'Obi-Wan Kenobi' 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook Review - A Satisfying Extension For A Beloved Character (2024)

Obi-Wan Kenobi begins 10 years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Obi-Wan Kenobi faced his greatest defeat—the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.

For in-depth thoughts on Obi-Wan Kenobi, please see my colleague Michael Cook’s reviews from its original streaming release below:

• Episode Three Review

• Episode Four Review

• Episode Five Review

• Episode Six Review

For a look at the SteelBook packaging, please check out our video here.

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Obi-Wan Kenobi offers a dazzling uptick in quality over the compressed Disney+ stream, allowing the series to flourish in its intended format. The release comes with the six episodes from the limited series spread across two discs without the inclusion of additional Blu-Ray discs, so be sure you are 4K UHD capable if you are going with this format. The discrete details in the costumes and production design are more textured than ever with the increase in raw clarity. Elements such as the fabrics of the Jedi robes or the liquid sheen of certain environments stand out more than ever. The texture of the makeup effects on some of the alien characters being translated to live-action for the first appears with unwavering clarity as a world of subtle detail opens up.

The HDR ratchets up the nuances of the color spectrum to jaw-dropping levels as these incredible environments emanate off the screen. Black levels stay firm in this presentation, showcasing notable depth and great detail. The elements taking place in low light or shadow are impeccably delineated. The highlights are crisply defined with whites pure and balanced with no instances of blooming at play. Throughout the season, you are graced with complex, bold colors that make you thankful for the format’s capabilities. The show keeps things visually dynamic with its exploration of worlds new and familiar. This format avoids banding, compression artifacts, and other digital anomalies. This 4K UHD presentation is what we have been waiting for to truly appreciate this series.

Audio Quality

The set has been bestowed a top-tier Dolby Atmos presentation that sends it sailing out of the park. The soundscape nails the immersive qualities that transport you into the action. Ambient details are ever present even in calm exchanges as they permeate the rear and overhead channels. The overhead channels work gracefully with the other channels rather than stealing focus, which adds a nice sense of dimension to each installment. Sounds are deftly rendered with precise directionality from the more thrilling scenes to character-building moments.

The Natalie Holt score gamely sets the tone as it permeates the room memorably. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without ever being drowned out by any of the competing sonic elements. The sounds of the journey to different planets and stunning clashes provide an audio experience on par with the feature films. The low end never stumbles along the journey, even when it is only providing texture to more grounded fare. This audio presentation easily handles everything that is thrown at it. There are optional English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

• Part VI Audio Commentary: Director Deborah Chow provides a very informative commentary track in which she discusses what they were hoping to accomplish with the finale, the challenges of bringing it to life, landing certain character arcs, and more.

• Duels Of Fate – Obi-Wan vs. Vader: A nearly 12-minute look at the importance of the showdowns between these characters, where the characters are at during this point of their journey, the visual inspirations for the fight, replicating the weapons from earlier productions, returning performers, and more.

• The Dark Times – Villains: A nearly 12-minute exploration of the villains that are returning to the screen or being brought to life in live-action form for the first time, the performers bringing them to life, the challenges of the designs, the stunts, and more.

• Designing The Galaxy: A nice 11-minute piece that takes a deeper look at the creation of various creatures, the environments, the vessels, the blending of practical and special effects, and more.

Final Thoughts

Obi-Wan Kenobi is a mostly satisfying extension of a beloved character that fills in the gaps quite thrillingly while rarely going the Solo route of answering questions no one ever asked. Throughout these six episodes, some minor pacing issues keep this from being a first-rate addition to the franchise, but it remains a worthy slice of the story that gets more right than it doesn’t. It is a treat to see Ewan McGregor back in the title role with even more time to show layers of the character. With this being a contained story, there is no reason to not take this journey.Disney Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a welcome assortment of special features. If you are a fan of Star Wars, you should be thrilled by this release. Recommended

Obi-Wan Kenobi will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook and Blu-Ray SteelBook on April 30, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Disney Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

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