True Lies (1994) 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review (Technical Analysis)

Another terrible restoration by James Cameron on Physical Media. This was this was by choice. This was signed off by James Cameron, and a team of restoration experts that have no idea what picture quality is. All because they don't like the look of real film or film grain? This is embarrassing, and I'm ashamed of what James Cameron has done here. Film is a beautiful medium, and you destroyed it in a click of a button. Unfortunately, this does ruin the movie experience for me because this type of restoration now becomes a distraction. I struggled to watch this in peace without laughing at how bad this transfer looks. James Cameron has failed us beyond words here.
Let me know what you think, thanks.
Carl.
#TrueLies #TrueLies4K #TrueLiesReview
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MOVIE REVIEWED: True Lies (1994) 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
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ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Carl, and I run a family-owned business called HD MOVIE SOURCE with my dad, Glen, and my brother, Mark. I'm a passionate movie fan and tech enthusiast, and I love talking about the quality of video transfers. Calibrating speakers and subwoofers, encoding 4K content, and exploring all things techy are all my favorite things to do. I'm also a big gamer, and World of Warcraft takes up a lot of my time, but hey, someone's gotta do it!
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[@machrider2333]

The DTheater (DVHS) HD rip of true lies is STILL the best in my opinion. film grain COMPLETELY INTACT and NONE of that charlie ass wax figure nonsense.

[@hdmoviesource]

I'd like to see that.

[@joewhip9303]

@@hdmoviesource I have the tape but the player broke so can’t compare the two.

[@hdmoviesource]

Damn, I'd like to see that.

[@hdmoviesource]

Okay, never mind.@@joewhip9303

[@gorillapancake]

Disney Plus in Australia has had True Lies in HD for quite some time. (Maybe it's the D-Theater master.) I hadn't watched the movie for years and just started watching it yesterday on my Sony 65A90J. I never realised how grainy some of the scenes are, but it still looks pretty good. However, True Lies has always looked odd to me. It lacks texture and detail, yet it has grain and noise. I've heard the new 4K utilized the original film elements. Is that true? If they did a 4K AI upscale of this old HD master instead, maybe it would look better.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Definitely no dynamics. Aliens and Abyss have some dynamics

[@hdmoviesource]

Agreed.

[@gorillapancake]

Disney Plus in Australia has had True Lies in HD for quite some time. (Maybe it's the D-Theater master.) I hadn't watched the movie for years and just started watching it yesterday on my Sony 65A90J. I never realised how grainy some of the scenes are, but it still looks pretty good. However, True Lies has always looked odd to me. It lacks texture and detail, yet it has grain and noise. I've heard the new 4K utilized the original (damaged) film elements. Is that true? If they did a 4K AI upscale of this old HD master instead, maybe it would look better.

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, I would like to see them start fresh, and go with a 4K scan and see what they can really do.

[@jackko21]

as soon as i saw the screen shot of Arnold with Googly eyes i was like im getting the spanish blu ray

[@zachary_attackery]

I heard that wasn't an official release?

[@hdmoviesource]

haha yea.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Watched the Spanish Blu-ray. The Spanish Blu-ray is the most natural look. 4K is sharper but more waxy. Natural look is best really

[@hdmoviesource]

I'm going to have to look at that.

[@user-le4sm4wd1e]

Would love to see one of your favourite 4K transfers so far. Just to juxtapose and prove your analysis and observations to any naysayers out there. 👊👍

[@hdmoviesource]

They could be an interesting video.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Turbine, Arrow, Shout! Studios, second sight, 88 films, Kino Lorber Studio Classics , Severin Films and Vinegar Syndrome would all have done better jobs on the Aliens and True Lies 4Ks. They are making excuses on Twin Flicks KZbin channel for True Lies.

