Five years after the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks – Captain Phillips, Saving Private Ryan) moves from town to town as a non-fiction storyteller, sharing the news from the far reaches of the globe. In the plains of Texas, he crosses paths with a 10-year-old girl (Helena Zengel – Systems Crasher, Die Tochter) taken in by the Kiowa people and raised as one of their own. Kidd agrees to deliver the child where the law says she belongs. As they travel hundreds of miles into the unforgiving wilderness, the two face tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces as they search for a place they can call home.
For in-depth thoughts on News Of The World, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of News Of The World offers a lovely uptick in quality over the already incredible accompanying Blu-Ray. Skin tones appear more natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores and grime. The increased range of the color spectrum is stunning to behold. The HDR enriches the colors from already impressive to out of this world when it comes to vibrancy. The dusty western landscape keeps mostly to earth tones and pops up green vegetation, but the nuance with which it is reproduced is eye-popping. 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 various environments of the film 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 Universal has delivered another fantastic transfer on this latest 4K release.
Audio Quality
This disc comes equipped with an incredibly effective Dolby Atmos presentation that fully immerses you in this world. There are elements in this track that are truly unnerving, such as the sounds of the relentless rainfall. Sounds are appropriately rendered with precise directionality from the more kinetic scenes to the quieter dialogue-driven scenes filled with subtle whispers. The sweeping score from James Newton Howard brings this film to life in a really beautiful, thrilling way. Dialogue is presented perfectly clear without ever being overwhelmed by any of the competing sonic elements. The low end is engaged well as an extension of certain exciting elements like shootouts. The sound design of this film is quite intense, and the implementation of environmental sounds are executed very effectively. The mix here is very well done with nice engagement of all the channels, which makes this track more than satisfactory for fans of the film.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Co-Writer/Director Paul Greengrass clinically discusses the development and production of the film and the performances that were delivered from the impressive ensemble. The track is quite informative if not a bit on the dry side. Worth checking out for fans of the director.
- Deleted Scenes: Eleven minutes of unused material are included here including scenes of teaching English to Johanna, a confrontation on the river banks and more. There are some solid scenes in here that are worth checking out.
- Partners – Tom Hanks & Helena Zengel: A seven-minute featurette in which the cast and crew discuss why this is the perfect role for Tom Hanks and what a revelation Helena Zengel is in this role. There are some nice insights shared here.
- Western Action: A nearly eight-minute featurette in which Paul Greengrass and company discuss some of the various set pieces featured in the film and how they pulled it off safely and effectively.
- Paul Greengrass Makes News Of The World: An eleven-minute look at the story and direction of Paul Greengrass. This is a slight departure for Greengrass, but it is fun to see what he specifically brought to the film.
- The Kiowa: A four-minute look at the Native American tribe depicted in the film with the cast and crew.
Final Thoughts
News of the World is the type of throwback western that we do not get very often these days. While the film feels a bit overly long in points, it succeeds in keeping things interesting throughout its runtime thanks to some solid directing from Paul Greengrass. Special notice should also be given to the wonderful dynamic between Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel, who stands out as a great discovery. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that is beyond reproach with its stunning A/V presentation and a fine array of special features. If you are a fan of Tom Hanks or westerns in general, it would be surprising if you left this film unsatisfied. Recommended
News Of The World will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray and DVD on March 23, 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: Universal Pictures 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
