Loki: The Complete First Season 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
SteelBook Collector's Edition
Score: 84
from 6 reviewers
Review Date:
Loki: The Complete First Season on 4K UHD is a visually and audibly stunning release, boasting impressive HDR10, Atmos Audio, and substantial extras, making it highly recommended.
Disc Release Date
True 4K
HDR10
Dolby Atmos
Dolby TrueHD
Video: 92
Loki: The Complete First Season dazzles with a native 4K HEVC 2160p transfer, presented in 2.39:1, boasting HDR10's vibrant palette and excellent detailing, thanks to a robust BD-100 UHD disc encode, significantly outshining its streaming counterpart while maintaining cinematic quality.
Audio: 88
The 4K UHD Blu-ray of 'Loki: The Complete First Season' impresses with a richly immersive Dolby Atmos track that enhances the viewing experience with improved dynamics and spatial audio precision over the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 in the 1080p release. Dialogue is crisp, with effective use of height channels and impactful LFE.
Extra: 65
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of "Loki: The Complete First Season" delivers with its colorful SteelBook and intriguing extras. Key highlights include the in-depth 'Assembled: The Making of Loki' documentary, while other features like 'Designing the TVA' and the 'TVA Orientation Video' offer some engaging, albeit light, additional content.
Show: 83
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of "Loki: The Complete First Season" transforms an already engaging Marvel Cinematic Universe entry into a visually stunning and whimsically complex sci-fi narrative. Packed with intricate plot twists, unexpected multiverse revelations, and standout performances, it remains a masterful blend of humor and introspection, beautifully captured in high-definition.
Video: 92
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of "Loki: The Complete First Season" presents a visually stunning experience, leveraging the HEVC/H.265 codec to deliver a 2160p transfer at a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Though presented with HDR10 instead of Dolby Vision, the HDR effects are compellingly realized. The meticulous production design and color palette of the series truly shine, with vibrant blues, purples, and the earthy tones of the TVA headquarters rendered in exquisite detail. Static HDR10 enriches the visual composition with strong contrast handling, deep blacks, and bold highlights, overcoming any limitations seen in the Dolby Vision streaming versions on Disney+. With episodes encoded on two BD-100 discs, bitrates frequently hover between 80-90 Mbps, occasionally exceeding 100 Mbps, ensuring a clean image devoid of compression artifacts or banding.
Digitally shot with Phantom Flex4K and Sony CineAlta Venice cameras paired with Panavision T-Series lenses, this release captures the cinematic essence of the series. The 4K digital intermediate post-production process ensures a crisp and detailed image, revealing fine textures and sharp lines that highlight facial features and costume intricacies. While certain CGI-heavy scenes may occasionally appear flat due to depth limitations inherent in digital backgrounds, this is a minor drawback when considering the overall presentation's brilliance. Notably, practical elements enjoy remarkable clarity and detail throughout, with highlights such as the animated TVA intro providing nostalgic cel animation charm.
Overall, the sophisticated HDR treatment amplifies the show’s theatrical aesthetic, with a saturated color palette that brings expansive worlds and timelines to life. The robust encoding process underscores Disney's commitment to delivering high-quality home media experiences, eclipsing the quality found in lower bitrate streaming editions. This 4K UHD release offers an immersive visual spectacle that brings Autumn Durald Arkapaw's cinematography to the forefront, ensuring "Loki" fans are thoroughly captivated by its cinematic grandeur.
Audio: 88
The 4K UHD Blu Ray audio presentation of "Loki: The Complete First Season" delivers a vastly improved auditory experience through its Dolby Atmos track compared to its predecessors and the streaming version. This iteration exhibits notable immersive qualities, with precise vertical placement and enveloping soundscapes that enhance the cinematic impact from the opening scenes. The mix adeptly manages a wide dynamic range, incorporating well-calculated LFE use, which effectively grounds explosions and intense action sequences. Dialogue remains crisp and clear across various scenarios, underscoring the performances particularly well—especially Tom Hiddleston's portrayal. Optional subtitles in English SDH, French, and Spanish accompany the primary English Dolby Atmos audio.
While some users may need to slightly increase volume levels to appreciate quieter moments fully, this minor adjustment reveals an impactful and uncompressed mix free from streaming's constraints. In this format, the sound design flourishes with active surround channels and plentiful height channel use. Key scenes—such as meteor showers or government office settings—benefit from thoughtfully distributed overhead audio, complementing the engaging and richly textured environmental elements. Throughout, bass presence offers substantial support for crashes and engine noises, enriching the immersive experience.
Overall, Loki's Atmos track is a testament to improved audio fidelity, overcoming constraints seen in compressed formats. The detailed spatial sound design successfully maintains engagement, offering a theatrical atmosphere that suits the series’ adventurous tone. Despite not achieving absolute reference quality status, this release represents a significant enhancement over many past physical releases from Disney’s MCU catalogue and stands out especially as it sidesteps prior volume-related criticisms commonly associated with Disney's Atmous tracks.
