Martin Scorsese directs an all-star cast in this action-packed thriller set in Boston, where a long-simmering hostility between the police department and an Irish American gang led by Frank Costello is primed to explode. The fuse is lit when a gangster is chosen to infiltrate the police force – a young cop goes undercover within the gang. Now, when the two moles uncover each other’s identity, the battle begins.

For thoughts on The Departed, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/wBAjM2neS4g?si=K2YB3mj2KWBTspBx&t=2885]

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of The Departed offers a magnificent uptick in quality over the ancient Blu-Ray from 2007 which was a winner at the time but lags behind modern standards with a lacking VC-1 encode. This new transfer is derived from a new 4K master completed by the folks at MPI with the participation of the film’s Academy Award-winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker. This package does not come with a Blu-Ray disc so be sure you are 4K UHD capable if you pick up this release. This title has been one of the most eagerly anticipated on the format for many, and this release achieves the most out of its 2K DI source.

One of the areas where this transfer stands out is the retention of the organic film grain which has not had any significant digital tinkering applied, leaving this disc clear of ugly DNR, compression artifacts, and other encoding issues. From the outset, you are treated to impeccably resolved grain that avoids appearing clumpy or swarming across the screen in unnatural ways. Skin tones appear natural with a stellar amount of detail on faces such as pores and stubble. The production design in the offices and the various hangouts is rendered so clearly that you will be delighted by how much new information you take in. There are welcome textures that are now visible for the first time. Nothing ever comes up short in terms of definition.

The color grade appears to be in line with the original intention of Scorsese and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, but it is not intended to be a Technicolor spectacle as we explore the seedy criminal underworld. The HDR10 translates the aesthetic into something nuanced and balanced. Highlights in the film are more pure with greater definition and balance with no instances of blooming to be found. The black levels maintain remarkable shadow detail, staying deep and inky with no signs of crush or compression artifacts. This is a fabulous transfer that far outpaces the old presentation and should be your preferred viewing experience moving forward.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a new DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio audio track that brings the film to life gracefully and accurately. The previous Blu-Ray had a lossless LPCM 5.1 track, so the upgrade is likely incremental. The track makes fine use of the surround speakers with environmental flourishes and sound effects adding a lot of rich activity. The movie is dialogue-heavy and clarity is never an issue outside of potentially some difficulty parsing some of the accents.

The score and the very prominent soundtrack never experience anything in the way of age-related distortion. Both elements permeate the room in a deliberate manner which helps the film spring to life. The track works well in the low end with some vital texture, largely in relation to the music but also in some exchanges of gunfire and other active moments. Warner Bros. has done some nice work with this one by providing a faithful track that sounds wonderful. There are English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Guilt and Betrayal – Looking Into The Departed: A new 15-minute featurette in which Martin Scorsese reflects on the creation of the film, what drew him to the script, key experiences that influenced his love of crime films, the themes of the picture, the sticking points that almost drove him away from the picture, working with the cast members, the difficult points of the shoot, and more.

Stranger Than Fiction – The True Story of Whitey Bulger, Southie and The Departed: A 21-minute archival featurette explores the real-life Boston gangster Whitey Bulger, who provided the loose inspiration for Jack Nicholson’s character. This is a good exploration of the city and how it influences the narrative.

Crossing Criminal Cultures: A 24-minute archival piece that takes a larger look at Scorsese’s criminal films such as Mean Streets, Goodfellas, and Casino, and how they inform one another in terms of themes, filmmaking, and more.

Deleted Scenes with Introductions by Martin Scorsese: There are nine unused scenes provided here totaling nearly 20 minutes with context given by Scorsese.

Final Thoughts

The Departed is not the most challenging feature that Martin Scorsese has ever made, but it is one of his most viscerally entertaining outings. From the opening scenery-chewing narration from Jack Nicholson, you know you are in for a fun, twisty time filled with subterfuge and tense alliances. The performances are appropriately big for the Boston setting, and the pacing is impeccable as the movie is over in a flash despite its hefty runtime. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has delivered a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that handily beats any previous release with a stellar A/V presentation and a fine array of new and legacy special features. The optional SteelBook package looks very nice in person if you are a collector. If you are a fan of the film, you owe it to yourself to pick up this new package. Highly Recommended

The Departed is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in a Standard and SteelBook form. The film is also available on Digital platforms.

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.