Fully Immersed, Volume 22
Last week I mentioned how exciting it is that the 4K Ultra HD disc format is giving us fantastic new Dolby Atmos or DTS:X soundtracs on so many of our catalog favorites. Last week's case(s) in point was Braveheart and Saving Private Ryan. This week that trend continues with three catalog classics - Gladiator, The Matrix, and The Patriot. Yes indeed it's a great time for fans of immersive audio soundtracks. If you need further proof, here are some additional titles coming soon to a home theater near you:
I plan to cover at least a few of the above titles soon. Until then, here's what I've listened to most recently...
Gladiator 4K
Paramount | Buy Now | DTS:X available on 4K UHD only
Spend any time scanning through Ridley Scott's filmography - Alien, Blade Runner, Black Hawk Down, Kingdom of Heaven, The Martian - and it's likely you'll arrive at the same conclusion: the guy's a Legend. (He directed that one too.) Amid all of those classics, Gladiator remains his crowning achievement - and fans should be thrilled to learn it has finally arrived on 4K Ultra HD. Despite being 18 years old, Scott's epic tale of a betrayed Roman General (Russell Crowe) who returns to Rome seeking vengeance is every bit as thrilling and moving as it was when it was first released. And thanks to Paramount's stellar 4K release which features an all-new, object-based DTS:X soundtrack, the film has never sounded better. Gladiator's new DTS:X mix sounds huge, immediately evident during the opening battle between the Roman army and rebellious tribes in the woods of Germania. Catapulted fireballs and flaming arrows take full advantage of the new height channels while panning and directionality is excellent across the wider-than-ever sound stage. Later in the film, when Maximus is about to enter his first arena as a gladiator, there's a slow and ominous swirl of sound tracking the swinging mace of a waiting combatant. I've always loved that sound effect on DVD and Blu-ray; this new DTS:X soundtrack gives it additional resonance as the sound envelops the listener, not just from the sides but also from above. In true Caesar fashion, Gladiator on 4K Ultra HD gets a resounding thumbs up.
The Matrix 4K
Warner | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K UHD only
I can still remember that day in 1999 when I walked out of the theater having just seen The Matrix with my wife and her mom. (She was a super cool mother-in-law.) I can remember walking across the parking lot, my eyes adjusting to the sunlight - not unlike Neo's experience after being unplugged. One thought kept going through my mind: "What the hell was that?" Mind blown. Fast forward to 2018, nearly twenty years later, and the Wachowskis' sci-fi spectacle is every bit as impressive now as it was then. Perhaps more so, thanks to Warner's incredible new 4K Ultra HD edition featuring an all-new and glorious Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The Matrix has always been go-to demo material for home theater fans but this Atmos track kicks everything up to 11. Dialogue is crystal clear, bass is incredibly deep and tight when called for, and bullet time takes on added dimension with the new height channels in the mix. The lobby scene remains a beautifully-choreographed ballet of bullets and this new Atmos track opens things up considerably, immersing the listener in a hail of multi-directional gunfire. And just try not to grin as empty shell casings rain down from above as Neo empties his mini-gun at the Agents guarding Morpheus. The ensuing helicopter flight, ending with Trinity practically crashing through the screen into your listening space is pure sonic bliss. Looking for the ultimate Dolby Atmos demo disc? Look no further. This is The One.
The Patriot 4K
Sony | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K UHD only
In my previous column, I talked about Mel Gibson's Braveheart, easily his best and most celebrated film to date. Although not a "war movie" per se, Braveheart certainly features some of the most gripping and thrilling battle scenes ever committed to celluloid. Five years after Braveheart took home a bunch of Oscars, Gibson returned to the battlefield in The Patriot, only this time the setting was the southern United States and the time period was the Revolutionary War. Like Braveheart, The Patriot takes many liberties with respect to historical accuracy. And while it's hardly on a par with Braveheart dramatically, Roland Emmerich's bloody epic does have its moments and sports a talented cast including Heath Ledger, Chris Cooper, and a scenery-chewing Jason Isaacs as a Redcoat version of Lucius Malfoy. Sony's new 4K Ultra HD edition breathes new life into this catalog title and that's due in large part to the new Dolby Atmos soundtrack Sony has created for this release. Dialogue is clear and intelligible while directionality and sound effects positioning is accurate and convincing throughout. The climactic battle is suitably bombastic and cannonballs soaring overhead take full advantage of the new height channels afforded by Atmos. The chaos on the battlefield is overall highly immersive and atmospheric sounds and battle cries are well positioned to effectively transport the listener.
Red Sparrow 4K
Fox | Buy Now | Dolby Atmos available on 4K UHD only
If you can get past Jennifer Lawrence's phony Russian accent, there's a lot to like in
Francis Lawrence's seedy, violent, and depressing spy thriller. There's also a lot here that'll have you feeling the need for a shower afterwards. Lawrence plays Dominika, a Russian dancer who is reluctantly thrown into a world of espionage and debauchery thanks in no small part to her uncle, a high-ranking Russian intelligence officer. Fox brings this new release to disc with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack exclusive to the 4K Ultra HD offering. Although the film is sporadically punctuated by sudden bouts of intense (and surprisingly gory) violence, this is largely a dialogue-driven drama. As such, this Dolby Atmos soundtrack is more about nuance and atmospheric details than car chases and gunfire. During her time at "whore school" (as Dominika herself calls it), the "Sparrows" in training are being instructed by their Matron (Charlotte Rampling) in a large hall with high ceilings. Here the overhead channels are used effectively to subtly carry the Matron's voice creating a convincing sense of space. Later in the film, an airport terminal interior features subtle background and overhead sounds effectively reproducing and layering in the white noise typically associated with such a setting. Last but not least, the film features a strong score from veteran composer James Newtown Howard which sounds rich and detailed throughout the film.
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