Extras: 65
The extras for "Loki: The Complete First Season" on 4K UHD Blu-ray offer a robust behind-the-scenes experience that is both informative and entertaining. While the collection is not extensive, the most substantial and insightful bonus is "Assembled: The Making of Loki," providing over an hour of in-depth footage, interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights directly ported from Disney+. Meanwhile, "Designing the TVA" explores the unique retro aesthetics of the series and even teases elements from the upcoming second season. A "clean" version of the whimsical yet eerie "The Official TVA Orientation Video" is a novel addition, offering a full look at its midcentury design flair. The Gag Reel captures the on-set antics typical of Marvel productions, albeit briefly, and the Deleted Scenes include two minor yet intriguing offerings: "Loki’s Coronation" and "The Standoff."
Extras included in this disc:
- Designing the TVA: Examines the show's distinctive production design with sneak peeks into season two.
- The Official TVA Orientation Video: Full animated short with a midcentury flair.
- Gag Reel: Set shenanigans featuring cast members.
- Deleted Scenes: Includes "Loki’s Coronation" and "The Standoff."
- Assembled: The Making of Loki: In-depth documentary on the series' production.
Show: 83
"Loki: The Complete First Season" on 4K UHD Blu-ray delivers a visually captivating and intellectually stimulating experience, pushing the Marvel Cinematic Universe into new temporal and existential frontiers. This limited six-episode series propels the audience through an intricately woven narrative that blends Marvel’s trademark humor with complex metaphysical concepts reminiscent of Douglas Adams’ whimsical storytelling. Loki's accidental creation of a fracturing timeline post-Avengers heist leads to a series of timeline resets managed by the Time Variance Authority (TVA), introducing a fascinating portrayal of a multidimensional bureaucracy. Hiddleston's portrayal of Loki as both comedic trickster and introspective anti-hero finds balance alongside Owen Wilson’s bureaucratic Agent Mobius, a dynamic that breathes life into the character-driven narrative.
The high-definition Blu-ray presentation accentuates the series’ rich visual and thematic details, achieving exemplary color vibrancy and deep contrasts across varied settings, from the desolate Gobi Desert to the sprawling TVA headquarters. Despite its brevity, "Loki" maintains a rapid pace without sacrificing character development or engaging plot twists. The narrative focuses on Mobius and Loki’s mission to apprehend a serial killer variant of Loki, and their chemistry fosters a unique blend of suspense and levity that distinguishes this series from prior Marvel entries. Tom Hiddleston's continued enduring portrayal is complemented by standout performances from Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie, an intriguing variant, and Jonathan Majors setting the stage for future MCU developments as Kang.
Overall, "Loki" effectively balances its frivolous comedic undertones with significant narrative implications, showcasing thoughtful writing amidst the broader context of entropy within the MCU's expanding universes. The well-executed release on 4K UHD Blu-ray boasts remarkable image quality that matches the series’ storytelling ambition. As an essential entry in the Marvel saga, "Loki" not only honors its titular character but unfurls new chapters for the MCU, securing anticipation for its forthcoming season.
Total: 84
"Loki: The Complete First Season" on 4K UHD Blu-Ray marks a significant transition, catering to Marvel fans eager for physical media releases of Disney+ exclusives. This two-disc SteelBook edition impresses with its stunning HDR10 video and Dolby Atmos audio, effectively elevating the series' visual and soundscape beyond streaming capabilities. The series spans nearly five hours, maintaining consistently high production quality, compelling viewers to revisit Loki’s adventures post-Avengers: Endgame.
The supplementary content includes "Assembled: The Making of Loki," a well-crafted documentary offering deeper insights than typical Marvel releases. This feature presents a substantial bonus rather than perfunctory extras, enhancing the overall package. However, the absence of chapter stops within episodes could hinder some viewers’ navigation experience. Despite this minor shortcoming, the added content significantly enriches understanding and appreciation of the complex narrative.
In conclusion, "Loki: The Complete First Season" is highly recommended. It combines exceptional technical merits with engaging content and offers collectors a tangible keepsake amidst uncertain future physical releases. Tom Hiddleston’s enthusiasm and seamless portrayal of Loki leave fans eager for his continued journey, hinting at the potential for many more years of mischievous adventures.
Blu-ray.com review by Jeffrey KauffmanRead review here
Video: 100
Let's just cut to the chase and state that by just about every metric we use to evaluate image quality, this first season of Loki is a stunner in 4K. The 1080 version is completely excellent on its own...
Audio: 100
The same attention to directionality and discrete channelization of ambient effects that I noted in the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is again present here....
Extras: 60
Disc Two Assembled: The Making of Loki (HD; 1:03:01) is a really fun look at the series, providing a wealth of enjoyable candid footage, interesting interviews and what might be termed built in "meta"...
Movie: 90
The actual expanding universe is apparently beset by something called entropy, which evidently may not spell a happily ever after, but in the meantime the good news is that somehow, someway the expanding...
Total: 90
Hiddleston is on hand in the main making of supplement at the end of the first day of shooting expressing his amazement that he's still wearing the Loki costume ten years later....
Blu-ray Authority review by Matt BrightonRead review here
Video: 100
It might be odd to watch a television series with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, but it does fit with the theme of the series and ties it into a more theatrical look and feel....
