THE NEW MUTANTS
AFTER A SLEW
ULTRA HD BLU-RAY
of genuinely outstanding back-catalog reissues on 4K disc lo these many months, editor Al Griffin and I were excited by the prospect of reviewing a new movie…well, perhaps “new” isn’t the ideal word, despite the title here. By the time it debuted theatrically in 2020, The New Mutants had been delayed more than two years—and one pandemic— past its original release date, owing to creative adjustments made to exploit an ever-evolving market. Based upon the comic book series that would eventually introduce Deadpool and Cable, this movie kinda ties into Fox’s greater X-men universe, with a namedrop here, a flashback there, and a fresh crop of youngsters struggling to cope with recent physical changes that have given them extraordinary powers. They’re the only patients in an isolated hospital specializing in their kind, but is the goal to help them identify and control their unique gifts, or is it something far more sinister? The creepy horror vibe puts an original spin on the proceedings, but the parade of teen angst feels pretty well-worn by this point.
The movie was reportedly shot at 8K on the way to a true 4K master, and the results on Ultra HD disc are quite strong. On the whole, the 1.85:1 image is sharp and crisp, although some special effects-heavy shots can take on a bit of an artificial computergenerated appearance. The New Mutants is not an especially colorful movie; rather it is intentionally and effectively bleak, though the few shots where bright hues appear look respectable. High dynamic range adds a welcome pop in several scenes, be it the headlamps in a dusty mine or various points of light in the night.
The Dolby Atmos soundtrack on the 4K disc (sound on the bundled 1080p Blu-ray tops out at
DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1) is punchy with ample power and a respectable degree of low-end slam when needed. It imparts a well-defined sense of three-dimensional space, with an all-encompassing mix of action and music that exploits height effects when certain mutant powers are unleashed. Dialogue is clear, but too bad Dolby doesn’t do anything to address hinky accents.
All extras reside on the bundled regular HD Blu-ray disc. Instead of the typical director commentary, Josh
Boone takes advantage of his track to interview seminal New Mutants comic book artist Bill Sienkiewicz, while seven high-def versions of the deleted scenes run about eleven minutes.
There is also a pleasant assortment of featurettes and the included code unlocks a 4K Movies Anywhere digital copy.
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