Ultra HD Blu-ray

'Did you not see the new Predator? It's evolving.' So says lead character Quinn McKenna (Boyd Holbrook) in this long-awaited sequel directed by Shane Black and co-written with Fred Dekker. The line refers to the bigger, badder trophy-hunting beastie running amok in smalltown USA, but is also an upfront admission that this movie might not be what fans were expecting.

Black takes on this studio blockbuster challenge with glee, layering the movie with foul-mouthed soldiers, black humour and rapid-fire violence – tonally The Predator feels more akin to Predator 2 than the more mature (and more assured) 1987 original. At its best it's sharp, kinetic and filled with blood and belly laughs. At its worst it feels disjointed and out of control.

Picture: The film's gory action arrives on 4K BD with a picture that's as handsome as the Predator is ugly. The image is ultra clean – there's practically no grain or noise at all – yet noticeably more detailed and refined than the HD Blu-ray.

The transfer takes an engagingly strong approach to HDR. Baseline brightness is markedly higher than that of the SDR version, giving major punch to well-lit sequences. The light range has also been expanded, with slightly deeper, richer blacks at one end of the spectrum and sparkling peaks at the other. This is particularly obvious during night scenes.

The best thing about the 4K BD, though, is its colours. These are much richer than on the oddly washed out HD disc, helping the image look more natural, immersive and three-dimensional. The only problem with Fox's transfer is that its detail and clarity exposes the shonky quality of some of the VFX.
Picture rating: 4.5/5

Audio: The 4K Blu-ray offers a Dolby Atmos track while the Full HD Blu-ray gets a DTS-HD MA 7.1 mix, and it puts the object-based format to great use with potent dynamics and flurries of accurately positioned and aggressive spot effects. These include regular and effective use of the overhead channels, especially during the opening space ship crash and final battle.
Audio rating: 4.5/5

Extras: All of the bonus features are on the Full HD platter, kicking off with four watchable deleted scenes and a fun 10-minute featurette on the film's evolution and shooting, stuffed with behind-the-scenes footage. An excellent 20-minute piece on creature design is up next, which tracks everything from hand-drawn concepts through to physically crafting the suits. Another enjoyable (16-min) feature covers character development. Not a bad selection.
Extras rating: 3.5/5

We say: There's no better way to enjoy this raucous reboot than with this excellent 4K Blu-ray transfer.

The Predator, Twentieth Century Fox, Ultra HD Blu-ray & All-region BD, £30
HCC VERDICT: 4/5