Audio: 90
While not the most robust soundtrack out there, Loki does have some pretty good uses of the atmospheric mix....
Extras: 50
We get a look at the “retro” look and feel of the TVA along with the overall look of the series....
Movie: 0
Couple that and by Hiddleston’s own admission, it’s been over a decade since he first played the character and it appears as if our God of Mischief isn’t going anywhere anytime soon....
Total: 80
If you though that, after Avengers: Endgame, that was the last we’d see of our antihero – think again....
The Digital Bits review by Stephen BjorkRead review here
Video: 95
Given the abundance of CGI, it’s not necessarily the sharpest or most detailed 4K presentation, but it’s a definite improvement over the streaming versions thanks to a more robust encode....
Audio: 90
It’s an immersive mix with abundant use of the overhead channels, from subtle moments like the hatch closing over Loki’s head during his processing at the TVA, to potent ones like the destruction raining...
Extras: 85
Otherwise, Designing the TVA is a fluff piece about the production design for Loki, the Deleted Scenes don’t add anything essential, and the Gag Reel isn’t particularly amusing....
Movie: 80
Loki was the third of the canonical Marvel television series that the studio created for the Disney+ streaming service, and while in some respects it’s the most frivolous of the three, it’s still the most...
Total: 88
It’s a massive step up from the typical fluff pieces that most Marvel physical media releases include, but like the show, the only reason why it exists is because of Disney+, since it was originally offered...
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 80
My lone complaint - and this is one I had with the Disney+ Dolby Vision presentation - is the use of the Volume backgrounds or any heavy CGI usage can look rather flat....
Audio: 80
Height channels are often used to enhance that spacious open government office feel, but when big action hits like a meteor shower, rain, or other big surround setpiece comes in, the heights get to enjoy...
Extras: 60
While not the largest selection ever assembled, the bonus features on Loki are at least worth checking out....
Movie: 80
What started out as a tantalizing extension of the MCU and a groundwork-setting installment for the next big story arc quickly spiraled out of control with too many films and series to follow without a...
Total: 80
Really my only complaint is the fact each episode doesn’t have chapter stops, but that’s a relatively little thing to fret over....
Home Theater Forum review by Todd ErwinRead review here
Video: 100
Although lacking dynamic Dolby Vision high dynamic range, the static HDR10 does just fine in its handling of contrast with excellent black levels and highlights....
Audio: 90
These tracks have a wider dynamic range (and unfortunately require a slight boost in master volume), but that also brings better fidelity and clarity....
Extras: 70
Disc Two Assembled: The Making of “Loki” (1080p; 63:01): The Disney+ documentary that goes behind the scenes of season one....
Movie: 90
The god of mischief is quickly processed at the TVA (which is obviously inspired by Terry Gilliam’s Brazil) and found guilty of his crimes (his theft of the Tesseract has disrupted the timeline), but before...
Total: 90
It is really refreshing to see Disney begin to release some of their Disney+ exclusive programming on physical media, and Loki: Season 1 is a good place to start....
Why So Blu? review by Brandon PetersRead review here
Video: 90
Many of the displays, lasers, lights, beams and animated characters feature a good pop from the HDR when contrast with darker/plain things....
Audio: 90
There are also some good unique touches from the back channels as well as accurate dictation from screen to speakers overall....
Extras: 70
The TVA (HD, 5:43) – Not only do we get a look at the production design, inspiration and choices for the show’s prime location…we get a sneak peak at its second season as well....
Movie: 80
Total: 80
As we don’t know what the full future holds, I would treat this as a limited collector’s item as they could just as soon stop putting these shows out on physical media....
Director: N/A
Actors: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino
PlotFollowing the events of the Avengers' time heist in 2012, an alternate version of the God of Mischief, who has escaped captivity using the Tesseract, finds himself captured by the Time Variance Authority (TVA). A bureaucratic organization responsible for maintaining the sacred timeline, the TVA apprehends and charges him with crimes against the timeline. Under threat of being erased from existence, this variant is offered a chance at redemption by helping Agent Mobius M. Mobius track down a dangerous variant causing chaos across time. While initially skeptical, he agrees, spurred by curiosity about the TVA's purpose and his own place in the universe. As they traverse through various points in history, the variant learns more about the organization's inner workings and its mysterious leaders known as the Time Keepers.
His interactions with Mobius grow complex as he challenges the TVA's rigid determinism and explores his own identity and potential for change. Delving deeper, he encounters a female variant of himself known as Sylvie. Together, they unravel unsettling truths about the TVA's creation and operations, forming an uneasy alliance based on mutual goals and an understanding of shared experiences. The pair's quest ultimately becomes a journey of self-discovery, as they question fate, free will, and their roles in a predestined fate controlled from behind the scenes. As their actions ripple across the timeline, they inadvertently uncover deeper layers of deception, setting them on a course toward a pivotal confrontation with those controlling the flow of time.
Writers: Michael Waldron
Release Date: 09 Jun 2021
Runtime: N/A
Rating: TV-14
Country: United States
Language: English