Disney’s work on Marvel Studios home releases has always been great, but the production has improved ever so slightly since Sony took over the Mouse House’s physical media. Dolby Vision is thankfully back on these new releases and the Steelbook game has gotten stronger than ever, which helps make even the lower-tier MCU 4K releases feel like must-own discs for die hard fans of the franchise.
Such is the case for Captain America: Brave New World, which arrives on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD this week. While the film certainly has its bright spots, it doesn’t stand up to many of its MCU peers, especially now in the wake of Thunderbolts*, which has been almost universally adored by fans. The thing is, though, the folks that worked on the 4K release of Brave New World didn’t take days off because they didn’t think the movie itself was good as it should be. Some great work went into this release.
The presentation on the native 4K disc is fantastic, almost to a fault. The double-layer disc brings great detail to the forefront and keeps the home version as close to the theatrical release as possible. Close ups shots are where you notice the best visual work, along with the shots of Washington D.C.’s iconic cherry blossoms later in the film. And there’s the Red Hulk, who pops off the screen with tremendous color and shockingly fluid movements.
[Click Here to Buy the Captain America: Brave New World 4K Steelbook]
I was worried that the CGI required to bring Red Hulk to life would result in a rough presentation on the 4K release. That issue wasn’t present for the character’s few scenes, but it was very clear in other portions of the film. That’s what I meant by “almost to a fault.” There are certain sequences in Brave New World that just don’t look nearly as high quality as their price tag. I’d go as far as to say some even look animated, and not in a complimentary way. Some of Sam’s flying scenes have that off-putting style to them, but the destruction of the White House in the third act is probably the most noticeable.
This isn’t an issue created by the 4K work on this disc. The parts that looked bad in the theater look bad at home, but the presentation here is strong enough that it almost makes those issues even more noticeable.
The audio quality is just as strong as the video here, with a Dolby surround mix that keeps you in the action on a consistent basis. There’s always something happening off to the side or in the background that allows the sound to envelop you.
Like a lot of studio releases lately, Captain America: Brave New World doesn’t have a ton to offer in the Special Features department. There are some interesting featurettes, a couple of lackluster deleted scenes, and a gag reel. The nice surprise is a feature-length commentary from director Julius Onah and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau. It feels like commentary tracks are actually making a comeback and that’s a wonderful thing.
The crown jewel of the bonuses with Brave New World is the special edition Steelbook case. If you’re buying this movie and able to get one of the Steelbooks, definitely pay the extra few bucks. It’s a simple design that puts Sam and Ross at the forefront, matching a lot of the old school spy aesthetic that the film tried to capture. The art of the two characters on the actual discs is stunning as well. It’s a presentation that almost outshines the material, similar to the Madame Web 4K Steelbook from Sony last year.
Whether or not to buy Captain America: Brave New World is going to come down to your personal feelings about the actual movie. It’s a great release all around, with top-of-the-line visuals and audio, decent features, and a stellar Steelbook. If you like the movie, this 4K is definitely worth the purchase. You can grab a copy here.
A copy of Captain America: Brave New World was made available for this review.
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