Essential upgrade. The HDR and native 4K resolution (these are true 4K scans, not upscales) finally do justice to Dariusz Wolski’s cinematography.

The Pirates 4K disc cannot be judged in a vacuum. It is symptomatic of Disney’s broader, and often criticized, approach to catalog 4K releases. From Tron to The Little Mermaid , Disney has repeatedly favored aggressive DNR and edge sharpening over preserving original filmic texture. The reason is likely commercial: Disney wants its home releases to look “perfect” and “modern” on the average LED television in a bright living room. A grainy image, to the untrained eye, can look “noisy” or “old.”

– For a limited time, Disney released individual 4K Steelbook editions. These are now mostly out of print and highly collectible.