The Hate U Give

You can read our full thoughts on director George Tillman Jr.'s The Hate U Give in our review of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray HERE.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment brings The Hate U Give to Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a Digital HD Copy, which can be redeemed via Fox Digital Movies and Movies Anywhere. The Region A locked, BD50 disc sits comfortably opposite a DVD-9 copy inside a blue, eco-cutout case. After skipping a few trailers at startup, viewers are taken to a menu screen with full-motion clips and music playing in the background.

The deeply moving and poignant drama pulls on the Blu-ray heartstrings with a fantastic and beautiful looking 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode. 

Shot entirely on 8K resolution cameras, the freshly-minted transfer occasionally looks very much like a digital source with several squeaky-clean and sterile moments that can feel somewhat cold and distant. However, overall definition is continuously razor-sharp with excellent clarity of the background information even during many sequences shot in shallow focus, exposing every nook and cranny of the Carter household. The individual leaves of trees are distinct from a short distance, the lettering of signs on buildings are always legible, and we can plainly make out every crack, pebble, and debris of the Garden Heights neighborhood. Facial complexions appear healthy and highly revealing with lifelike textures.

Presented in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio, the video also displays spot-on contrast with crisp, brilliant whites throughout, allowing for excellent clarity and visibility into the far distance. Black levels are rich and inky, faltering ever so slightly only during some of the poorly-lit interiors, but shadows remain strong and penetrating with outstanding detailing in the darkest corners. Mihai M?laimare Jr.'s stylized photography favors warmer amber hues and earth tones, giving the drama an interesting yellowish and light brown tint. Nevertheless, primaries are richly-saturated, especially the reds of clothing and the greens of the surrounding foliage. Secondary hues are also full-bodied and cleanly rendered, and skin tones are accurate and true, making for a lovely HD presentation of a powerful film. (Video Rating: 88/100)

The film debuts on Blu-ray with the same excellent but controlled and refined DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack as its Ultra HD counterpart. For a more in-depth take on the audio quality, you can read our review of the 4K Ultra HD HERE. (Audio Rating: 82/100)

• Audio Commentary: Director George Tillman, Jr. and editor Craig Hayes are joined by stars Amandla Stenberg, Russell Hornsby and author Angie Thomas for an insightful and discerning conversation about the plot's themes, performances and overall production.
• Starr: Shine Your Light (HD, 14 min): Thomas talks with Tillman and others about the influences and themes of the novel and its adaptation.
• Starting a Conversation (HD, 10 min): Cast & crew interviews on the plot and themes.
• Code Switching (HD, 9 min): Thomas returns to talk about the ways in which people alter and adapt their cultural behavior and norms to different environments.
• The Talk (HD, 8 min): Expands on the film's opening scene as an unfortunate reality.
• The Heart of Georgia (HD, 5 min): Featurette on the shooting locations of the state.
• Thank U Georgia (HD, 2 min): More on the shooting locations.
• Extended Scenes (HD, 15 min): Three differently edited sequences.
• Maverick and Seven Protecting Their Home
• Uprising
• Seven’s Graduation
• Still Gallery (HD).
• Trailer (HD).

The Hate U Give is an emotionally gripping and powerful crime drama based on the novel of the same name by Angie Thomas. Featuring an intensely moving and spellbinding performance by the talented Amandla Stenberg, the plot directly tackles a troubling issue faced by many people, as experienced through the eyes of a young teen. The poignant film debuts on Blu-ray with a beautiful and often gorgeous video presentation and a largely satisfying DTS-HD MA soundtrack. With a somewhat disappointing yet informative set of bonus features, the overall package nonetheless comes recommended.