PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES was an attempt to reboot an aging franchise and while the “reboot” element may not have exactly had smooth sailing in the box office, the film was certainly better than its predecessor. We had the chance to get an early look at the special 4K Ultra-HD home release for review and regardless of what you thought of the storyline, the visuals here are really pretty spectacular.

Disney promotes the release as boasting “next-generation” HDR visuals and Dolby Atmos immersive audio and as much as I don’t want it to, it makes such a big difference. Even though you’re not in a fancy theatre, the 4K visuals on 4K ready TVs delivers really spectacular results, especially for a movie like this in which the visuals are all carefully crafted for high-res viewing. The choppy waters on the seas were especially mesmerizing for me in their clarity and the dark underwater scenes in the finale were vibrant, popping off the screen.

The bonus features are standard issue. About what you’d expect for the film considering it’s tepid response in the theater. Essentially, we have the typical “Making Of” feature along with a fantastic Blooper reel and “bonus” (deleted) scenes. We also get a look at some of Jerry Bruckheimer’s fantastic photogrpahy on the set. Beyond that you’ll be hard-pressed to find much else for this release.

Dead Men Tell More Tales: The Making of a New Adventure is not a feature in itself but rather the collective name for a bunch of featurettes that tell the full story. On the disc, you have the option to PLAY ALL to watch as a more typical feautrette. In total you’ll find about an hour’s worth of content covering the newbies, the effects, and other fun inside looks. Here’s a description of each of the pieces courtesy of Disney:

  • A Return to the Sea – Two talented filmmakers, Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, team up to bring “Pirates of the Caribbean” back to the screen. Hear how this new chapter of the tale was developed.
  • Telling Tales: A Sit-down with Brenton & Kaya – Meet Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario, the young actors behind Henry and Carina. The two sit down together for a revealing conversation on becoming a part of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film franchise and its continuing legacy.
  • The Matador & The Bull: Secrets of Salazar & The Silent Mary – Oscar-winner Javier Bardem reveals more about his menacing new character and the foreboding ship he helms.

  • First Mate Confidential – Go on-set along with Kevin McNally, the affable actor behind the feisty Mr. Gibbs, Captain Jack’s reliable first mate from all five movies.
  • Deconstructing the Ghost Sharks – Peer below the depths at how these ferocious, mythical monsters were designed and brought to life.
  • Wings Over the Caribbean – Captain Jack has a memorable encounter with Sir Paul McCartney – rock ‘n’ roll royalty.
  • An Enduring Legacy – Take one more look at the “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” experience and the impact of “Pirates of the Caribbean” — the movies, the ride and beyond.

Bloopers of the Caribbean delivers exactly what’s name entails with gaffes, missed cues, messed up lines, and other mishaps such as helicopters flying over the Caribbean “sea.” Always lots of laughs with these and of course, your standard cut of salty undead seafarers doing the Macarena. Yep, pretty standard!

Jerry Bruckheimer Photo Diary delivers a selection of portraits and candid shots by Buckheimer which have been digitally edited to provide parallaxing depth with motion. This one felt a lot like a classic DVD feature you might expect on an early DVD release. Kinda random but kinda fun.

Deleted Scenes presented as “bonus scenes” are in tow as well including “Highwayman,” “Henry Turner Learns a Lesson from Captain Jack,” “A Whale in Poseidon’s Tomb,” and “Alternate Coda: Murtogg & Mullroy ‘Flogging’.”

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES is available now on Digital in HD and 4K Ultra HD. It will be avialable on 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On-Demand on October 3, 2017.