4k UHD Blu-Ray • Atmos

Helicopters, trickling caves, and explosions galore! I never got to see this classic in theaters, though I was only 8 when it came out, so I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it like I do now anyway. After buying an Atmos receiver, this was one of the first purchases I made, and I knew that I had to dedicate a Saturday afternoon to it so I could savor every second of this new transfer. And wow, as many times as I have seen this movie, this was like a brand new watch all over again. Not only is that 4K transfer simply incredible, the Atmos track is almost dumbfounding. Here are some moments that really stuck out:

• Chapter 1: Helicopter over your head before any credits even begin to roll. Continues throughout scene as a dramatic rescue attempt unfolds

• Chapter 3-5: Scene begins with a jet going right over the middle listening position to the front of the stage. Rain pours over the roof of a ranger’s station. The two planes attempting to tie off on each other features a lot of ambient, overhead noise and talking into headsets. Ends with an insane jet explosion and crash landing that makes use of all the speakers across the stage. Ridiculously fun. Really active Atmos scene that is definitely demo material

• Chapter 7: Wind and snow dance across the ceiling as Stallone begins his first free climb. Makes you feel like you’re there. Bullets and explosions whizz from back to front right over you, causing an incredibly active avalanche that’ll wake your neighbors

• Chapter 10: Stallone and companion are in a cave. Water drips from above all around you before they find some bats who begin to flutter from all directions. Pretty much every scene that is shot in the caves goes insane with the overheads. Really fun use of Atmos

• Chapter 12: After blowing up a mountainside with C4 and debris rains down all around you, a helicopter climbs through the sound field to a windswept peak. Stallone runs across a bridge and you can hear the ropes tearing all around you before another C4 explosion rocks the entire room. Insane

From here until the final credits, the movie is just a full sonic assault. It has to be seen to be believed. Yeah, it’s probably overkill, but so is Atmos anyway, right? Like many 90’s movies that got the 3D Blu-Ray treatment and caused you to think halfway through, “This 3D transfer is insane!,” the Atmos mix on this disc is probably excessive, but it’ll be to the delight of those who really love incredibly active overheads and dramatic explosions every few minutes. Whoever mixed this over at Sony knew what the average Cliffhanger viewer wanted. Buy this one immediately.

ATMOS IMMERSIVENESS LEVEL:

🔊 🔊 🔊 🔊 🔊 / 5