Review: 'The Untouchables' on 4K Blu-ray a Worthy Upgrade

As onlookers of the Hollywood studio system, we're always fascinated at looking how a director leads a film, forever curious about how their personal stamp is created through logistical decisions. But in some cases, such as Brian De Palma's "The Untouchables," a great script can remove a filmmaker from their obsessions and put them in the shoes of somebody else's vision. De Palma said as much a month following the release of his 1987 crime drama, which follows a small team of hand-picked lawmen tasked with taking down Al Capone.

Paramount Home Entertainment presents Brian De Palma's "The Untouchables" on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, with a 4K presentation that's true to the source material – those historical locations in Chicago look sharper than ever, but never too sharp. There's a nice layer of film grain over the presentation, and overall contrast looks true with deeper blacks and colors than the years-old Blu-ray.

Dolby Vision HDR is included as well, and provides terrific color depth. Although the bitrate is never too, too strong, this is a really pleasing image that doesn't wash out the pulp-like qualities of the film. The new Dolby Atmos soundtrack is quite nice as well, adding deep bass and powerful treble to Ennio Morricone's iconic score and the rollicking action sequences.

Prohibition agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) is put in charge of building a case against Al Capone (Robert De Niro). Capone is at the height of his power, with many corrupt lawmen aiding his efforts to take over the city. But after Ness assembles a crack squad of law enforcers, including Irish-American officer Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery), the team successfully infiltrates Capone's dirty dealings.

David Mamet's script has the kind of bloviating that he's derided for nowadays, yet it's all seated within a do-good tale of right versus wrong, almost like a gangster picture made in the 1930s. The dick-measuring contest between Capone and Ness is littered with action sequences that are still just as breathtaking as they were originally. Sequences like the popular staircase shootout reminds one of the power the right director can give tight material.

As for special features, Paramount has carried over the supplements from previous releases, but haven't added anything new. You'll find some interviews with cast and crew, but not much else. If you're a fan of "The Untouchables," you'll find this new 4K release to be a satisfying upgrade.

Special features include:

� "The Script, the Cast"
� "Production Stories"
� "Re-Inventing the Genre"
� "The Classic"
� Original Featurette: "The Men"
� Theatrical trailer

"The Untouchables" is now available on 4K Blu-ray from Paramount Home Entertainment.