13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 4K Blu-ray delivers stunning video and reference-quality audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
An American Ambassador is killed during an attack at a U.S. compound in Libya as a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.
For more about 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 4K and the 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 4K Blu-ray release, see 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 4K Blu-ray Review published by Martin Liebman on May 24, 2019 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.5 out of 5.
Paramount has released Director Michael Bay's modern warfare film '13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi' to the UHD format. The
presentation includes 2160p/Dolby Vision video as well as Dolby Atmos audio, the latter the same that was featured on the previously released Blu-ray. That two-disc set contained the film on disc one
and the supplements
on disc two. This release carries over the supplemental Blu-ray but not the film-only disc; those wanting to make direct comparisons will need to
retain the original Blu-ray release.
Michael Bay's biggest challenge in 13 Hours is keeping the audience engaged even considering the predetermined outcome. Many, if not
most, in the audience know the names and the fates of several characters coming into the movie, but 13 Hours isn't so much about
narrative
details as it is rather sharing the experience, demonstrating it in tangible clarity, and highlighting the messy details of both the firefights and the
underlying
social and political underpinnings that defined the event. In that arena, Bay succeeds. He capably constructs enough narrative pull, dramatic
punch,
and effective filmmaking to keep the audience involved in a well known story. He manages to draw the audience into every scene.
There's a very real and very frightening sense of personal engagement, first as the nervous anticipation of the attack looms large over the first 45
minutes and on through the next 90 or so minutes of practically nonstop intensity as the story of the attack emerges and eventually draws to a
head
at the Annex. It's all underscored by the movie's simple but compelling demonstration of humanity that depicts several key characters
communicating
with their loved ones back home, and as the night wears on and the raw emotions slowly rise to the surface.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.
Paramount's UHD release of 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi replaces a fantastic 2016 Blu-ray with a 2160p/Dolby Vision (upscaled from a 2K digital intermediate) presentation that is not an
overhaul of the image but rather a complimentary upgrade to both textural clarity and color reproduction. Bay and Cinematographer Dion Beebe,
working with Bay for the first time, shoot and process the film hot, utilizing high contrast and sharp textures to define the image. The Dolby Vision
color palette is a
major source for visual upgrades. The image certainly holds firm to the envisioned color spectrum and temperature but the adds to depth, vibrance,
and stability, all working together to ensure a more thoroughly saturated palette. Warm sweaty skin tones, vibrant orange and white explosions,
blazing hot fires, punchy
blue daytime skies, and deep nighttime blacks are all improved for accuracy and visual oomph. Various points of illumination offer greater intensity and
white balance is improved a good deal, transitioning from brightly creamy to solidly white. The movie thrives with the Dolby Vision grading; it
translates
the sticky,
dusty world and the bloody, explosive action equally well.
The image enjoys an aggressive boost in sharpness as well. Even considering the 2K DI the movie's textures show much more solidification and grit on
the format. Close-up facial features are a standout visual highlight. Sweaty skin, intricate pores, dense beards, and both civilian garb and military
support elements like vests and helmets reveal fairly significant levels of boosted clarity, visible definition, and sheer complexity over the Blu-ray, good
in its own right but clearly a step well below the UHD. Bay shot the film with aggressive, intimate textures in mind, and they never feel pushed too
hard on UHD.
The format compliments the movie's intimacy and feel for gritty modern combat. Rubble, debris, and a few gory wounds are revealed with realistic
complexity and razor-sharpness. The picture shows no signs of unwanted wear and tear and the encode appears to be in perfect shape. Even though
this is not a transformative experience over the Blu-ray, the image solidification both in terms of its color palette and texturing -- both good advances
in the image's overall presentation -- take it to a new level of
excellence.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi features an intense and exhilarating Dolby Atmos soundtrack. This review is based on playback via
an 11.1 setup, adding four "height" channels to the more traditional 7.1 layout. The track is amazingly full and very finely detailed. Certainly, the
action dominates. There's an almost frightening level of authenticity to the track. Gunfire tears through the stage with remarkable vigor and definition.
The different sonic signatures of different weapons -- from .223 caliber M4s to larger caliber machine guns -- is evident in every battle sequence as
shots ring out from all areas of the stage with a tremendous sense of presence and heft. Explosions likewise hit hard. The low end pushes very deep
and heavy with a bone-rattling concussive sensation. Debris likewise scatters about with striking effectiveness, placing the listener squarely in the
middle of the mayhem. Mortar rounds and rocket propelled grenades also zip and zoom through the stage. Maneuverability around the listening area,
complimented by a balanced but never intrusive overhead presence, recreates the battles with amazing authenticity. Lesser, but no less important,
support details also impress. Musical delivery is clear and immersive. Ambient effects are nicely positioned and integrated, whether chatter and public
address announcements at an airport that seem to saturate the stage or minor exterior atmospherics that help set the stage in the movie's sonically
calmer first act. Dialogue is always well prioritized, even in the heat of battle. Clarity is excellent and placement holds tight in the front-center
location.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi contains no supplements on the UHD disc. The bundled Blu-ray, which is identical to the "extras"
disc released in the 2016 two-disc set, includes the supplements outlined below. For a full supplemental content review, please click here. This release ships with a fresh digital copy code and a non-embossed slipcover.
For the Record: Finding the Truth Amid the Noise
Uncovering Benghazi's Secret Soldiers
Preparing for Battle: Behind the Scenes of 13 Hours
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is a movie with staying power. It's no doubt destined to be remembered as one of the modern
warfare classics for its impressive technical merits but, more importantly, reproduction of a proud but, at the same time, damning moment in modern
history. The film shies away from overt political commentary, but there's no mistaking its stance. Above all of that, however, it's an honest tribute to
those who lived and died. The film deserves to be remembered in the same breath as the similarly constructed and themed Black Hawk Down. Paramount's UHD release of 13 Hours: The
Secret
Soldiers of Benghazi delivers eye-catching 4K/Dolby Vision video that offers a solid step forward from the Blu-ray. The Atmos track is every bit as
invigorating as one would expect, and the set includes the Blu-ray bonus disc from the 2016 release. Very highly recommended.
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