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Ultra HD : For Fans Only
Ranking:
Release Date: January 25th, 2022 Movie Release Year: 2021

Lamb - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Overview -

Lamb takes on every movie genre under one roof that follows an Icelandic couple in their rural home who are blessed with the miracle of life. There has never been a movie about parenting, loss, grief, and happiness, quite like this movie. Vladimar Johannsson has knocked it out of the park. Unfortunately, the only place to purchase this 4K Disc is from A24's shop, which can be quite expensive. Its 2160p UHD with HDR looks great and the DTS-HD 5.1 audio mix sounds wonderful, but the extras are short, brief, and don't offer any insight into the film. FOR FANS ONLY, despite being one of the best films. 

 

Note: When going to the A24 shop link, make sure 4K is selected if you wish to purchase the 4K disc.

A childless couple, María and Ingvar discover a mysterious newborn on their farm in Iceland. The unexpected prospect of family life brings them much joy, before ultimately destroying them.

The first in a new line of A24 Blu-rays, Lamb includes an 80-page interior booklet and disc inside a 6x9 slipcase. Choice of Standard Blu-ray or 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. 

Disc extras:
•  4 deleted scenes
•  VFX reel
•  2 short films by Valdimar Jóhannsson

Booklet contents:
•  Production design sketches and character art
•  Storyboard excerpts and sketches
•  Behind the scenes photography

OVERALL:
For Fans Only
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Video Resolution/Codec:
Dolby Vision HDR / HDR10
Length:
107
Aspect Ratio(s):
2.39:1
Audio Formats:
Icelandic: DTS-HD MA 5.1
Subtitles/Captions:
English
Special Features:
Booklet
Release Date:
January 25th, 2022

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

[Excerpt from our theatrical review]

"Lamb was written by Jóhannsson and the Icelandic poet and writer Sjón who have taken elements of horror folklore, Greek mythology, and western melodrama and have created a poetic tale set inside a luscious Icelandic valley of sheep farming. On the surface, this locale is serene, peaceful, and gorgeous - full of amazing hills, mountains, and greenery. But this place is riddled with a haunting mist and eerie noises that conjure up some a state of uneasiness - much like Robert Eggers' first film The Witch. It's best to go into Lamb blind with knowing nothing about the film because Jóhannsson's vision and ability to perfectly craft exactly what's happening on screen is nothing short of special and terrifying in its slow burn with flashes of insanity.

The opening sequence sets the haunted tone for the film as something in the snowstorm makes its way, scaring every animal in its path as this unseen creature approaches a barn. Through the reactions of the sheep inside and from the brunt noises and breathing, it's clear something weird is taking place. From here, Lamb introduces married couple Maria (Noomi Rapace from The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) and Ingvar (Hilmir Snaer Gudnason) as they go through the monotone emotions of everyday sheep life farming. They barely speak, touch one another, and are basic zombies to each other's existence and surroundings."

Read the full theatrical review HERE...

 

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Lamb walks its way to a one-disc 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray from A24. Selling strictly from the A24 store and nowhere else at the moment, the packing is quite good and somewhat custom. The disc is housed in a cardboard case with a cardboard sleeve. The artwork has a beautiful mix of color with a hand-drawn portrait of mother and child. There is a thick booklet included that reveals storyboards, concept art, and film credits. There is no essay or info about the film itself. 

 

Video Review

Ranking:

Lamb comes with a wonderful-looking 2160p UHD 4K transfer with an aspect ratio of 2.39:1, along with HDR enhancement. This is a beautiful, stylized picture with a cool, more neutral, and subtle color palette, which this 4K image handles nicely.

Inside the rural Icelandic valley, pretty blues and grays of the sky above, along with the eerie damp, blue fog that haunts the screen always looks natural and great. The green pastures and tall grass look fantastic as well. This contrasts perfectly with the brown wooden barns, dirt, and mud, along with some more earthy notes inside the couple's house. Bright splashes of yellow in flowers, wardrobes, and vehicles light up the screen. The white and black fur on the lambs also look excellent in all light settings. But for most of the time, it's more of a haunting image with cool grays and silvers that compliment the scene.

The detail in this 4K image is outstanding. Individual hairs and fur can be seen on animals and humans. Specks of dirt, wrinkles, wounds, freckles and other facial features show up nicely here in all lighting conditions. Textures in fur, clothing and vegetation all look vivid and sharp as well. Background items such as flocks of sheep wool, wooden rails and fences, and flower petals all look amazing as well. Black levels are deep, inky, and full of life without any murkiness and the skin tones are rather natural, if not a little on the cool side due to the visual style. There are no major issues with aliasing, banding, or video noise. 

Audio Review

Ranking:

This release comes with a phenomenal lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio mix that is as haunting as it is dynamic. There isn't a ton of big explosions or gunshots really in this movie like one would hear from an MCU action film, but the subtle noises are robust and loud on all accounts. Sound effects of farm life, animals rummaging around, and making their respective noises all sound exquisite. Their footsteps on dirt, grass, and wood are fantastic and nuanced with great directionality. 

The normal house sounds like running water, and door creaks are all wonderful as well. Bigger noises such as the otherworldly sounds are big, natural, and full of a low end of bass with a nice rumble. The score always keeps the haunted vibe flowing and the dialogue is easy to follow and free of any audio problems. 

Special Features

Ranking:

Only about 20 minutes worth of bonus material is included, none of it really explains or tackles info about the making of the movie. There is a short, cool VFX reel and a couple of short films from the director. 

  • Harmsaga (HD, 13 Mins.) - Meaning Dolor, this is a short film by Vladimar Johannsson that is an inspiration for the film Lamb about a family, their baby, and a pig. 
  • Dogun (HD,  2 Mins.) - Meaning Dawn, this is a short film by Vladimar Johannsson, which in its short run time is about a child and father late-night discussion. 
  • VFX Reel (HD, 3 Mins.) - A super cool, but brief montage of how the visual effects were done for this film that includes before and after shots of the real kid and the lamb. 
  • Deleted Scenes (HD, 3 Mins.) - Four deleted scenes that are less than three minutes total with unfinished effects are included here. Nothing of note was left out of the overall story. 

Final Thoughts

Lamb is one of the best films of recent memory that tackles almost every genre inside one movie. It's sweetly melancholic, hauntingly disturbed, oddly funny, and dramatically sad that's set in the world of parenting and grief. There's nothing else like it. With excellent performances and beautiful camerawork, Lamb is on another level of filmmaking. The 4K image and the DTS 5.1 audio mix are both top-notch, but the bonus features are less than desired. With a hefty price tag that can only be purchased from the A24 shop at the moment, this film is ultimately FOR FANS ONLY, in hopes that another studio will release a more budget-friendly release with better extras.