Movie Review: PAN’S LABYRINTH 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray

PAN'S LABYRINTH - Cover Photo

PAN’S LABYRINTH 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Writers: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Sergi López

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REVIEW – There are two kinds of good films. The film you think is so good, that you go back and watch it again is one. The second is a film that is so good, you feel that one time is enough. Pan’s Labyrinth is that film that I need to see one time. Or, so I thought. I originally saw this at a movie theater when it came out. My wife liked it more than I did. I remember buying the blu ray at a thrift shop for 75 cents just to have it. Now, I own the 4K. I have to be honest, this film plays better in a smaller screen and crowd. I found myself mesmerized with the lovely colors. The colors are rich and the levels are excellent. The movie transfer I feel is even better than the theatrical version. I have a 80” Vizio Smart TV and an XBOX X. This transfer came across very smooth and enriching. That being said, my wife did tell me that the blu ray was also a very good transfer.

The sound in this release is very well. The audio I was told was better here than on the blu ray.

While the director’s commentary is also available on the 4K disc, most of the bonus material remain on the original 2007 Blu-ray:

  • Director’s Prologue (SD, 1 minute)
  • Director’s Commentary
  • The Power of Myth (SD, 15 minutes)
  • Pan and the Fairies (SD, 31 minutes)
  • The Color and the Shape (SD, 4 minutes)
  • The Lullaby: The Melody Echoes the Fairy Tale (SD, 5 minutes)
  • The Charlie Rose Show Excerpt (SD, 50 minutes)
  • The Director’s Notebook (HD interactive pages/SD video content, 18 minutes)
  • Storyboard Comparisons (SD, 6 minutes)
  • VFX Plate Compare (SD, 2 minutes)
  • Comics (SD, 4 minutes)
  • Photo Galleries
  • Marketing Campaign Materials (SD, 6 minutes)

This is film is as lovely as it is haunting. It is wonderfully told and mixes fantasy with drama in a warped fairy tale. This film is poetic and heartbreaking. This film is made for home video and loses its intimacy on the big screen. I feel if I would have skipped the theater and watched this on dvd first, it would have changed my perception about repeat viewings. As a 4K Ultra HD, the film is brighter than it has been and the colors are sharp and rich. If you do not own this, I would say pick up the 4K. If you do own the film, I would say maybe stick with it. The 4k is more for people who do not already own the film more than someone wanting an upgrade.

Doug Jones in Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

PAN’S LABYRINTH 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray | Official Trailer:

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