A Few Words About A few words about...™ 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers for Benghazi-- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Technically, 13 Hours is an interesting project, which appears to have been shot on both film, as well as data, and completed as a 2k DCP.

The resultant 4k Blu-ray, based upon these files is a quality affair, although in a couple of instances, there may have been digital anomalies - in this case blue horizontal lines appearing burnt out in images of bright lights. Not certain if it was in original photography, and only noting for the record.

The film is high octane, exciting, and telling the true (not certain what that means) tale of six ex-military private ops, who put their lives on the line, when all else fails during the Benghazi incident in in Libya in 2012.

If I have a problem with the film, and its direction by Michael Bay, is that it appears to be Michael Bay film, meaning loud, in one's face, and overly simplistic.

In this case, the entire U.S. government has failed in every way possible, and are played basically as idiots, with the private soldiers stepping in to try to save the day.

Again, this may have been accurately portrayed, but I find it a bit difficult to believe.

Beyond that, if one buys into the Bayan concept, it's an exciting film, albeit a bit long on pushing the men's personal lives.

Cinematography by Dion Beebe, who shot those other war dramas, Chicago and Mary Poppins Returns, is beautifully done, and translates well to the 4k disc, along with a superior Dolby Atmos track.

13 Hours is an edge of your seat military drama, but not a great film.


Image - 5 (Dolby Vision)

Audio - 5 (Dolby Atmos)

Pass / Fail - Pass

Upgrade from Blu-ray - Yes

RAH

 

[Robert Crawford]

I disagree with RAH as I think this is a great film and almost on par with "Black Hawk Down". Furthermore, mistakes were made by our government and military leaders, but that's been the case for decades during many of these military conflicts that could've been alleviated or perhaps avoided. I'm looking forward to watching this movie for the fourth time on 4K disc as it was on sale for $14.54 and I grabbed it at that pre-order pricing.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

If I have a problem with the film, and its direction by Michael Bay, is that it appears to be Michael Bay film, meaning loud, in one's face, and overly simplistic.

The phrase "Directed by Michael Bay" pretty much guarantees that I will not like the film. The only film directed by him that I like is The Rock -- not even that hack's direction could ruin that cast for me.

 

[Blu_rayfan66]

I agree that this is a good film... just not a great one. Happy to keep the bluray release with Atmos and skip this on 4K UHD. With the money I save, I will buy the superior 4K release Black Hawk Down.

 

[YANG]

The phrase "Directed by Michael Bay" pretty much guarantees that I will not like the film. The only film directed by him that I like is The Rock -- not even that hack's direction could ruin that cast for me.

Michael Bay make lots of pop corn flicks... undeniably.

13hrs do have such element in it, but still considerably more "serious" than any of his previous works.
Of all his works, i only dropped my tears twice. One with the slightly "romance shaved" Pearl Harbor D.C., and with 13hrs, i dropped more.

MTV style pop-corn flick will still be his "stable" source of income, and that's burned on his forehead, and shown to all.
However, as we're going old, so as MB, there will be some "seriousness" on some of his future works... i believe... which he would not be so concern about box-office earnings. The co-produced A Quiet Place is one such surprise.

 

[DavidMiller]

I got to listen to and meet one of the surviving "ex-military private ops", they where actually CIA at the NLIT summit I attended and spoke at. This movie is very accurate to the events that unfolded per him who also consulted on the movie. To make it worse these brave people that stepped in and saved 30 Americans lost their jobs and the ones that died lost all their death benefits because they violated orders.

 

[John Macri]

Having read the book this movie was based on, I can say it accurately reflects the book's events and timeline. As far as the "true tale"; since it's told by those who were actually there, yeah I'd say it's true. Unless one prefers to believe the armchair pundits thousands of miles away.

 

[Cranston37+]

Reading this thread reminded me of Roger Ebert's perfect opening to his review of Pearl Harbor:

"'Pearl Harbor' is a two-hour movie squeezed into three hours, about how on Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese staged a surprise attack on an American love triangle."

 

[Robert Crawford]

Reading this thread reminded me of Roger Ebert's perfect opening to his review of Pearl Harbor:

"'Pearl Harbor' is a two-hour movie squeezed into three hours, about how on Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese staged a surprise attack on an American love triangle."

I don't know how you get that remembrance as 13 Hours has nothing in common with Pearl Harbor except having the same director. IMO, 13 Hours is a really good film, not so much for Pearl Harbor. Unlike Pearl Harbor, there is no romance or a load of fictitious sequences in 13 Hours.

 

[Cranston37+]

I don't know how you get that remembrance as 13 Hours has nothing in common with Pearl Harbor except having the same director.

Seems like a silly thing to even bring up but...

I didn't say anything about 13 Hours giving me a remembrance, I said it was reading this thread that did. We had been discussing Pearl Harbor and Michael Bay.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Seems like a silly thing to even bring up but...

I didn't say anything about 13 Hours giving me a remembrance, I said it was reading this thread that did. We had been discussing Pearl Harbor and Michael Bay.

Not be argumentative, but what does Michael Bay and Pearl Harbor have to do with 13 Hours except he directed it too?

 

[Cranston37+]

What does Michael Bay and Pearl Harbor have to do with 13 Hours except he directed it too?

Robert, I only intended to post something I had remembered from a few years ago that I thought might give HTF members a chuckle. Please just move on...

 

[Robert Crawford]

Robert, I only intended to post something I had remembered from a few years ago that I thought might give HTF members a chuckle. Please just move on...

Like my edited previous post, I wasn't trying to be argumentative, but I didn't quite get your point. I still don't, but I'm moving on.

 

[Cranston37+]

Like my edited previous post, I wasn't trying to be argumentative, but I didn't quite get your point. I still don't, but I'm moving on.

I wasn't trying to make a point, I was just... nevermind.

My goodness...

 

[Robert Crawford]

I wasn't trying to make a point, I was just... nevermind...

We're good!

 

[john a hunter]

"'Pearl Harbor' is a two-hour movie squeezed into three hours, about how on Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese staged a surprise attack on an American love triangle."
That did sum up my reaction to Michael Bays's films(which I avoided) until I saw 13 Hours.
I thought it excellent but won't be upgrading as the BD and Atmos are just fine.