Lights up on Washington Heights…The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.
For in-depth thoughts on In The Heights, please see my colleague Michael Cook’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of In The Heights offers a lovely uptick in quality over the already incredible accompanying Blu-Ray, making it a contender for new release of the year on the video side of things. Skin tones appear more natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores. The increased range of the color spectrum is stunning to behold. The Dolby Vision and HDR enriches the colors from already impressive to out of this world when it comes to vibrancy. From the opening moments, you can take a look at the intense blue of the sea surrounding the kids and be blown away. Don’t get me started on the intense colorfulness of the costumes that have the screen overflowing with eye-popping hues.
The highlights in the film are more defined with whites more pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Elements in the latter half of the film taking place during the blackout are more vivid and finely delineated. The black levels are especially strong in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail. This 4K UHD presentation really delivers on all fronts including strong gains in clarity and color. The Blu-Ray is great, but Warner Bros. has delivered another demo-worthy transfer on this latest 4K release.
Audio Quality
This disc comes equipped with a magnificent Dolby Atmos presentation that absolutely dazzles from beginning to end. From the opening number the soundscape is set to deliver an expansive experience suitable for a joyous musical. Sounds are appropriately rendered with precise directionality from the more kinetic numbers in the heart of the neighborhood to interpersonal moments of dialogue. Ambient details are plentiful and quite satisfying in the rear and overhead channels. The overhead channels serve to complement the other channels rather than carry the main load, which adds a nice sense of space to the mix. Music is the lifeblood of this film, and it envelopes the room with an urgency befitting the narrative. Dialogue is presented perfectly clear without ever being overwhelmed by any of the competing sonic elements. The low end is engaged in a really solid way that will have your house moving and shaking along with the dancers. The mix offers up the best experience for those with the home theater system to support it.
Special Features
- Paciencia y Fe – Making In The Heights: A six-part documentary totaling 44 minutes that covers the development of the musical, the relationship that the cast and crew had with the stage version, the themes of the film, the process of adapting the play for the screen, working with the community during filming, finding the right performers, the choreography in the film, capturing the performances and more. This is a film that deserves a substantial behind-the-scenes exploration, and this piece offers many great moments with all sides of the production.
- Sing-Alongs: An option to watch both the “In The Heights” and “96,000” numbers as sing-along presentations is given here.
- Musical Numbers: An option is given to jump directly to the musical numbers in the film.
Final Thoughts
In The Heights is a film that is capable of being overhyped, but those who go in without movie-of-the-year expectations should be greeted with a soul-stirring musical that will allow you to remember what it means to feel alive. The cast all make an incredible impression in their roles, and the songs and choreography will have you moving in your seats due to how catchy they are. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stunning A/V presentation and a pretty wonderful making-of documentary. While Warner has made it a habit of skipping 4K for some of their more modest films, it is a real treat that they gave us this gem in the best presentation possible. Highly Recommended
In The Heights will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray and DVD on August 31, 2021. The film is currently available to own on Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
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Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
