This forest isn’t charted on any map. Every car breaks down at its tree line. Mina’s is no different. Left stranded, she is forced into the dark woodland only to find a woman shouting, urging Mina to run to a concrete bunker. As the door slams behind her, the building is besieged by screams. Mina finds herself in a room with a wall of glass, and an electric light that activates at nightfall, when the Watchers come above ground. These creatures emerge to observe their captive humans and terrible things happen to anyone who doesn’t reach the bunker in time. Afraid and trapped among strangers, Mina is desperate for answers. Who are the Watchers, and why are they keeping the humans imprisoned, keen to watch their every move.

For in-depth thoughts on The Watchers, please see my colleague Gaius Bolling’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of The Watchers delivers a formidable viewing experience, but this release does not come with a Blu-Ray disc to determine the exact degree of improvement. Countless sequences in the film take place under the cover of darkness, which this disc handles favorably with clear detail and excellent delineation. Black levels are robust in this presentation, staying deep and inky with so much depth. The highlights in the film are crisply defined with whites pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Any expected instances of compression artifacts and banding are avoided with this 4K UHD disc.

This 4K UHD presentation delivers on all fronts including excellent showings in clarity and color. There is some cool instances of production design featured in the film which you can especially appreciate with this transfer. Every location is handled with the accuracy of a well-executed disc. Skin tones appear natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores. The expanded range of the color spectrum is stunning to behold. The Dolby Vision finds new depths when it comes to the nuance of the hues. As great as the Blu-Ray may be, Warner Bros. has delivered another first-rate transfer on this latest 4K release.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with an incredible Dolby Atmos audio mix that is immersive and quite complex at times. The height channels are used to dynamic effect in some of the more hair-raising scenes. All of the sounds emerge from the appropriate directions, and there are absolutely no technical issues with the track. This is an engaging track that provides a world of stirring sound effects and an eerie score to keep you on edge. There is nearly always something cooking in the surrounds, but there is no difficulty hearing what everyone is saying. Dialogue is clear and balanced perfectly with the environmental sounds. There is a notable amount of activity in the low end that works well with the story. Audiences will love this track. Optional English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Welcome to the Show – The Making of The Watchers: A nine-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the ideas behind the film, the production, the direction of Ishana Night Shyamalan, and more.

Creating The Watchers: A five-minute exploration of the mythical creatures at the center of the narrative, the visual effects that helped bring them to life, and more.

Constructing the Coop: A six-minute look at the production design that is essential to bringing this world to life.

Ainriochtán and the Irish Fairy Folklore: A nearly five-minute featurette that delves into the folklore ideas that are used in this narrative.

Lair of Love: A nearly ten-minute full look at the satirical reality show that can be seen during this film.

Final Thoughts

The Watchers is an intriguing debut from director Ishana Night Shyamalan that shows a lot of promise yet is hobbled by some of the hallmarks of a first-time filmmaker. The premise is enough to get you invested from the jump, but the script soon becomes overstuffed and somewhat convoluted as it tries to explain the numerous mysteries established early on. We are always happy to see Dakota Fanning on our screen, and she does a fine job here. It is not an all-time great thriller, but it is far from a complete disaster. We look forward to whatever the next generation in the Shyamalan has to offer. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that features a fetching A/V presentation and a decent offering of special features. If you are a fan of the film, you should be pleased by the disc. Recommended

The Watchers is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD, 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.