Ultra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews

England’s super-secret civilian intelligence agency, Kingsman, is dealt a devastating blow by a mysterious new enemy. It’s been one year since ballsy-yetcompassionate Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and his crew saved the world from an eccentric criminal mastermind, but with their resources and personnel all but eliminated, they must now seek the help of Statesman, their American counterpart. Together, this unlikely team travels the globe to uncover the truth behind the recent attack, as well as the details of another ruthless plot that could soon kill millions.

Working from his own script (with Jane Goldman), director Matthew Vaughn spins a story that’s bloody, funny, and full of surprises, although possibly a bit too long. The cast is crammed with Oscar winners, so there are a great many characters and subplots, some of which remain underdeveloped as a consequence. The action set pieces, however, are both plentiful and ambitiously executed, an entertaining blend of credible peril and exaggerated, almost superhuman heroics to meet it head on.

Fox’s Ultra HD disc is simply gorgeous. The 4K, 2.39:1 image displays outstanding depth of focus, most demonstrably in early scenes as we peer down the London streets. The Golden Circle has a rich color palette throughout: Eggsy’s orange tuxedo is appropriately eye-catching. Blacks are deep and solid without any unpleasant video harshness despite the movie’s digital origins. A variety of complex visual effects is employed rather aggressively, and HDR10 adds extra punch to the already impressive picture.

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is refined as well as formidable. (This review discusses the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 at its core.) Phasing between the speakers is smooth and realistic, a challenge considering the shifting camera angles during frenetic action sequences. Subtle room tone is preserved, the presentation of the music benefits from a thoughtful mix, and many small cues are meticulously placed in the surrounds. Bass is sharp and effective but never over the top. For those seeking a sonic alternative, the Blu-ray offers DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1.

All of this set’s extras can be found on that Blu-ray, chief among them “Kingsman: Inside the Golden Circle,” a two-hour program covering just about every facet of the production. There’s also a separate featurette specifically about the opening car chase/fight scene, plus a still gallery of photos and artwork. A Digital Copy is also supplied, compatible with the new Movies Anywhere service.

Blu-Ray
Studio: Fox, 2017
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Audio Format: Dolby Atmos / TrueHD 7.1 core
Length: 141 mins.
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Jeff Bridges