Overlord appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.40:1 on this 4K UHD Disc. Though not a stellar image, the presentation seemed to match the source.
The biggest issue stemmed to the movie’s dark look, as the many low-light shots could seem a bit dense and murky. While I thought this replicated the original photography, it still made the end result a little mushy.
This factor impacted sharpness, as those dim scenes could seem a little soft. Still, most of the flick appeared pretty accurate. I saw no signs of jaggies or moiré effects, and the film lacked edge haloes or print flaws.
Despite the period setting, Overlord went with the modern standard teal and orange palette. I’d like to see action flicks dispense with those conceits, but given their restraints, they looked fine here, and the disc’s HDR capabilities added a little zest to the tones.
Blacks came across nicely. Even with the pervasive dimness in the image, the dark elements showed rich tones. You won’t use this to show off your TV but the image replicated the original photography.
I felt more objectively pleased with the solid Dolby Atmos soundtrack of Overlord. Downconverted to Dolby TrueHD 7.1, the mix offered plenty of opportunities for lively auditory information, and it took good advantage of these.
From the opening combat scene to road chases to gunfire to explosions to other action elements, the mix filled the speakers on a frequent basis. The track placed information in logical spots and blended all the channels in a smooth, compelling manner.
Audio quality was also positive. Music sounded lively and full, while effects delivered accurate material. Those elements showed nice clarity and kick, with tight low-end.
Speech was always distinctive and concise, too. This mix worked well for the film.
How did the 4K UHD compare to the Blu-ray version? Audio remained identical, as both discs used the same Atmos mix.
As for the visuals, they seemed slightly tighter and offered bolder colors. However, given the general murkiness of so much of the image, I didn’t think the 4K UHD offered a substantial upgrade. It’s the better of the two but not by a lot.
No extras appear on the 4K UHD itself, but the included Blu-ray copy brings a six-part documentary called The Horrors of War. It spans a total of 51 minutes, 28 seconds and provides notes from director Julius Avery, producers JJ Abrams and Lindsey Weber, executive producer Jon Cohen, production designer Jon Henson, supervising art director Grant Armstrong, screenwriter Mark L. Smith, stunt coordinator Jo McLaren, military trainer Freddie Farnsworth, unit production manager John Grant, prosthetics designer Tristan Versluis, armourer Sam Dormer, and actors Dominic Applewhite, Wyatt Russell, Jovan Adepo, Jacob Anderson, John Magaro, Bokeem Woodbine, Pilou Asbæk, Iain De Caestecker, and Mathilde Ollivier.
“Horrors” looks at story/characters/screenplay, cast and performances, sets and locations, costumes, weapons and period details, stunts and action, and various effects. The program looks at a good variety of subjects and does so in a way that provides useful insights about the production.
A horror/supernatural twist on the standard World War II “mission movie”, Overlord provides a vivid tale. Packed with action and gore, it twists the genre on its ear and gives us a blast of violent fun. The 4K UHD brings generally good picture along with excellent audio and an informative documentary. Given its graphic nature, Overlord won’t be for everyone, but its target audience should enjoy it – I know I did.
To rate this film, visit the prior review of OVERLORD
