The Fifth Element 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

The 4K UHD transfer of "The Fifth Element" manifests significant strides in visual fidelity, transforming Luc Besson's sci-fi classic into an almost new experience. The 2160p resolution coupled with HDR10 significantly enhances the film’s vibrant color palette, bringing out vivid hues and intricate details that were previously subdued in the 1080p/SDR Blu-ray version. The film’s kaleidoscopic visuals benefit from the widened color gamut and increased contrast ratio, providing deeper blacks and brilliantly luminous highlights. The cityscapes of New York, for instance, are rendered with noticeable depth and clarity, revealing details in textures and backgrounds that add to the immersive viewing experience.

Nonetheless, this transfer is not without its shortcomings. The disc’s encoding and size appear to hold back the potential of the source material, resulting in occasional visual softness and less-than-perfect sharpness in some scenes. Additionally, the absence of Dolby Vision on this 4K release is a notable miss. Dolby Vision’s dynamic metadata could have provided even more refined color balances and better highlight management, adding an extra layer of visual polish that the static HDR10 metadata falls short of delivering.

The Blu-ray counterpart, although presenting lesser visual quality than its 4K sibling, still stands as a solid offering. However, the differences are stark when viewed side-by-side. The 1080p/SDR transfer fails to capture the same range of colors and depth, appearing flatter and less dynamic by comparison. For enthusiasts demanding peak visual performance, these gaps between the two formats underscore the necessity for a potential future release to address current limitations, particularly in encoding efficiency and Dolby Vision support.

The Dolby Atmos audio track on the 4K UHD Blu-Ray of "The Fifth Element" remains a powerhouse, delivering a rich and immersive listening experience for any home theater setup. The atmospheric soundscape is meticulously crafted, with precise audio cues that elevate the already dynamic visual storytelling. Dialogue clarity is consistently maintained, ensuring that every line is heard distinctly amidst the film's vibrant action sequences and soundtrack. The soundtrack's orchestral crescendos and ambient effects benefit significantly from the high-definition audio format, creating a truly cinematic atmosphere.

That being said, some purists might lament the absence of the original 5.1 audio track. While the Dolby Atmos mix provides a superior, all-encompassing sound environment, the exclusion of the original mix is noticeable to some critics. It’s a small concession in an otherwise stellar auditory experience. This modern sound upgrade arguably serves as a worthy substitute, but it’s understandable why traditionalists might miss the familiarity of the 5.1 setup.

Overall, the Dolby Atmos track is a standout feature that brings new life to Luc Besson’s sci-fi classic. Its enhancement of both the obvious and subtle elements of the movie’s sound design ensures an engrossing experience that both new viewers and long-time fans will appreciate.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray of "The Fifth Element" comes in Steelbook packaging with visually striking artwork that prominently features Leeloo's thrilling escape amidst a dynamic blue-green and orange color scheme. The exterior carries a compelling design, while the interior remains plain. Notably, the included extras mirror those from the previous 2017 4K/Blu-ray release, with valuable high-definition content carried over from Sony's "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray edition.

Extras included in this disc:

• Visual Effects Commentary: In-depth discussion on the film's groundbreaking VFX.
• The Making of The Fifth Element: Behind-the-scenes featurette detailing the production process.
• Costume Design Documentary: An overview of the iconic and futuristic costume designs by Jean-Paul Gaultier.
• Interviews with Cast & Crew: Insights from key players including Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, and director Luc Besson.
• Storyboard Comparisons: Side-by-side look at initial storyboards and the final film sequences.

This comprehensive selection offers fans a detailed exploration of the film's creation and artistic achievements.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "The Fifth Element" mirrors Best Buy's exclusive Steelbook from 2017, repeating its HDR10 mastering and 66GB disc size. This approach feels slightly outdated compared to Sony's more recent 100GB 4K releases that incorporate Dolby Vision, resembling their high-quality Superbit DVDs from the past. While the disc's encoding and storage capacity don't quite hit the mark, the Dolby Atmos audio stands out spectacularly, ensuring an immersive soundscape. The package includes a solid collection of extras, suitable for fans seeking to explore beyond the movie.

"The Fifth Element" remains an entertaining and unique piece of sci-fi cinema, though it doesn't reach the pinnacle of genre innovation. Notably, the film delivers memorable visual effects and quirky storytelling, making it a standout from 1997. While it may not impress everyone equally, it offers a distinctive experience that remains etched in the minds of many cinephiles. This reissue emphasizes its nostalgia factor, with the usual extras providing additional context and depth for both new viewers and long-time fans.

The Fifth Element's 4K UHD Blu-ray transfer is a solid, though not spectacular, release that will appeal to sci-fi enthusiasts and fans of Luc Besson's distinctive filmmaking style. The video presentation boasts a commendable level of detail and vibrant color reproduction, effectively highlighting the film’s unique aesthetic and futuristic production design. However, it does not quite reach the upper echelon of 4K releases available today. The HDR10 treatment, while beneficial in dark and bright scenes, lacks the added enhancement Dolby Vision could provide.

The audio performance is robust, with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that delivers clear dialogue, dynamic action sequences, and an immersive score by Eric Serra. That said, contemporary audiophiles may notice the absence of Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, which might have elevated the overall listening experience to new heights.

The package includes ample familiar extras that long-time collectors will appreciate, though there is no new bonus content to distinguish this edition from previous releases. The Steelbook packaging itself is visually appealing and worth consideration for avid collectors. Despite its shortcomings, this release of The Fifth Element offers a respectable home-theater experience for one of the most beloved sci-fi films of the 90s.

Luc Besson's The Fifth Element is still a fun and stylish sci-fi thrill ride, but this limited edition 4K/Blu-ray Steelbook is just a reprint of one of Sony's good but not great releases during the format's infancy. As such it doesn't reach the A/V heights of their newer 4K Steelbooks (which are typically 100GB discs with Dolby Vision), yet it's still a decent release stacked with plenty of familiar extras. At this point, I'm not sure if a definitive edition will be released, but it's one of the most well-represented titles on home video so there's a good chance that might happen in the future.