[@ScruffyWarlord]

Twin Flick says "his friend" who supposedly worked on True Lies master told him the original camera negative is damaged. It must've gotten damaged during the Nuclear Bomb scene in the Florida Keys. Sure Sure Sure.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

The Abyss looks good. True Lies pretty bad. Looks a bit better with HDR off. Putting HDR on this True Lies transfer a waste of time

[@ScruffyWarlord]

@@ps5andstuffhere While the Abyss does look better than True Lies it still looks really soft. It's still subpar. I would argue Aliens looks the best but even Aliens 4k has been confirmed on other channels to be just an upscale of the 2010 bluray. It only marginally looks better than that bluray. Again they are all perfectly watchable and I'm very happy to own than rather than not having them but these are still subpar and its disappointing that they didn't fulfill the potential that they could have. But that's cameron and his physical media for ya. He's the new George Lucas of physical media.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

The Abyss looks like native 4k

[@ScruffyWarlord]

@@ps5andstuffhere it is native 4k, not saying its not, but it looks really really soft.

[@jackko21]

best thing to do is vote with our wallets

[@hdmoviesource]

Unfortunately we all already bought it.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Watching the 4K with HDR turned off. Looks a lot better. Not tested Blu-ray yet. edit - bluray the same as 4k with hdr off. Alot better experience and more like it looked back in the day

[@hdmoviesource]

I'm going to try it.

[@PersianImm0rtal]

@@hdmoviesource will you make a new video reviewing HDR turned off? I am interested

[@hdmoviesource]

Probably not, but if it's a big deal I might make a Twitter post about it, LOL.@@PersianImm0rtal

[@ps5andstuffhere]

After watching The Abyss 4k it is pretty obvious that it is native 4k and looks the best. If gonna use these remastering techniques you have to use proper native 4k source or it will look bad.

[@hdmoviesource]

Definitely.

[@jackko21]

apparently james cameron has a history of altering his movies since the laserdisc days he is very open about how he hates film he dosent like the way it looks he prefers the way digital looks and try's to make his older movies look like they where shot digitally he evn said in a interview he would love to go back to aliens and make them cgi

[@hdmoviesource]

It's definitely an issue. I don't think I'll see a perfect version in my lifetime unfortunately.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Basically I think because they have over processed these releases if have HDR on that adds more processing so it looks bad. Especially with True Lies because the source is dodgy it seems

[@hdmoviesource]

The source is terrible. They need to 4K scan it and start again.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Cameron fans are defending the 4k release in Facebook 4k groups

[@hdmoviesource]

They can live in delusion all they like, I really dislike this release.

[@PersianImm0rtal]

Thank you for giving an honest technical review. I want to be able to watch this movie like I remember it in the movie theater, this obviously will not do that.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Watch the bluray that comes with the set. It's better. They messed up the HDR

[@knownpleasures]

@@ps5andstuffherethat’s why most 4k releases have blu rays with them in case for whatever reason people prefer the older Blu-ray

[@hdmoviesource]

Thanks.

[@tyty0071]

These screenshots make the film look like those 720p YIFY rips.

[@hdmoviesource]

That's exactly how it looks unfortunately.

[@steviegbcool]

i dont understand why they would raise the brightness like that it increases the noise.

[@hdmoviesource]

Me either.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Aliens will probably look better also with HDR off I'm thinking. The HDR increases the waxy look big time with these releases

[@hdmoviesource]

I'd actually like to try that.

[@knownpleasures]

Maybe James Cameron should hire you to do his next 4k transfer and we’ll see how THAT turns out!

[@hdmoviesource]

haha, well, we'd be at odds I'm sure. I'd want nothing done, and he'd want to blur eve4eythign out. It's a match made in hell, LOL.

[@PersianImm0rtal]

This is not just an attack on your own film. This is an attack on History, American Culture, Heritage, and an attack on every single make up artist, costume artist, lighting crew member, writer, extra, special effects engineer, and stuntman that worked passionately on this film. James Cameron should just retire and STOP.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Well he needs advice from established companies who remaster films. Does he not buy 4Ks or something? Maybe has big ego

[@knownpleasures]

@euphoria pictures

[@hdmoviesource]

Agreed.

