Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

4K UHD Blu-ray Impressions

I managed to watch my favourite Star Wars movie last week in the highest available quality. It’s of course as good as it has always been. I still think this is one of the best sequels ever made.

As far as the video quality is concerned, the 4K transfer is quite good, albeit with a less-than-ideal amount of DNR applied. Some of the fine detail had been scrubbed out, but it didn’t get in the way of enjoyment. Given the movie’s generally bland colour palette (the ice plains of Hoth, dark forests of Dagobah, and the sterile interiors of Cloud City) the HDR10 presentation was conservative, but made the specular highlights really pop. This is undoubtedly the best the movie has ever looked on home media.

Verdict: Recommended.