Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince 4K UHD Review + Screenshots (Patreon)

Video

The Blu-ray review on DoBlu ranks as one of the most contentious in the site's history. Littered with ringing and muddy compression, that disc was awful no matter what the other reviews stated. It's total opposite for the UHD though.

Despite some in-camera filtering at times, this transfer is good enough to pass as true 4K. The sharpness is quite convincing when allowed to show. There remain issues with the encode. The fuzziness caused by the cinematography only exacerbates the grain issue. Still, the detail jump is pleasing.

Resolution holds firm. Expect dominating black levels with no crush. Clean gradients don't succumb to banding. Diluted color falls to orange and blues, but with bite thanks to expanded color capabilities.

4/5

Audio

Hey, it's another flawless DTS:X mix. The opening scene as a London city comes under attack is perfect reference material. Floating phantasms spread across the soundstage and the bridge collapse rumbles the entirety of the room.

Range is spectacular. Everything else is as perfect as they come. Crowded hallways add ambiance. Exteriors fill space. Awesome action scenes sling magical spells about, using the fronts as well as the rears. The added surround space is used extensively and distinctly.

5/5