Strange World 4K UHD Screenshots (Patreon)

Video

Rather routine at this stage in UHD's life, Strange World displays great enthusiasm for color saturation, especially when it comes to the green Pando plants. And, when paired with HDR, their glowing bulbs have quite the pop. The alien landscapes do much the same, looking luxurious on this format.

In terms of sharpness though, Strange World doesn't have the same oomph. Possibly finished at 2K, the softness reflects a slightly vintage aesthetic, and animation isn't soaring with precise texture. Lighting helps quite a bit though, adding the right level of pop to make Strange World live a bit.

So yes, the contrast and black levels make up for any other faults. And for clarity's sake, this is by no means a lackluster affair so much as slightly (and very slightly) a lesser CG animated offering in 4K.

Audio

An odd offering from Disney gets the low-end correct - there's significant bass from earthquakes and such delivered brilliantly. It's deep, boomy, and satisfying even without the usual volume boost needed from Disney's Atmos tracks. Surround channels work overtime to keep the action moving, while flying vehicles make full use of height channels. That's not consistent, but when active, they're unmissable.

However, the top-end feels pinched, failing to land high notes in the music or action. This sounds compressed, albeit not to any debilitating degree, and better than a streaming counterpart. When the sweeping score hits however, it does so softer than expected.