Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV 4K Ultra HD

"Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV" is set in the magical kingdom of Lucis, home to the sacred Crystal, and the menacing empire of Niflhelm is determined to steal it. King Regis of Lucis (Bean) commands an elite force of soldiers called the Kingsglaive. Wielding their king's magic, Nyx (Aaron Paul) and his fellow soldiers fight to protect Lucis. As the overwhelming military might of the empire bears down, King Regis is faced with an impossible ultimatum—to marry his son, Prince Noctis, to Princess Lunafreya of Tenebrae (Headey), captive of Niflheim, and surrender his lands to the empire's rule. Although the king concedes, it becomes clear that the empire will stop at nothing to achieve their devious goals, with only the Kingsglaive standing between them and world domination. Based on the iconic game. (Gary Reber)

Special features include four featurettes: "A Way With Words: Epic And Intimate Vocals" (HD 04:53), "Fit For The Kingsglaive: Building The World" (HD 05:35), "To Capture The Kingsglaive: The Process" (HD 06:28) and "Emotive Music: Scoring The Kingsglaive" (HD 06:05); upfront previews and a Movies Anywhere digital code.

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10/Dolby Vision picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed digitally and sourced from a newly remastered 4K master Digital Intermediate format. The picture is beautifully CGI computer animated. Details within the animation are absolutely astonishing and push the envelope when it comes to CGI. The movie was also a 3D production but no 3D Blu-dray Disc was provided for review. Resolution is extraordinary and rendered in photo realism. Facial detail reveals wrinkles and lines, as well as facial scars and beard stubble, in stunning resolution. Dust and smoke exhibit nuanced detail. Action sequences are impressively depicted. Colors are reserved and often desaturated, with a bleak gray/blue scheme dominating much of the imagery. Fleshtones appear slightly pale in hue. HDR contrast is excellent with deep black levels and revealing shadow delineation. Delivering spectacular production design, this is a splendid visual experience that is particularly impressive in the level of the precision animation that is now possible. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is quite dynamic with at times unrelenting and powerful deep bass extension to sub-25 Hz frequencies. Atmospherics and din are enveloping. Sound effects throughout are dimensionally directionalized with various objects, weapons, and general mayhem at the forefront. Foley sound effects are superb and enhance the sense of realism. Directionalized aggressive surround extension effectively energizes the soundfield. The stereo soundstage is wide and deep. The orchestral score is dynamic and spread wide and deep within the soundfield. ADR dialogue is excellent with decent spatial integration. This is an exciting and enjoyable action CGI animated movie soundtrack that will excite every home theatre system. This was a perfect movie for an Immersive Sound element, but no such effort was undertaken. (Gary Reber)