Ultra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews

A Complete Unknown is set in 1961, against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene, and tumultuous cultural upheaval. An enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota named Bob Dylan, arrives with his guitar, and revolutionary talent. He forges intimate relationships with music icons of Greenwich Village, setting him on his meteoric rise, which culminates in a groundbreaking performance that reverberates around the world.

I am not a Bob Dylan fan per se but I enjoy his music, and have a profound respect for his place in our pop culture, as well as his influence on American music. The film paints in fine strokes as it strives to capture the essence of its subject, while not favoring a style over substance approach. The narrative doesn’t break new ground in terms of its dramatic depiction, however it presents Bob Dylan to audiences, both old and new, in a sensational way, while carefully drawing distinct cues from his roots, the key relationships in his life, and the impact he created on the entertainment world.

Timothy Chalamet gives transformative performance that has to be seen to be believed. The production elements are magnificent in support of the film’s larger than life subject. A Complete Unknown is an epic biodrama that does a terrific job of connecting us to the man, the myth, and the legend, that is Bob Dylan. The Ultra HD video is presented with exquisite detail, and a near infinite sense of depth. Fidelity is unflinching. Colors are kept within the scope of the timeframe, incorporating lots of browns, grays, greens, and blacks. The use of sepia imparts a succulent quality that underscores the subject material. Skin tones are lustrous, tonally rich, and chock full of fine textural nuance. Blacks are inky, dynamic, and stable. Contrast is spot on, not overdriving whites/grays, or washing out detail. High dynamic range doesn’t play a role in the presentation but, I never found the image lacking. This is a wonderfully dimensional video presentation that sparkles on Ultra HD Blu-ray.

The Dolby Atmos surround mix has excellent dynamic range, and detail. Dialog is clearly rendered through the center channel, maintaining a position of prominence within the front soundstage. There are set pieces that show off the track’s blend of music and smaller object sounds that create a wonderfully involving listening experience that broadens the soundstage. Low frequency effects are appropriately applied, and provide tangible richness to the music, and live sounds. I don’t regard this as an aggressive Atmos mix, however, I enjoyed the balance of atmosphere, combined with discrete object placement. The result is an entertaining listening experience that complemented the source material.

Bonus features consist of four “Making of” featurettes that focus on the story, cast, and production design, and a filmmaker audio commentary by director James Mangold. Also included are a Blu-ray and Digital code.

A Complete Unknown is an epic biodrama that does a wonderful job of connecting us to the man, the myth, and the legend, that is Bob Dylan. Its 4K release is a good one that fans are sure to appreciate.