Smile 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

The 4K UHD Blu-ray presentation of "Smile" is a marked improvement over its Blu-ray counterpart, utilizing source material shot digitally with Arri Alexa 65 cameras at a 6.5K resolution to produce a 4K DI. This native 3840 x 2160p resolution image benefits from a widescreen 2.20:1 aspect ratio and 10-bit video depth, complemented by High Dynamic Range (HDR) technologies including Dolby Vision and HDR10. Such technical specifications ensure the image quality is meticulously sharp with excellent skin texture, clothing details, and environmental elements like the stark bare trees and decaying interiors.

The Dolby Vision HDR significantly enhances the color palette, rendering cooler tones effectively and providing a nuanced naturality to the visuals. Flesh tones remain consistent and natural despite the film's generally cool color grading, while earth tones invite a sense of gloom appropriate for its haunting atmosphere. Black levels are impressively deep, crucial for the shadow-laden scenes central to the film's tension. There is minimal fading in later scenes, and highlights are presented without any clipping, ensuring vivid details in torches and police lights piercing through the darkness.

Color reproduction benefits significantly from Dolby Vision’s capabilities. Muted colors within hospital scenes contrast with rich shades of blood red and enhanced warm colors towards the film's climax. Exterior shots convey lush greens and crisp blues, contributing to a well-rounded dynamic range. Detail retrieval is another standout aspect of this disc; close-ups reveal intricate details such as facial pores, makeup effects, and even gory wounds with precision. While the CGI in the climax shows slight jankiness and occasional heavy noise, overall clarity remains robust with no noticeable compression artifacts. This makes "Smile" on 4K UHD a visually compelling experience that surpasses typical Blu-ray quality.

The Dolby Atmos track in "Smile" excels at crafting a hauntingly immersive atmosphere. Audio effects such as the disorienting score, jumps, and eerie whispers clearly place sounds above, below, and around the listener. Innovative audio cues, like the subtle overhead effect of Rose reaching for wrapping paper, enhance the sense of naturalism in the environment. Dialogue clarity is exemplary, delivering natural-sounding speech from the frontal array, while peripheral effects match on-screen visuals seamlessly. The bass provides tight, deep support to jump scares, lending significant weight to both the score and the various effects throughout.

Though moderately aggressive, this Atmos mix intelligently engages the soundstage. While the use of overhead channels is limited, the sound design compensates with substantial audio object placement at ear level. Effects such as swirling sounds and shifting audio objects create a broad and engaging listening area. Instances like the intense volume of a blaring home alarm or a ringing phone stand out for their impactful delivery. The score, designed to sound uneven and edgy, reinforces an unsettling tone throughout.

"Smile" maximizes every speaker in its configuration, providing seamless sound dispersal. The surround sound speakers effectively convey environmental details like creaking wood and ambient noises, amplifying the film's tension. Glass breaking and bones crunching are rendered with visceral impact, supporting the horror elements. The low-frequency extension skillfully vibrates with pressure during intense moments, avoiding distortion while ensuring a rich auditory experience. Ultimately, the vocal reproduction remains consistently clear and distinct, ensuring dialogue is easy to follow amid the film’s dynamic acoustics. This Dolby Atmos track from Paramount delivers an exceptionally high-quality and immersive auditory experience.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray of "Smile" features a solid array of extras that enrich the viewing experience by delving into the film’s development, score, and thematic elements. The most substantial extra is the audio commentary by director Parker Finn, offering detailed insights into the film's origins, themes, casting, and production choices. The making-of featurette, "Something's Wrong with Rose," provides a comprehensive 30-minute look into the film's evolution from concept to screen, alongside cast and crew interviews. Additionally, "Flies on the Wall" provides an intimate glimpse into the creation of the film’s score using unconventional methods. The package also includes two significant deleted scenes with optional commentary from Finn, and "Laura Hasn't Slept," the original short film that gave birth to "Smile," complete with Finn's introduction.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary: Director Parker Finn's detailed film exploration.
• Something’s Wrong with Rose: Making Smile: Comprehensive making-of featurette.
• Flies on the Wall: Inside the Score: Behind-the-scenes on the score creation.
• Deleted Scenes: Two scenes with optional commentary.
• Laura Hasn’t Slept: Original short film with introduction by Finn.

Parker Finn's directorial debut, "Smile," pivots around a disturbingly intense premise rooted in his short film, "Laura Hasn't Slept." The film follows Dr. Rose Cotter, portrayed aptly by Sosie Bacon, who unravels into madness after witnessing a traumatic event. The narrative pulls audiences into a visceral experience, leveraging eerie visuals and strategic jump scares with a Kubrickian style of disoriented set design that makes each frame unsettlingly captivating. Finn’s commendable stylistic choices include flat camera set-ups and unique angles that keep viewers at the edge of their seats. The percussive score intensifies the dread, ensuring the horror lingers even after the jump scares fade.

However, despite its promising start and moments of creative brilliance, "Smile" falters as it progresses, struggling to sustain the initial tension. As Dr. Cotter delves into detective mode to uncover the origins of her hallucinations, the narrative bogs down with extraneous scenes that over-explain plot points, diluting the horror impact. The storyline, while aiming to explore themes of trauma and mental health, often defaults to genre clichés including an over-reliance on CGI elements and predictable horror tropes. This results in a film that feels overly lengthy at its nearly two-hour runtime.

Technically, the film boasts solid performances, particularly from Bacon who convincingly portrays a psychiatrist's descent into madness. Impressive makeup and practical effects stand out visually, complementing the unnerving score and precise shot compositions. Despite its derivative plot and somewhat excessive runtime, "Smile" manages to engage with its atmospheric tension and thought-provoking premise, even if it doesn't entirely break new ground in the horror genre.

"Smile," Parker Finn's first studio-budgeted feature, impresses with an engaging blend of J-horror influences and palpable dread, particularly in its potent introduction. Despite the initial momentum tapering off in favor of a conventional monster narrative and an arguably extended runtime, the film sustains interest with genuine scares and meticulous attention to detail. Paramount’s 4K UHD release captures the essence of "Smile" effectively, presenting a pristine native 4K transfer that's well-detailed and accurately colored, even within a somewhat dour palette. The image quality showcases impressive blacks and strong highlights, preserving the film’s eerie visual aesthetic.

The Dolby Atmos track on this UHD release significantly enhances the viewing experience, offering a dynamic and immersive 3D sound environment. The eerie score is expertly utilized, creating a suitably creepy and engaging audio experience that complements the visual intensity of the film. Extras included in the package are informative and provide valuable insights into the production process, making them well worth exploring for fans and cinephiles alike.

Overall, "Smile" may not break new ground in the horror genre, but it delivers a high-energy, watchable experience that should satisfy genre enthusiasts seeking familiar thrills. The Paramount 4K UHD set is commendable, boasting excellent video and audio quality paired with a decent array of additional content. While the film stumbles slightly in its conclusion, "Smile" still offers a thoroughly enjoyable horror experience bolstered by a technically proficient home video release. Recommended for horror aficionados looking for a well-crafted visual and auditory treat.