'A Knight's Tale' 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook Review - A Propulsive Popcorn Spectacle
The 14th century takes a rocking new twist in A Knight's Tale, a stylish, music driven, action packed adventure starring Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight, The Patriot), with heroic performances from Mark Addy (The Full Monty, Down to Earth) and Rufus Sewell (Dangerous Beauty, Dark City). Ledger plays William Thatcher, a peasant squire who breaks all the rules when he passes himself off as a nobleman and takes the jousting world by storm. The only thing that stands between William and his dream of becoming the World Champion of the most extreme of sports is the bad boy of the sport Count Adhemar. And when the two rivals go lance to lance at the world finals, you'd better arm yourself and hang on tight for the ride of your life!
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Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut of A Knight's Tale offers a sterling presentation for this adventure courtesy of a 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative approved by director Brian Helgeland for both the Theatrical and Extended versions of the film deployed through seamless branching. The previous Blu-Ray was first released in 2006, but we have never been able to view that disc. By all accounts, it was a major disappointment, and luckily this new release comes with a fresh Blu-Ray derived from the new 4K restoration. As nice as it is to get a stronger Blu-Ray, the 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR master is what allows the film to look the best it ever has on home entertainment. This new release preserves the filmic origins of the feature to unleash a world of pleasing texture and detail.
The Dolby Vision presentation brings nuance to the rich period aesthetic with a commendable saturation. Highlights offer a great stability without veering into blooming. Black levels are deep which allows this transfer to provide a notable level of fine detail in darker environments. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a wonderful amount of facial detail. You can effortlessly distinguish specific details within the makeup, backgrounds, and production design that have otherwise been murkily defined before on streaming and Blu-Ray. The interiors of various structures are given more depth which makes for a more compelling exploration of the world. The improvements in contrast and overall clarity are a standout aspect of the disc, especially when wading through shadowy corridors. This is another top-tier effort from Sony, and fans will delight in watching it.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray gets an audio upgrade in the form of a thrilling Dolby Atmos track that gives the film a dynamic soundscape with a suitably intense and immersive quality. The new disc also offers up the original soundtrack in lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio. Both of these tracks are tremendous in their own ways, but we are glad Sony is continuing the trend of giving fans a choice. Those who choose to embark with the original track may not get the cutting edge in audio, but you will be served a perfectly formidable track without any age-related flaws.
The Atmos track conjures atmospheric sound effects appropriately within the mix so that directionality is unrelentingly precise. The track yields the expected emphasis on the front channels for dialogue and other distinct sounds while additional activity flows to the surrounds, rears and overhead speakers to make the world feel more three-dimensional. The height channels are implemented flawlessly as they fully transport you into the journey. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting overshadowed by the music or sound effects. The low end effects from the subwoofer deliver the desired extra weight to enhance the action sequences. Every single sound feels natural and energizing in a way that lifts up every moment. The film shines when it comes to the anachronistic rock soundtrack which complements the narrative really well. Sony has delivered a bombastic audio experience for fans. Optional English, English SDH, and a vast array of other subtitles are provided.
Special Features
Sony has provided A Knight's Tale with a sleek new SteelBook featuring artwork that is pleasing in person. The front artwork is William in his armor with a sword, and the rear features the whole gang with their arms around one another. The interior is a photo still from a joust. Video of the SteelBook can be found at the top of this review.
Audio Commentary:
Director Brian Helgeland and Actor Paul Bettany provide a very thorough archival commentary track in which they discuss the production of the film, the Carter Burwell score, the characteristics of the performers, the tricky choreography of certain sequences, the location shooting and much more.
Gag Reel:
A new two-minute collection of flubbed lines, goofing around, and more.
Deleted & Extended Scenes From Tape Dailies:
A new nine-minute selection of unused footage is provided in fairly rough quality.
Quill & Quarterhorse – 2nd Unit Photography:
A new nearly nine-minute look at some of the 2nd unit photography including horses launching off of their mark and a hand writing on parchment.
Behind-The-Scenes Featurettes:
A 33-minute selection of featurettes is provided here in which the cast and creative team provide the details about the creation of various moments including the complicated stunt work, the music, props, and more.
Deleted Scenes:
Six unused scenes are provided that didn't make the final cut of the movie. This footage totals 21:40 by itself, or 48:43 if you select to watch it with the optional video introductions from the creative team.
HBO Making-Of:
A 15-minute archival promotional video in which the cast and creative team discuss the creation of the film.
Robbie Williams & Queen: 'We Are The Champions' Music Video (4:08)
Trailers (5:03)
Final Thoughts
A Knight's Tale is a crowd-pleasing action outing that leans heavily into popcorn sensibilities with its aggressively modern soundtrack, its gorgeous (and talented) ensemble, and its sleek, propulsive editing. Those coming for something painstakingly accurate to history or narratively complex are not going to be the most nourished here, but those looking to have a lot of fun will be feasting. This is the definition of a good time. Sony Pictures has released a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a fabulous A/V presentation and a worthwhile collection of special features. If you only own this one on Blu-Ray or not at all, this package is by far the best way to view the film. Recommended
A Knight's Tale is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
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