Drive (Steelbook): 4K UHD Review
Director Nicolas Widing Refn had built quite the fanbase I the late 90’s, early 00’s with his Pusher trilogy, followed by 2008’s Bronson. However, I feel 2011’s Drive is his best work to date. It’s such a fantastic film and seems to get better with repeated viewings. This week Drive arrives on 4K UHD for the first time in the U.S. and it comes packaged in a beautiful neon-soaked steelbook packaging.
Based on James Sallis’ novel of the same name, Drive centers on “The Driver” (Ryan Gosling), a part-time mechanic and Hollywood stunt driver, who moonlights as a getaway driver for Los Angeles criminals. He is also a man of very few words. The Driver’s boss, Shannon (Bryan Cranston) believes the young man is a marvel behind the wheel and believes they can make a fortune on the racing circuit. It takes a lot of money to build a professional race car, so Shannon asks Jewish-American mobster Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks) and his half-Italian partner Nino (Ron Perlman) to invest in a car.
The Driver’s life seems like it is about to change for the better. He even starts spending time with his beautiful neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son. Unfortunately, things begin to take an unfortunate turn. Irene’s husband, Standard (Oscar Isaac) has just been released from prison and he owes some bad people protection money. They not only severely beat him in front of his son, but they also threatened to come after Irene and her boy if they didn’t get their money. While The Driver is not happy Standard is back in the picture, he cares for Irene and her son and agrees to help Standard rob a Pawn shop to help keep them safe. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned and everything begins to spiral out of control.
Drive is more of a neo-noir thriller than an action film and it features some truly original casting. Back in 2011, nobody would have expected Gosling to carry a film like this, but even more surprising is the inspired casting of comedy legend Albert Brooks as a mobster who has no problem getting his hands dirty.
Sony’s new 2160p presentation with Dolby Vision/HDR may have been sourced from the digital 2K master, but it looks incredible. Drive has always been a great looking film, but the images here pop. It’s hard to say anything negative about the 2012 Blu-ray since that 1080p presentation still looks quite good more than a decade later. However, the new 4K disk easily surpasses that. From the opening chase down the Los Angeles streets at night, to the daytime shots during a downtown movie car stunt, the locations look crisp and detailed. Skin tones look natural in every scene and the colors are vibrant when it comes to the various images of neon and some of the richly detailed clothing. The inclusion of Dolby Atomos is also a winner. Not only when it comes to Cliff Martinez’ score, but during the numerous car chases and brutal fight sequences.
If you are a fan of Drive, I can’t recommend this release enough. From the packaging to the content, this should make any fan extremely happy.
Bonus Features:
4K UHD:
- Feature presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision, as approved by director Nicolas Winding Refn
- English Dolby Atmos + English 5.1
- ALL-NEW: Back in the Driver’s Seat Featurette – featuring interviews with Writer Hossein Amini, Editor Mat Newman, Composer Cliff Martinez, and Actors Christina Hendricks and Ron Perlman
- Theatrical Trailer
Blu-Ray:
- Feature presented in high definition
- English 5.1
- Special Features:
- Drive Without a Driver: Interview with Nicolas Winding Refn Documentary
- I Drive: The Driver
- Driver and Irene: The Relationship
- Under the Hood: Story
- Cut to the Chase: Stunts
By: Marc Ferman
