A small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a disabled man, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy.

The 1959 American Western film is directed by Howard Hawks. The screenplay is by Jules Furthman and Leigh Brackett and is based on the short story “Rio Bravo” by B.H. McCampbell. The film stars John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, and Ward Bond.

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Video Quality

Rio Bravo makes its long-awaited 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut with a resplendent 2160p HDR10 transfer which by far bests any previous home entertainment presentation of the title. Beyond the explanation that this has been “restored” by Warner Bros., the exact source of this one is unclear. What is clear is that the new disc is miles ahead of the ancient VC-1 encoded Blu-Ray release from 2007 which never came close to displaying this movie as it was meant to be seen. The new 4K UHD disc is up to the task as it delivers improvements over the previous Blu-Ray by every metric such as color saturation, clarity and image stability.

The film features some truly splendid cinematography which captures the rich western landscape replete with bold colors that pop off the screen with a vibrant intensity. The HDR offers a depth and stability of color that will knock you sideways. While the setting may be very brown and dusty, it proves to be a stunning sight when viewed here. Black levels are outstanding with nothing in the way of crush or banding present. Highlights are likewise rock solid with no evidence of blooming even under the sweltering sun.

The level of detail and clarity is wondrous with the proper amount of natural film grain intact. The grain resolves well without ever being clumpy, swarming or unsightly. The texture on display in the costumes and within the production design and natural environments are very impressive, but the film has a naturally soft look that does not make it as tack sharp as certain films. We did not notice any specks of damage within the source. This presentation honors the original look of the film without the added resolution making elements seem out of place. There does not appear to be any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. This presentation is what fans have been waiting to see.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio split mono track which captures the journey well. The desolate stillness of the desert settings creeps through to provide some important ambient details. All of the various elements in the mix seem precisely rendered so that nothing ever feels off. Dialogue is the star element of this feature, and it comes through crystal clear without being drowned out by the sound effects or score. There are moments that bring some old west texture to the action at hand. The score establishes a nice atmosphere for the proceedings that is represented well in the mix. Everything is presented with an excellent fidelity. This presentation is free of any hiss or other age-related wear-and-tear. Warner Bros. has done a nice job with the sound options. There are an array of subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Filmmaker John Carpenter and Critic Richard Schickel provide a steadily informative (but not exactly lively) commentary track which sustains well over the runtime as they were recorded separately and edited together for an overview of the source material, the performances in the film, the troubles faced during the production, the shooting locations, the themes, the film’s reception, the legacy of the feature and more.

Final Thoughts

Rio Bravo is one of the great westerns, especially when looking at the career of John Wayne. Howard Hawks is a chameleon when it comes to genre, expertly applying his skills to a new picture without concern for if that is what is “right” for him. The focus on character in this outing keeps you more invested in the story, even though the technical side of the filmmaking is not lacking in the slightest. The pacing of this lengthy film is impeccable, always keeping you glued to the screen and never checking your watch. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray sporting a fantastic A/V presentation and only the commentary track ported over. If you are a fan of this iconic western, you will be thrilled by how much of an upgrade it is. Highly Recommended

Rio Bravo is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and 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.