Krull 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

Sony’s 4K presentation is sourced from a 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative (anamorphic Panavision), framed at 2.39:1, with historical 70mm blowups at 2.20:1 noted. The image is graded for HDR10 and Dolby Vision with approval from cinematographer Peter Suschitzky. Fidelity is the priority: grain is natural and consistently resolved, delivering a clean, filmic aesthetic without excessive management. Colors are warmly saturated yet controlled, with convincing skintones; highlights—especially magical effects—are vivid without clipping, while black levels are deep with strong shadow delineation and minimal crush. Contrast is well-judged, keeping the look cohesive and period-authentic.

Detail reaches impressive heights where the photography allows: edges are crisp with no ringing, and fine textures in faces, stubble, costumes, and prosthetics are notably revealing. The beautifully photographed exteriors (Italy, Spain, UK) exhibit excellent clarity, down to rock and grass detail. Inherent production limits remain: optical/composite shots sourced from dupe elements are softer with coarser grain, the opening credits look notably soft, and darker scenes can lose some clarity. Still, cleanup is meticulous—print wear and specks are absent—and the encode shows no meaningful blocking, banding, or errant digital noise. HDR restraint preserves the period palette rather than “turning the dial to 11,” yielding a respectful, high-resolution rendering that honors the film’s texture and optical methodologies while offering its most refined, stable, and faithful home presentation to date.

Krull’s 4K UHD offers English Dolby Atmos (with a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 core), plus DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The 2.0 appears to preserve the original Dolby Stereo mix with matrixed surrounds, while the 5.1 remains a prior remix—still with mono surrounds—but with improved balance over earlier editions. The new Atmos track significantly reshapes the soundstage from the original stems: discrete surround activity, expanded spatiality in catacombs, caverns, and castles, and selective directional steering (including dialogue) enhance immersion without modernizing the aesthetic beyond its 1980s character.

Dynamics are robust and engaging. The score is full-bodied, with the Glaive and other effects exhibiting convincing movement across the stage and into the surrounds. Height channels are used sparingly but effectively—primarily for flyovers, battle moments, planetary ambience, and creature cues—while avoiding gimmickry. Low-frequency extension is weighty and digs deep, delivering impactful rumble and punch that add scale yet respect the original design. Dialogue remains clean and centered with solid anchoring; a trace of era-typical brightness/“tinniness” can surface, but intelligibility is consistently strong. Overall balance favors a cohesive, enveloping field rather than aggressive showiness, making the Atmos presentation a respectful, lively modernization that surpasses the legacy mixes in spatial precision while honoring their tonal intent.

A compact but worthwhile supplements package anchors this release. The primary, curated cast & crew commentary—recorded separately and edited together—features Peter Yates, Ray Lovejoy (joining partway), Ken Marshall, and Lysette Anthony, delivering production context, conflicting perspectives, and notable anecdotes (including Anthony’s post-dub voice change). The second “commentary” is a 72-minute narrated reading of a 1982 Cinefantastique article—more archival hype than technical deep-dive, but nostalgically informative. Vintage material persists with the SD “Journey to Krull” (22 minutes), while the HD trailer (2 minutes) is cleanly presented. The limited Steelbook includes a Blu-ray (4K scan downscaled, legacy DVD bonuses ported) and a digital code.

Extras included in this disc:

• Cast & Crew Commentary: Curated track; participants recorded separately; edited together.
• Behind-the-Scenes Commentary: 72-minute narrated 1982 article; archival and nostalgic.
• Journey to Krull: SD vintage featurette; promotional behind-the-scenes overview.
• Theatrical Trailer: HD presentation of the original theatrical preview.

Krull (1983) blends sword-and-sorcery with space opera, charting Prince Colwyn’s quest to rescue Princess Lyssa from an interstellar Beast whose Slayers terrorize the planet. The narrative assembles a classic questing fellowship—a wise mentor, a shapeshifting magician (Ergo), a cyclops (Bernard Bresslaw), and a band of thieves led by Torquil (Alun Armstrong)—with the Glaive as its emblematic weapon. Ken Marshall’s stalwart Colwyn and Lysette Anthony’s fairytale princess (her performance partially undercut by post-production dubbing) anchor an eclectic ensemble that benefits from early turns by Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltrane. The film’s tone toggles between earnest mythmaking and light, tongue-in-cheek adventure, delivering familiar tropes with confidence and a playful streak.

Peter Yates applies a straight-faced, world-building approach that occasionally clashes with uneven pacing—lingering on downtime while compressing bursts of action—yet the scope is undeniable. Massive English soundstage sets, practical effects, miniatures, and elaborate costumes impart a tactile grandeur; moody, shadowed interiors contrast with sweeping exteriors to suggest a lived-in, alien world. James Horner’s soaring score amplifies the epic intent, often elevating scenes where performance or script falls short. Initially positioned as a would-be blockbuster, Krull underperformed theatrically and drew criticism for derivative elements and variable acting. Over time, however, its audacious genre fusion, iconic imagery (chiefly the five-bladed Glaive), and all-in production design fostered a durable cult following—valued today for ambition, sincerity, and handcrafted spectacle as much as for nostalgia.

Krull remains an amiable cult favorite: a high-concept ’80s fantasy that leans into familiar tropes yet retains charm through sincere performances, memorable characters, now-dated but appealingly practical effects, and a rousing score. It unmistakably reflects its 1983 origins, and nostalgia undeniably amplifies its appeal, but the film still delivers an earnest, crowd-pleasing good-versus-evil quest with enough personality to endure.

Sony’s 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray substantially elevates the experience. The restoration yields a faithful yet refreshed image—cleaned up, filmic, and true to the source—paired with a solid, appropriately dynamic audio mix. The extras are worthwhile and represent the most robust package since the DVD era. The only notable omission is the “motion comic” of Marvel’s two-issue 1983 adaptation: once an Easter egg on the 2001 DVD and later a standard feature on 2019 Blu-rays from Sony in the U.K. and Umbrella in Australia, it appears absent here—likely due to licensing. Even so, the North American Blu-ray from Mill Creek was bare-bones, and Sony’s new 4K master is a significant upgrade over all prior releases. Krull has never looked better on home video, and this Steelbook edition capably balances archival respect with modern polish, offering fans and newcomers a confident, AV-strong revisit to the wild world of Krull.