Elysium 4K Ultra HD

In the year 2154, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station called "Elysium," and the rest, who live on an overpopulated ruined Earth. Secretary Delacourt (Foster) will stop at nothing to preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium––but that doesn't stop the people of Earth from trying to get in by any means they can. Max (Damon) agrees to take on a life-threatening mission, one that could bring equality to these polarized worlds. (Gary Reber)

Special features include "Visions Of 2154" –– an interactive experience of the Art and Design of Elysium (HD 19:59); an extended scene (HD 01:45); the following featurettes: "Exoskeletons, Explosions, And The Choreography Of Elysium" (HD 29:48)"Collaboration: Creating The Performance In Elysium" (HD 13:18), "The Hero, The Psychopath, And The Characters Of Elysium" (HD 06:15), "Engineering Utopia: Creating A Society In The Sky" (HD 11:43), "In Support Of The Story: The Visual Effects Of Elysium" (HD 10:34), "Engineering Utopia: Creating A Society In The Sky" (HD 11:43), "Bugatti 2154" (HD 04:50), "The Technology Of 2154" (HD 10:13), "The Art Of The Elysium Miniatures" (HD 04:40) and "The Journey To Elysium" (HD 45:49), and a Movies Anywhere digital code.

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10 picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed digitally using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Red Epic camera systems and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate format. The picture exhibits natural imagery with a saturated color palette with strong primaries and nuances in hue shadings. The earthen destruction-ridden scenes of a future Los Angeles appear naturally realistic. On Elysium, the imagery is pristine with green grasses, red robots, and a mixture of bright saturated colors and white levels. In one scene, Jodie Foster holds a bright flashlight into Matt Damon's eyes. HDR contrast is excellent. Blacks are deep and shadows are revealing. From Elysium, Earth's bright blue waters appear appealing against the blackness of outer space. Fleshtones are naturally rendered throughout. Resolution, especially during closeups, reveals skin pores, hair, beards and stubble, scars, wounds, surface identification codes, Max's metal robotic supplements, armaments, guns, clothing and object texture detail, which is excellent throughout. Sony's "mastered in 4K" presentation is magnificent with impressive textured imagery throughout. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is both powerful and nuanced. The sound is dynamic throughout with nuances that enhance atmospheric dimensionality. Sound effects are powerful with lots of intense gunfire and explosions. Sound effects are loud with weight. Not only are sound effects enhanced with deep bass, but there is an undercurrent of powerful sub-25 Hz bass throughout. The orchestral score delivers excellent fidelity and comprises a wide and deep soundstage that aggressively extends to the four surrounds. Dialogue is intelligible throughout with good spatial integration.

The Immersive Sound element is an overall extension of the basic ear-level soundtrack sans dialogue, except for occasional low levels. The active music score is extended to the height channel with a strong presence. Dialogue announcements are projected loudly as well as sound effects such as aircraft movement and hard landings, various environmental sound effects such as winds, marketplace sounds, debris scatter, high-frequency beaming, and other effects. This is a terrific height-channel enhancement providing effective dimensionality.

This is an impressively dynamic holosonic® spherical surround soundtrack that is the reference for this science fiction classic. (Gary Reber)