Black Mass (2015) [4K Ultra HD]

Director: Scott Cooper

Cast: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch

Release Date: August 13, 2024

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Disc Rating: 8/10

Synopsis:

In 1970s SOUTH BOSTON, FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI in order to eliminate their common enemy: the Italian mob. Black Mass tells the story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Bulger to evade law enforcement while escalating his power to become one of the most notorious gangsters in U.S. history.

‘Black Mass’ tells the story of FBI Agent John Connolly, a South Boston native who enlisted his old associate from the neighborhood, the gangster James “Whitey” Bulger to join forces with the agency and provide information in order to eliminate forces that prove a threat to both ends. Watching Whitey’s back and twisting information to look better than it does, the alliance soon proved a threat in countless ways and only allowed Whitey to more adequately evade law enforcement and become one of the most notorious gangsters and eventually one of the most wanted fugitives in American history.

Directed by Scott Cooper from a screenplay written by Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth which was based on the book by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill, Cooper does a capable job at the helm of ‘Black Mass’ guiding along the true tale with heart, grit and style. The film’s impressive, star-studded cast includes Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, Jesse Plemons, Kevin Bacon, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, David Harbour, Adam Scott, Corey Stoll, Julianne Nicholson and more.

‘Black Mass’ takes viewers into the dark underbelly of the Boston crime world and explores the efforts of FBI agent John Connolly who initiated a dangerous collaboration between the FBI and dangerous gangster James Whitey Bulger. It’s an engaging look at the clash of two worlds that takes time to introduce us to the players on each side and allows the viewer to get an idea of the different means of operating between the two, as well as the questionable allowances made to such a violent man as Connolly soon finds himself torn between sides and often misleading his office in favor of Bulger, or at least the threat of danger he might be thrown into should he betray him. It’s a fascinating tale and it’s difficult at times to believe that it’s actually based in fact and that much of this happened in one form or another.

Overall, ‘Black Mass’ may not be one of the greatest crime epics to ever hit the screen or anything monumental, but it’s a consistently entertaining and well-crafted take on the true story that benefits from the capable guidance of director Scott Cooper and his work behind the camera is only greatly boosted by a star-studded cast led by Johnny Deep and Joel Edgerton who each offer memorable performances. If you’ve never seen ‘Black Mass’ but tend to enjoy a brutal crime saga based in truth, or happen to be a fan of any or all of the film’s noteworthy cast then it’s certainly worth taking the time to check out whenever it might be convenient. Fans of the film that would like to physically own it on 4K Ultra HD should also be quite satisfied with the solid UHD video presentation and accompanying DTS-HD MA soundtrack that deliver nicely, in addition to some previously released extras. For anyone that’s already considering a purchase, the release shouldn’t disappoint and is recommended, especially if you can find it at the right price for your budget.

VIDEO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Black Mass’ features a full 2160p Ultra High Definition presentation with Dolby Vision and HDR-10 presented in the film’s original 2.39:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks great for the most part and offers a clean, sharp and richly detailed presentation from start to finish that never suffers from any unexpected or unwelcome issues arising along the way. Detail is very nice throughout with everything from character faces and clothing to the gloomy interiors and various city streets and other locations looking tremendous, while the Dolby Vision HDR nicely complements much of it by delivering some richer and more realistic colors at times which are paired with deep, clean and rewarding black levels. Overall, this is a solid Ultra High Definition presentation that does its job well and should satisfy fans.

AUDIO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. This multichannel soundtrack is quite decent itself and delivers a clean, sharp and crisp audio presentation throughout that never hesitates to get aggressive when necessary. It utilizes all five available channels fairly regularly throughout in order to send action, vehicle and weather effects, along with crowd chatter and plenty of other tidbits zipping throughout the various speakers when fitting, while always making certain that any dialogue or other audio elements that might be occurring simultaneously remain clean and fully audible at all times. Overall, this is a fully capable 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundtrack that may not be overly astounding but holds up nicely at every turn and shouldn’t disappoint.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Black Mass’ includes a few notable extras that fans of the film should appreciate. Included on the release is the Documentary ‘The Manhunt for Whitey Bulger’ (running approximately 61 minutes in length), along with the Behind the Scenes Featurettes ‘Johnny Depp: Becoming White Bulger’ (running approximately 12 minutes) and ‘Black Mass: Deepest Cover, Darkest Crime’ (23 minutes).

*Please note: The above images are taken from the film’s Trailer and are not reflective of the actual 4K Ultra HD release or its quality. A standard Blu-ray copy of the film was not included in the release that could be used for screenshots therefore the above images were utilized. All content and images from the film are the property of their respective owners.

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Disc Rating: 8/10

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‘Black Mass’ is Now Available to Own on 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment

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You can Purchase ‘Black Mass’ on 4K UHD at Amazon HERE!

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