‘Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – A Violent Martial Arts Epic

Many years after the bloody turf war that ushered in an uneasy era of peace in Hong Kong’s underworld, the notorious Kowloon Walled City serves as a fortified, lawless safe haven for gangs and refugees alike. But when a skilled underground fighter runs afoul of the most feared Triad boss in Hong Kong, a bounty is placed on his head despite his connections to the leader of the infamous enclave. As his pursuers violate the tenuous territorial truce to exact their vengeance, the fallout reignites old grudges, bringing decades of building tension to a brutal, bloody boiling point.

For in-depth thoughts on Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, please see my colleague Liselotte Vanophem’s review from its original festival debut here. 

Video Quality

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a terrific 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR transfer in 2.39:1. This release does not contain a Blu-Ray copy to judge the degree of the upgrade from that format. The transfer excels in its thorough level of detail in the most discrete aspects of the grungy production design throughout the city and costumes. Small facets that could easily get lost in the shadows provide a texture that is crisply defined. 

This label sometimes struggles with depth to the black levels on Blu-Ray, but this 4K UHD version avoids such shortcomings. You will not find much in the way of crush, and the highlights avoid blooming. The Dolby Vision unlocks a depth to the hues that saturate the frame deep and naturally. This is not the most colorful movie, but we love the level of accuracy commanded here. The film delivers some fetching cinematography that renders well on disc. Well Go USA has put forth a robust effort for fans of the film.

Audio Quality

The film comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a fantastic Dolby Atmos and DTS-X track in the original Cantonese and an English dub in DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that are both a triumph. We understand that some people prefer a dub, but this really deserves to be seen in its original language with the upgraded audio. The movie offers a commanding workout with environmental sounds that yield a hard-hitting and immersive atmosphere for the story. The height channels add a lot when settling you into the three-dimensional experience of being walled into this city. Surround channels get some favorable activity during the plethora of fight scenes. The low end of the track comes to play with every punch that lands. Dialogue and sound effects are appropriately balanced with the score where nothing gets overshadowed in the track. This track is a barn burner and will be appreciated by action fans who pick up this disc. Optional English and French subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

There are no special features provided on this disc.  

Final Thoughts

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In is a particularly entertaining action effort that delivers numerous sequences that will keep you cheering and gasping in equal measure. The story is not always the most nuanced or complicated, but there is enough thought put into it to keep you satisfied between brawls. Some of the performances can lean a bit broad, but this does not bring about much hesitation. If you are a fan of Hong Kong action cinema, it is unlikely you will be left underwhelmed. Well Go USA Entertainment has delivered a strong A/V presentation but no special features. Recommended 

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, and DVD on November 19, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Well Go USA 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.