[@anthonymichael6346]

All that stuff about negs being damaged... I call BS. Cameron's lost the plot.

[@hdmoviesource]

Good lord, is it that old? LOL.

[@archibaldstokes]

Great review! Totally agree.

[@hdmoviesource]

Thanks.

[@cheekster777]

One of my favourite movies. 😎 Thank you Carl.

[@hdmoviesource]

Thanks.

[@tiagorocha8659]

T2 NEW RELEASE IN 4K UHD THIS YEAR 2024 ?

[@hdmoviesource]

yes.

[@djscottfrenzy]

This is up there with T2 imo. Its shocking. The other 2 from cameron i actually don't mind. The abyss looks good i'd say prob the best out of the 3

[@ps5andstuffhere]

True Lies 4k worse than T2 4k

[@hdmoviesource]

I think it might be worse than T2.

[@jamessiddle7389]

Picked the 4K up on Monday, watched it the same day, totally agree, it's terrible, no, no, it's abysmal, the opening scene in the Château ballroom I could clearly see the grain clumping together on the screen, no punch whatsoever with the black levels, only inkling of half decent black levels was the close up on Jamie Lee Curtis as she was about to be lifted out the limo on the bridge, vividly remember how pulse pounding the sound was watching this at the cinema in '94, now it's just flat... Jaws, Alien, now they're excellent restorations, you'd think James Cameron would want the same from his work but apparently not.

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, it's a shame it ended up looking like this. I hope they get the chance to start over with a real 4K scan and see what they can really do.

[@joewhip9303]

I watched this 4K a couple of weeks ago and after watching this video, I went back and checked just to make sure I remembered correctly. I watch the film on a professionally calibrated Sony 83 A90j . The picture I see at home looks much better than your screen shots. Not perfect by any means as it is too polished up but the film does not look this bad on my display. Still tons of fun.

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, definitely not perfect.

[@PersianImm0rtal]

Laser Disc was released in 1978, 45 years ago

[@hometheaterman1424]

Excellent Video sir keep up the Great work bud.

[@hdmoviesource]

Thank you.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Barb Wire 4K released in Germany will have a better transfer. That's crazy

[@hdmoviesource]

That's rediculous.

[@jackko21]

my opinion this was james Cameron's last good movie everything after this he completly lost me

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Cameron won 10 oscars or something after this lol

[@hdmoviesource]

I like all of his movies, it's definitely not about that for me.

[@LifeSized101]

Wait for them to be in the bargain bin

[@hdmoviesource]

Agreed.

[@Yeastextract]

Are there any redeeming features?

[@ps5andstuffhere]

Only positive is it's better than the stream versions abit

[@ps5andstuffhere]

I figured out if you turn off HDR on the 4k or watch the bluray with the set it looks better

[@hdmoviesource]

The movie. Nothing else.

[@PersianImm0rtal]

I have a question, If I were to get this disc, how is the 5.1 track? Is it included with the disc?

[@hdmoviesource]

I would think's it's a downgraded version of the Atmos track.

[@mkciusiek]

Who does this. This is done by the same "specialists" as those who make cartoon covers for 4K UHD releases 🤣

[@hdmoviesource]

haha yea.

[@PersianImm0rtal]

This is so sad and pathetic!

[@hdmoviesource]

It really needs a brand-new restoration, one that's taken seriously this time.

[@AckZap]

This is a really weird video review for a variety of reasons. The film looks way better than you’d think from this video.

[@ps5andstuffhere]

? Some of it looks ok. Turn off hdr is pretty decent

[@Yeastextract]

Weird how? Carl knows his stuff and explains his findings in detail. How is that weird?

[@ps5andstuffhere]

The cameron fans are in denial

[@hdmoviesource]

Not on my display.

[@AnjektusStudio]

@ackzap Why saying tgat a review is werid whitout saying why. Is like going to a resturant and eating for €100 whitout saying a Word to the Staff. And then clmplaning on it's Facebook paige