You can read our full thoughts on Hellboy in our review of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray HERE.
Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Lionsgate Home Entertainment and Summit Entertainment bring Hellboy to Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a flyer for a Digital HD Copy. The Region A locked, BD50 disc is joined by a DVD-9 copy of the movie and housed inside a blue, eco-elite case with a glossy slipcover. After several skippable trailers, viewers are taken to a menu screen with music.
The mighty Beast of the Apocalypse rides unto Blu-ray with a fantastic, near-reference 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode, boasting excellent clarity in almost every scene. The makeup work done on David Harbour is simply superb, and this freshly-minted transfer exposes the smallest feature, crack and the fractured edges of Hellboy's sawed-off horns. Individual hairs are distinct, the stitching and threading of his trenchcoat are sharp, and we make clearly make every pore and wrinkle during the closeups. Every nook and cranny of many interior scenes, like the M11 headquarters and the Osiris Club mansion, is plainly visible, and the lettering on various sides, windows and monitors are legible from a short distance. Even the CG visuals and action are pretty outstanding to see, particularly that of Gruagach and the giants. Admittedly, a few sequences are a tad softer than others, but the overall picture is very sharp.
Presented in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio, the video also comes with a slightly subdued and controlled contrast, making many sequences, especially in London, feel more grayish and overcast while giving the story a darker, more horror-oriented tone. True to the stylized intentions of Lorenzo Senatore, the presentation nonetheless displays crisp, brilliant whites throughout with sharp, intense highlights in the explosions and scenes with fire. Likewise, black levels are inky rich and true, providing the image with deep, dark shadows and excellent gradational details within the darkest corners, such as the creepily gloomy, poorly-lit interior of Baba Yaga's house. Thankfully, the palette is not affected by the restrained contrast, boasting richly-saturated and vibrant primaries, especially Hellboy's crimson red skin and the cerulean blue of the sky. Facial complexions also appear natural and accurately-rendered, making this an outstanding HD video for a sadly disappointing movie. (HD Video Rating: 92/100)
Hellboy debuts on Blu-ray with the same demo-worthy Dolby Atmos 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. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 96/100)
Summoned back to cinemas for the third time, Hellboy incites the apocalypse in this disappointingly dull and yawn-inducing adaptation of the popular Dark Horse Comics. Starring Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane and David Harbour as the titular character, the reboot fails to ignite interest in the devilish adventures of the horror-oriented antihero. The movie rides to Blu-ray with a gorgeous HD video presentation and a demo-worthy Dolby Atmos mix. Although featuring a very small set of bonuses, the overall package is nonetheless recommended for devoted followers.
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