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Ultra HD : Recommended
Ranking:
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Release Date: July 11th, 2023 Movie Release Year: 2023

Scream VI - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Overview -

After three decades, Scream VI proves that the franchise can still deliver plenty of fun thrills, as the filmmakers give fans a contemplative fifth sequel where the survivors of the previous entry must now confront the psychological trauma of those events along with facing a new Ghostface killer. The sixth installment terrorizes the crowded streets of Ultra HD Blu-ray with an outstanding 4K video, an awesome Dolby Atmos track but a rather light set of bonus features. Nevertheless, the overall UHD edition makes for a Recommended addition to the horror library.

No one is safe and everyone is a suspect in the smash hit thriller from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group that has earned more than $167 million worldwide.  The four survivors from the most recent Woodsboro Ghostface killings have moved to New York City for a fresh start.  

Just as they begin to feel a sense of normalcy, they receive that infamous call. Ghostface is more brutal and relentless than ever and will stop at nothing to hunt them down.

Bonus content is detailed below:

  • Commentary by Filmmakers—Hear from the directors, writers, and executive producer as they dive into the making of the new film.
  • Death Comes to the City—From Woodsboro to the five boroughs, the filmmakers and cast discuss Ghostface’s reign of terror in the big city.
  • The Faces of Death—Join the core four—Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding—and the rest of the cast and crew as they discuss their return to the beloved horror franchise.
  • More Meta than Meta—Go inside the sequel to the requel with new and legacy characters.  Includes a look back at the franchise, hidden easter eggs, and more.
  • Bloodbath at a Bodega—Nowhere in New York is safe from Ghostface.
  • An Apartment to Die For—Witness the staging of the elaborate apartment attack and ladder escape, as well as the stunts and practical effects used to bring Ghostface’s kills to a whole new level.
  • The Night Train to Terror—Immerse yourself in this behind-the-scenes look at the terrifying NYC subway sequence on Halloween night.
  • Theater of Blood—Dive into the nostalgia of the Scream movies that came before.
  • Digital Exclusive: Gag Reel—This gag reel will have you in stitches!

OVERALL:
Recommended
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
Region Free
Video Resolution/Codec:
HDR10
Length:
123
Aspect Ratio(s):
2.39:1
Audio Formats:
English Dolby Atmos
Subtitles/Captions:
English SDH, French, Spanish
Special Features:
Digital Copy
Release Date:
July 11th, 2023

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

Being a fan of the entire franchise and of the last two entries in the series, I am most definitely walking into Scream VI with a strong favorable bias. But that is par for the course in any franchise, particularly in the horror genre. And frankly, that appears to be the whole point of this delightfully entertaining and surprisingly contemplative fifth sequel where the survivors of the previous movie must now confront the psychological trauma of those events along with facing a new Ghostface killer. In fact, the filmmakers essentially open the film by showing two reactionary extremes to that trauma in the Carpenter sisters, Sam (Melissa Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega). While one sister prefers to ignore, disregard and refuse to deal with what happened, the other sister copes by becoming overly protective and exceedingly vigilant, seeing danger in every situation. Thankfully, the directors don't clumsily announce this with a heavy hand, but it's the poignantly subtle running theme that informs each character's choices and perspective on their current situation. 

The script by James Vanderbilt (Zodiac, The Amazing Spider-Man) and Guy Busick (Ready or Not), both of whom also penned the previous entry, is also worth admiring, one that acknowledges exactly what this movie is and embraces it. At one point, Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) even states it outright in the now-familiar "rules of the horror genre" speech where the characters have not only entered new franchise territory but are also part of a revived series destined to follow the rules of its predecessor while simultaneously breaking them. And indeed, they do. Like the first sequel, the story is set on a college campus, and Sam has become an unintentional celebrity, except people look at her with skepticism rather than pity. At the same time, the killer's identity is a genuine mystery, keeping even the most watchful viewer guessing until the final reveal, which comes as both a surprise and comically predictable. And still, the climactic finish feels warranted and exciting until the brutally bloody and bitter end, making for a fun entry to a horror franchise that manages to stay relevant and entertaining.

For a more in-depth take on the film, check out Bryan Kluger's theatrical review HERE.

Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray
Paramount Home Entertainment brings Scream VI to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a single-disc edition with a flyer for a Digital Copy, which can be redeemed via paramountmovies.com, giving owners access to a 4K UHD copy with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. The triple-layered UHD100 disc is housed inside a black, eco-vortex case with a glossy slipcover. At startup, the disc goes straight to a static, silent menu screen with the usual options along the bottom.

Video Review

Ranking:

The sixth installment terrorizes the crowded streets of Ultra HD with an outstanding, first-rate HEVC H.265 encode, offering exceptional definition and clarity throughout. Shot on the Arri Alexa camera system capable of up to 3.4K resolution, the upscaled transfer reveals the fine stitching, threading and small creases in clothing. The tiniest crack, imperfection and pockmark in the streets and sides of buildings are plain to see while exposing every nook and cranny during the many interior shots, and facial complexions come with lifelike textures, especially during close-ups. Nevertheless, the sharpest edges are not always the most stable and lightly dither on a few occasions while a few nighttime exterior scenes come with some very mild chroma noise. But in spite of those minor issues, the overall picture is excellent and highly detailed. 

The Dolby Vision HDR presentation also arrives with exceptional brightness levels, providing the 2.39:1 image with a beautiful cinematic quality. Blacks are always inky rich and velvety with appreciable gradational differences in the various shades while maintaining excellent visibility within the darkest shadows of the city. Likewise, a pitch-perfect contrast balance supplies clean, brilliant whites, giving much of the action some appreciable pop, and specular highlights have a tight and narrow glow, furnishing the iconic knife and black gown a sparkling shimmer while revealing striking details within the hottest, brightest areas. The 4K video boasts a vivid and varied assortment of secondary hues while primaries are richly-saturated and full-bodied. Facial complexions come with lifelike textures and a nice peach-rosiness in the entire cast, revealing negligible blemishes, pores and the tiniest wrinkles. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 92/100)

Audio Review

Ranking:

The fifth sequel in the franchise screams its way into home theaters with an awesome Dolby Atmos soundtrack that brings the racket and frights of the Big Apple home. 

The action sequences, of course, supply the more noteworthy moments with the subway sequence and the climactic finish inside the killer's lair being memorable highlights. The room comes alive with the commotion of the rowdy crowds, rattling train cars and the typical hubbub of the city flawlessly bouncing across the overheads, generating an immersive hemispheric soundfield during these moments. Quieter, more character-driven scenes are also layered with the subtle echoes of street traffic and the chatter of people in the distance, maintaining an amazing sense of presence. All the while, the front soundstage is continuously active and busy, teeming with background noise that fluidly and convincingly moves across the screen and into the top heights. The mid-range exhibits excellent definition and separation with a great deal of warmth and superb fidelity while vocals are very well-prioritized with crystal-clear clarity and precision, and the low-end is assertive and robust with a great sense of presence and appreciable couch-shaking weight. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 86/100)

Special Features

Ranking:

The bonus features are all housed on the 4K disc and are presumably the same as the Blu-ray edition, and sadly, the package feels pretty light.

  • Audio Commentary features a conversation between co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett talking with executive producer Chad Villella and scriptwriters, James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick.
  • The Faces of Death (HD, 14 min) discusses the characters and their traits
  • Theater of Blood (HD, 11 min) looks at a pivotal scene in the movie
  • More Meta Than Meta (HD, 10 min) talks about the franchise and its overall theme
  • Death Comes to the City (HD, 8 min) is as the title suggests with cast & crew interviews
  • An Apartment to Die For (HD, 8 min) looks at the making of another important sequence
  • The Night Train to Terror (HD, 6 min) is a closer look at the subway sequence with BTS footage
  • Bloodbath at the Bodega (HD, 5 min) is the same as above with more BTS footage

For a franchise that has been running for over three decades now, Scream VI proves that the series can still deliver plenty of fun thrills while feeling relevant and managing a few surprises. Starring the four survivors of the previous entry, referring to themselves as the "Core Four," the filmmakers give fans a contemplative fifth sequel where the aforementioned survivors must now confront the psychological trauma of those events along with facing a new Ghostface killer. The sixth installment terrorizes the crowded streets of 4K Ultra HD with an outstanding Dolby Vision HDR presentation and an awesome Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Supplemental material, on the other hand, is pretty light for a new release, yet the featurettes make for a good, decently informative watch. Overall, devoted fans of the franchise will be happy with this UHD edition, and the 4K package makes for a Recommended addition to the 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.


Also Available:

Scream VI - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook