In the opening moments of Out of Sight, it becomes immediately clear that we are in the hands of a capable, talented filmmaker. As opposed to Michael Bay's heavy-handed exposition in the first few minutes of Ambulance, Steven Soderbergh trusts his audience enough by simply "showing, not telling" and allowing the story to unfold organically. When a well-dressed George Clooney angrily walks out of an office building and furiously chucks his necktie to the ground, we can safely presume Clooney's Jack Foley is coming from a job interview that did not go well. Then, he looks across the street at the bank with a face that clearly makes his intentions known, quickly followed by him studying the space and formulating a plan. Even before Clooney turns on his usual gentleman charm, which is employed to absolute perfection in this crime caper, we already sympathize with the guy after losing the job. We also like him just enough to side with him as he commits a crime that'll set him on the path to where Soderbergh wants to take this story.
Adapted from Elmore Leonard's 1996 novel of the same name by Scott Frank (Logan, Minority Report, Get Shorty), the entire sequence is masterfully done by a skilled visual storyteller as the plot flawlessly progresses from crime comedy to unexpected romantic comedy when Jennifer Lopez's U.S. Marshal Karen Sisco is introduced. Their "meet-cute" is another example of Soderbergh's talents where their conversation about classic movies also directly reflects their soon-to-be blossoming romance — Jack talking about missing that "spark" and Karen finding fault in Three Days Of The Condor. But my favorite moment in their exchange is Jack misquoting Peter Finch's iconic line from Network and Lopez smirks at his mistake, indicating that she's amused by his love for classic movies and also finds it funny Jack messed up. It's an incredibly small detail that nonetheless slyly signals that in spite of two people coming from opposing sides of the law, there is a spark between them that will keep attracting each other.
For another take on the film, check out our reviews of the 2011 Blu-ray release HERE and Peter Bracke's 2006 HD DVD edition HERE.
Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray
Kino Lorber brings Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight to Ultra HD Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack. The triple-layered UHD100 disc and a Region A, BD50 disc are housed inside a black, eco-elite vortex case on opposing panels, and the package comes with a slipcover. At startup, the disc goes straight to a static menu screen of the cover art with the usual options along the bottom left corner of the screen.
The Soderbergh crime classic sets its sights on Ultra HD with a gorgeous, outtasight HEVC H.265 encode, a marvelous upgrade over its previous HD DVD and Blu-ray predecessors. Coming from a brand new restoration and remaster of the original 35mm camera negatives with color-grading supervised by cinematographer Elliot Davis, the native 4K transfer enjoys a noticeable uptick in overall definition. From the stitching and fabric of the costumes to the architectural design of the buildings and various interiors, fine lines and details are sharp, and facial complexions are highly revealing, exposing pores, wrinkles and negligible blemishes. However, it is worth noting a few instances of very mild moiré fringes in some scenes with chain link fencing or along brick walls and other minor moments where the sharpest edges waver a tad. Thankfully, it's nothing too egregious or terribly distracting, and they might be easy to miss while in motion.
Presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the Dolby Vision HDR presentation boasts a significantly richer palette than its HD SDR counterparts, most notably when moving between locations. Florida scenes are bathed in a golden yellow hue with strong amber-orange tones while still maintaining strong saturation in primaries and the many vibrant pastel colors Miami is known for. When moving to the cold, chilly weather of Detroit, the cinematography is heavily immersed in steely blues, deep indigos and spirited cobalt colors mixed with the occasional swaths of warm marigolds and balmy tans, such as the inside of Ripley's mansion. In all this, the image maintains excellent, lifelike skin tones throughout, supplying the cast with a healthy, rosy-peach coloring that's most appreciated during the warmer climate scenes.
The 4K video also benefits from the improved contrast balance, showing vivid, brilliantly clean whites and outstanding visibility into the far distance of the many extreme wide shots. Specular highlights furnish the metallic surfaces and the chrome trim of various vehicles with a realistic, glistening sparkle while the hottest spots, such as the light fixtures, have a tighter, crisper glow without washing over the finer aspects. Brightness levels, likewise, provide richer, inkier blacks and silky, true shadows while maintaining excellent visibility within the darkest, murkiest corners. Awash with a fine, consistent layer of grain that can be more pronounced and noticeable in darker exterior sequences, the new transfer is a fantastic upgrade with an attractive, cinematic quality that fans will love. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 86/100)
The movie also arrives with a great DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, which appears to be the same used for the previous Blu-ray release and does not reveal any significantly discernable difference when comparing the two. In either case, the front-heavy audio design is perfectly suited for this dialogue-heavy, character-driven story. Layered with lots of background activity, imaging continuously feels broad and spacious with fluid, flawless movement across the entire soundstage. The mid-range exhibits superbly clean and extensive definition, maintaining exceptional acoustical detailing during the few loud segments, and dialogue is precise with distinct intonation in each performance. Bass is not particularly noteworthy or standout, but the low-end nonetheless is adequate while providing the visuals and music with an appreciable sense of presence and weight. Although the surrounds don't do much, the receivers' Auro-3D up-mixing functionality does an excellent job of widening the soundfield without seeming forced or artificial, expanding a few mild ambient effects to the top heights, generating a highly satisfying and engaging half-dome soundstage. (Audio Rating: 78/100)
The same set of supplements from the Blu-ray are ported over to this UHD edition.
Nearly ten years after his directorial debut, Steven Soderbergh conclusively signaled his talent and skill as a compelling visual storyteller with Out of Sight, starring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez as a two people from opposing sides of the law discovering they have a spark. The romcom crime caper sets its sights on 4K Ultra HD with a gorgeous Dolby Vision HDR presentation, giving fans a notable and surprising upgrade over its Blu-ray predecessor. Featuring the same DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack and an identical set of bonuses, the overall UHD package nonetheless makes an awesome, highly-recommended addition to the 4K library.
All disc reviews at High-Def Digest are completed using the best consumer HD home theater products currently on the market. More about the gear used for this review.
