Snitch appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.40:1 on this 4K UHD Disc. This turned into a satisfying presentation.
Sharpness was almost always strong. A few wide shots showed a smidgen of softness, but those were minor instances. The majority of the movie looked accurate and concise.
I noticed no jaggies or moiré effects, and edge enhancement never manifested itself. In addition, the film failed to display any print defects.
Like most modern thrillers, this one opted for stylized hues, with an emphasis on a muted form of teal and amber. Within those constraints, the colors seemed fine and they showed appropriate range. The disc’s HDR added some punch and impact to the hues.
Blacks were dark and full, and shadows showed good range. HDR contributed presence and strength to whites and contrast. This was a consistently fine presentation.
Downconverted to Dolby TrueHD 7.1, the Dolby Atmos soundtrack of Snitch also worked well. Various action elements offered the most active use of the spectrum. This was especially true during pieces with weapons fire and fights, and a few other sequences used the channels in a satisfying way.
The action scenes didn’t emerge on a frequent basis, but when they appeared, they utilized the soundscape in an engrossing manner. Music also made active use of the different channels.
Audio quality pleased. Speech was concise and natural, without edginess or other issues. Music showed good range and vivacity, while effects worked nicely.
Those elements came across as accurate and full, with solid low-end response and positive definition. All of this added up to a “B”.
How did the 4K UHD compare to the Blu-ray version? Though the 4K opted for Atmos instead of the BD’s DTS-HD MA 7.1, one shouldn’t expect many differences, mainly because the film opted for a somewhat low-key soundscape. Snitch simply didn’t come with lots of room for Atmos to shine.
Similar thoughts greeted the 4K’s visuals, as its style limited upgrade potential. To be sure, he 4K offered slightly superior delineation as well as stronger colors and blacks, but given the movie’s cinematography, we don’t see big differences. This leaves the 4K as the preferred rendition of the film but not one that dazzles.
The set comes with some extras, and these launch via an audio commentary from co-writer/director Ric Roman Waugh and editor Jonathan Chibnall. Both sit together for this running, screen-specific look at the real-life tale that inspired the film and story/characters, cast and performances, music, stunts and action, photography and editing, sets and locations, and related domains.
While we get a decent look at Snitch, the participants devote too much time to discussions of how realistic they attempted to make the film. A little of this self-praise goes a long way, so even though we find a reasonable amount of production information, the end product feels lackluster.
Called Privileged Information, we get a three-part documentary that goes for a total of 49 minutes, 37 seconds. It offers notes from Waugh, Chibnall, producers Jonathan King and Matt Jackson, and actors Dwayne Johnson, Jon Bernthal, Barry Pepper, Nadine Valezquez, Susan Sarandon, Melina Kanakaredes, Rafi Gavron, Benjamin Bratt and Michael K. Williams.
The segments examine Waugh’s genre goals, casting and characters, sets and locations, stunts and action, editing, the source story and its path to the screen, and some themes. We get a decent array of notes, but a lot of happy talk comes along for the ride, so we find less substance than we’d expect from such a long program.
In addition to the film’s trailer, four Deleted Scenes span a total of five minutes, 35 seconds. We find “Only You” (1:07), “Just An Accident” (1:31), “Wasting My Life” (1:16) and “The Bigger Picture” (1:41).
The first two offer some minor character expansions, while the other two add some exposition. Since Snitch already runs too long, none would’ve helped the film.
A second disc provides a Blu-ray copy of Snitch. It includes the same extras as the 4K UHD.
As crime-related thrillers go, Snitch seems pretty generic and unmemorable. It tells its tale in a passable manner but never threatens to become anything vivid or creative. The 4K UHD brings solid picture and audio along with a mix of supplements. Snitch gives us a watchable but mediocre project.
To rate this film visit the prior review of SNITCH