Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One 4K Ultra HD

In "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One," Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With the fate of the world at stake, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission –– not even the lives of those he cares about most. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary by Director Christopher McQuarrie and Editor Eddie; eight featurettes: "Abu Dhabi" (HD 03:55), "Rome" (HD 04:12), "Venice" (HD 04:12), "Freefall" IHD 09:05), "Speed Flying" (HD 04:17) and "Train" (HD 05;32); and a digital copy.

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 4K Ultra HD HDR10 picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, was photographed digitally in anamorphic Panavision® using the Sony CineAlta Venice and Arri Alexa Mini LF camera systems and sourced from a 4K Digital Intermediate. The picture is localized in parts of the world. Throughout the imagery is sharp and clear. Flesh tones are perfectly natural. The warm and rich color palette exhibits naturalness throughout. Colors appear natural in every location, whether in Abu Dhabi, Rome, Venice or on the train through the lush mountainous countryside of the Austrian Alps. Primaries are solid throughout. Color fidelity is dynamic with a wide color gamut that exhibits fine hue shadings that enhance realism. The action scenes are incredible as are the special effects and visual effects. The intense chase scene in Rome and on the train in the lush green mountainous countryside in the Austrian Alps are exciting visually. HDR contrast is wide and natural with solid black levels, revealing shadows, and brilliant white levels. Resolution is amazingly detailed revealing facial pores, lines, hair, stubble and beards. Clothing fabrics are revealing of textural detail, as well as objects. This is a an incredible picture with accurate color fidelity and dynamic imagery for a reference quality experience. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is dynamic sounding with aggressive atmospherics and sound effects. Throughout there is intense deep bass, often extending to sub-25 Hz. The visually intense action scenes are boosted in dynamic intensity. During such, the surrounds are activity engaged for an aggressive soundfield experience. The sound effects tied to the action in picture is amazingly complex and intricate. The mayhem is fully and realistically supported. Foley sound effects enhance realism. All along is the undercurrent of the orchestral score which often bursts into incredible dynamic energy. The music absorbs the soundfield with intense surround envelopment that is incredibly directionalized. Instrumental clarity is superb. Dialogue is intelligible with generally good spatial integration, even ADR.

The Immersive Sound element is comprised in large part of an extension of the orchestral score and a few intense sound effects including an intense sand storm and strong winds in the desert and again during the train scene in the Austrian Alps, brief spinning helicopter blades, a high-pitched train whistle, train car hitch removal sounds, train kitchen mayhem and train cars separating. While the music adds significant spatial dimensionality far more could have been achieved in the height layer.

This is a spectacular holosonic® spherical surround soundtract driven by an expansive orchestral score with reference quality fidelity and dynamics. (Gary Reber)