Super 8 (UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Paramount
Release Date: May 25, 2021
Rating: G
Film: 4.5/5

Plot
This is the story of six friends who witness a train wreck while making a Super 8 movie, only to discover that something unimaginable escaped during the crash.  They soon discover that the only thing more mysterious than what it is, is what it wants.

My Thoughts
Although I’ve used the train wreck sequence as a demo scene for years it has probably been eight or nine years since I actually watched the film from beginning to end. First off, holy lens flair Batman! I’d forgotten how much J.J. Abrams utilized the technique in this film and frankly, the entire audience found it distracting. My wife was convinced it was the 4K copy, but sure enough, after the movie I popped in the included Blu-ray and it looked the same!

Unfortunately, Paramount didn’t go back and remint a new 4K master for the film and chose to upconvert the original 2K scan. While it doesn’t look bad by any stretch, the differences between the 2K and 4K versions are quite small. Yes, detail is a tad better in 4K and the shadow delineation is slightly improved, but I’m not sure it’s enough to upgrade from the original Blu-ray release from 10 years ago.

Sadly, the audio track is the same TrueHD mix from the original Blu-ray. Overall, this is a very good mix but it’s far from perfect. At loud volumes it can sound a bit harsh and a new Atmos remix would have been a reason to upgrade from the old disc.

Video 8.5/10

Audio 8.5/10 (Dolby TrueHD 7.1)

Special Features:

• Feature film in 4K Ultra HD
• Commentary by J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, and Larry Fong
• The Dream Behind Super 8 (HD)
• The Search for New Faces (HD)
• Meet Joel Courtney (HD)
• Rediscovering Steel Town (HD)
• The Visitor Lives (HD)
• Scoring Super 8 (HD)
• Do You Believe in Magic? (HD)
• The 8mm Revolution (HD)
• Easter Eggs (HD)
• Deconstructing the Train Crash (HD)
• Deleted Scenes (HD)

Conclusion
I really enjoyed revisiting this film and it holds up well after 10 years. It probably helps that it’s a nostalgic pet project from writer/director J.J. Abrams paying tribute to Steven Spielberg and harkens back to the days when I was the same age as the kids depicted in the film. Unfortunately, the new 4K release doesn’t really break any new ground and the exclusion of an Atmos track is a disappointment. Regardless, the film itself is a lot of fun and our audience enjoyed the show.


Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
JL Audio Dominion F110 Subwoofer x 2
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling

PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[Paul Heroy]

I didn't see this until about a year ago, but I really enjoyed it.

Too bad they didn't really put much effort into the 4K. Sounds like a "good enough for streaming" type release.

[bmoney]

Ya know I’ve never seen this. Only the demo scene of the train. 

I have it now and wil spin it soon. 

[Ralph P.]

Greetings,

Nice review Dave. I wholehearted agree across the board.


Regards,