track manually; the default is a decent-sounding DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix. Why they continue to author discs this way (and thirteen years into the format's lifespan, no less!) is mind-boggling...so the sooner they catch up, the better.
Optional subtitles are included in English -- standard and SDH, as well as several other languages -- during the main feature, with occasional burnt-in subtitles for Maori translation (seen on one of the extra screenshots). The former are perfectly legible and, due to the shifting aspect ratio, partially sit outside of the 2.40:1 frame during those scenes.
Special Features and Extras 3.0 of 5
(See above)