A review of Deep Blue Sea on 4K Ultra HD by Tim Salmons from Arrow Video.
Deep Blue Sea was shot by cinematographer Stephen Windon on Super 35mm film (Kodak Vision 500T 5279) using Panavision Panaflex Millennium cameras and Panavision Primo lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.39:1. Arrow Video debuts the film on Ultra HD with a new 4K restoration from the original camera negative, which has been graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, encoded by David Mackenzie of Fidelity in Motion and QC’d by Aidan Doyle of Finlay Fox, approved by director Renny Harlin, and presented on a triple-layered BD-100 disc.Some of the late 1990s CGI doesn’t hold up, usually depending on how it’s being used and how it’s lit, but outside of the computer-generated sharks, it blends with the surrounding material well enough. The HDR grades are surprisingly restrained, boosting color and detail and giving everything a more normal appearance, rather than a highly saturated one. The titular blues, greens, and reds are rich, as to be expected, while flesh tones are quite natural.The Arrow Video 4K Ultra HD release of Deep Blue Sea sits in a black Amaray case with three postcards from “Aquatica” and a double-sided insert with new artwork by Luke Preece on one side and the original theatrical poster artwork on the reverse.Unfortunately, the LL Cool J music video for Deepest Bluest hasn’t been included. Arrow Video recently gave the spit and polish to Renny Harlin’s previous effort, 1996’s The Long Kiss Goodnight. Now with an excellent 4K Ultra HD release of Deep Blue Sea under their belts, I wouldn’t be surprised if they roll up their sleeves on another title or two of his.