4K Ultra HD – UK Edition – Warner Bros. – 126 min – 03 June 2019
Video format
• Intermediate Master: 4K
• Standard HDR: HDR10
• Ratio: 1.85
Soundtrack
• English Dolby Atmos
• English Dolby Digital 5.1
• French (Parisian) Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles
• English
• French
It is brought to the attention of our dear readers as well as the viewing equipment specified and used by each tester of the MaG team, the rendering may differ from one installation to another, whether or not it is calibrated, as well as personal preferences and expectations may influence the rating. Moreover, the images in the article are not representative of the edition tested.
WORK – Who is the man behind the beast?
Abandoned at birth because of his deformity, the gifted and rich heir Oswald Cobblepot grew up in the sewers of Gotham City among a group of saltimbanks and called himself « The Penguin ». Years later, he joined with businessman Max Shreck to corrupt the people of Gotham and become mayor. The masked vigilante Batman, alias Bruce Wayne, tries to stop them. Meanwhile, Selina Kyle, shy erased secretary working for Shreck, discovers the unworthy intentions of her boss. The latter tries to murder. Selina swears to get revenge...
100% Burtonian, Batman: The Challenge is an authoring and strangely poetic big-show film that presents an anarchic Gotham City with delusional decors and « monsters » High in sexually allusive color (Irresistible Catwoman punk Michelle Pfeiffer). Divinely schizophrenic, like his characters, this suite is a wonder.
IMAGE – I wasn't born in the sewers.
This new 4K restoration digitized from the original 35 mm negatives, allows this 4K Ultra HD to detach itself very clearly from its HD counterpart released in 2009 (this one provided in this edition having also been remastered).
The master is blank from the slightest defect, the photochemical aspect of the film is more refined, the perfectly solved images (except the softness of the composite planes) display with much more clarity (the fabric of the costumes, the backgrounds), the more contemporary colors (a more marked blue-silver look) are deeper and pronounced (in particular the reds), the contrasts benefit from a high-flight readjustment (brighter whites and more nuanced blacks), and the light sources are delivered with less reserves (Christmas illuminations, urban lighting, the glare on wet surfaces and Catwoman latex outfit).
Shot 27 years ago, Batman: The Challenge seems to have been out yesterday! A well-known top demo.
SON – I'm Catwoman, listen to me roar!
Even if the acoustic landscape is a less rich hair than on the first part (notably because of less surround activity), this VO Dolby Atmos newly mixed for the occasion (if you didn't know, Batman: The Challenge was the very first film to use Dolby Digital technology when it was released in the cinema) but still remains excellent and digs the difference with the previous soundtrack Dolby TrueHD 5.1.
The dynamics have more punch, the scene is growing in width, the streets of Gotham enjoy more enveloping atmospheres, the sound background simmers more, the score of Elfman is better defined, the basses have more weight (the different explosions) and the additions of height (a cloud of bats, a helicopter umbrella, the Batskiboat) are very immersive even though rather rare.
Less voluminous and expressive, the VF is more monotonous even if on good bill.
CONCLUSION – Are you the Batman?
My dear penguins, thanks to Batman, the time has come to get the present 4K Ultra HD which can no longer be below. Let's show him on the fireplace, it's time he gets up!
Artistic note
9
Video quality
10
Audio quality
9
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