Snowden - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Snowden



Movie:
4K Video:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:


​

Movie
After looking back in time, I find it fascinating how my opinions have changed and morphed over the years. Back in 2013, I was a vehement Snowden hater, as I grew up in a military family and always adhered to "follow the chain of command" as gospel. But as time has gone by and I've aged, it's interesting to look back and realize how many of our earlier beliefs may have been blinded by naivety. Especially the last decade, where the world of conspiracy theories has blown up in our faces, and the veil has been pulled back to reveal that just because it's a conspiracy theory doesn't mean it's a WRONG theory. The age-old adage of "just because you're paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get you" thing flipped into the world of politics. As such, I have a slight change of heart when dealing with Oliver Stone's lionization of Edward Snowden, and his decision to leak state secrets over what he felt was unconscionable actions by the U.S. military/government.

I have to admit that I was a little worried about Oliver Stone helming the semi-biopic take on the 2013 leaks. He is known for his extreme political views (as a right-leaning person, I sometimes wince at his takes in the movies he creates) as well as the fact that his modern films have been nothing short of “meh” in comparison to his more enthusiastic and energetic film-making days. While it IS true that he VERY obviously is lionizing Snowden (he pretty much lauds the young man as a superhero standing against the big evil government), he makes an incredibly enjoyable political thriller with a skill that really makes you long for the days of '80s and '90s Oliver Stone.

We all know the basics, but here we go again. Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who employs a very heavy change in his speech pattern to try and sound like the real Edward Snowden) is recruited into the CIA at a young age and given incredible responsibility when he proves himself one of the most brilliant computer analysts out there. Everything seems great. He’s got a fantastic job with the government, he has a wonderful girlfriend in the form of photographer Lindsay Mills (Shailene Woodley), and oodles of access to all sorts of awesome information. However, he soon begins noticing things that make him a little morally suspicious. Programs that allow access into ANYONE’s lives without the slightest bit of real oversight, and programs that he creates as backups being used to interject U.S. interests into other countries as a weapon. Something that is not just happening, but happening without the general public’s knowledge. Violations of privacy that would make any human rights activist's hair shoot straight up in pure horror.

Racked with guilt over the implications of the information that he's uncovered, Snowden retires from the CIA and decides to contract himself out to various government agencies as a way out of it all. Unfortunately for him, his conscience won't let him run for too long, and after getting roped into a trip to HawaiI by his old boss Corbin (Rhys Ifans), Snowden finds out the hard way that he's back in the center of it all. Eventually, he meets his breaking point, and with the help of a few other concerned parties, he takes the information and leaks it directly to a group of reporters in a Hong Kong hotel room back in late 2013 (where this all started). While not giving away EVERYTHING, Snowden leaks enough information to literally blow the doors off of the entire intelligence community in front of everyone.

To this day, I’m not sure I totally agree with Stone’s lionization of Snowden. Especially since he practically creates a halo around him and pronounces him a messiah by the end (although Stone paints his girlfriend, Lindsay Mills, as the inflection point in that forms his personal growth from selfish order follower to an independent thinker who wants to help others), but I have to say that it makes for an incredibly intriguing drama. Naturally, I was a little curious to see HOW Stone could make a fairly innocuous hotel room meeting into a 2-hour 14-minute epic, but I have to say I was quite surprised. The story fluctuates back and forth through time as Snowden recounts to the journalists just how he got to this situation and splices in pieces of the past in between his Hotel room drama. Stone employs some great use of cameras in making the story seem more exciting. Shifting angles to overhead shots, employing color tone shifts between scenes, and using footage from handhelds and webcams to give a bird's-eye view into the “espionage” style of the end product.

I really do miss Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a big-name actor, and I wish he'd make a return to films in a larger way after his semi-retirement shortly after Snowden was made. He's a wonderful actor and gives a magnificent performance as Edward Snowden himself here. I didn't even mind the vocal pattern they had him imitating, as it grows on you after the first 15 minutes. Woodley is decent as usual, but I've never been wildly enthused over her as an actress, and personally felt she was a bit miscast here. Looking back, I had forgotten just how important the litany of support actors was in this film, with brief appearances by Rys Ifan, Nicolas Cage (who's extremely tame compared to his usual overacting), Timothy Olyphant, Zachary Quinto, and even Scott Eastwood. All who blend seamlessly into the narrative and add a wonderfully textured background buzz for Gordon-Levitt to shine in.




Rating:

Rated R for language and some sexuality/nudity




4K Video: Video:

According to Shout! Studios this 4K UHD disc (and the included Blu-ray) are both taken from a new 4K restoration (thought restoration is once more probably being used very loosely here, as there’s next to zero need to “restore” a 9-year-old film) with an Oliver Stone-approved scan of the original OCN. Result? A disc that looks extremely filmic thanks to Oliver Stone’s adherence to 35mm film stock, and some nice HDR10/Dolby Vision applications. The flick is never going to look shiny due to the heavier-than-normal grain, the thick blue color grading, and sometimes “dreamlike” haziness to certain shots. But this is still a fantastic-looking 4K UHD disc (as is the Blu-ray) that faithfully replicates Stone’s unique visual style. Colors are cool blue for the most part, but outdoor shots look clean and bright, with strong green tones for the foliage, and impressive primary colors for clothing. Black levels are generally great, but sometimes I noticed what looked like crush here and there. Overall, a very impressive looking upgrade to the already great Blu-ray disc from 2016.







Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track (which appears to be the same 5.1 DTS-HD MA track found on the Universal Blu-ray) is a bit of a talky affair, but it is fairly accurate and has some punch when necessary. Dialogue is first and foremost at the center of the film’s focus, and everything is replicated quite intelligibly in the front speaker. The mains get a little bit of action with the light piano tinkling and the more active moments (such as when Edward Snowden and Corbin O’Brian are out pheasant hunting), and the surrounds can bring some mild ambiance to the picture. Sounds of the data clusters humming and the background dialog in the CIA headquarters in Hawaii, and the sounds of Hong Kong hustle and bustle all shift around quite actively, and the LFE has a strong presence in that center channel to add intensity.









Extras:

Disc One - 4K UHD

• Audio Commentary With Oliver Stone

Disc Two - Blu-ray

• NEW Interview with Director/Co-Writer Oliver Stone
• NEW Interview with Producer Moritz Borman
• NEW Interview with Producer Eric Kopeloff
• NEW Interview with Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle
• NEW Interview with Co-Editor Alex Marquez
• Audio Commentary With Oliver Stone
• "Finding The Truth" Featurette
• Snowden Q&A – Interview With Edward Snowden, Director/Co-Writer Oliver Stone, And Actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt And Shailene Woodley
• Deleted Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer

Final Score: ​

Back when this came out, I was initially put off by the controversy regarding Snowden himself, and less likely to believe Oliver Stone's conspiracy theory leanings that he's known for. Ironically, as the years have gone by, the last decade, I'm less and less likely to feel put off by the theories, and more inclined to believe that there is more to all of these political machinations than any of us "normies" really want to admit. That being said, this is still Oliver Stone lionizing a very polarizing figure in American history, but still telling a fantastic narrative at the same time. Whether you love or hate Edward Snowden, the film itself is a tense thriller that proves Oliver Stone's career wasn't over just yet. The 4K UHD looks and sounds great as expected, and is well worth checking out if you're a fan of the movie.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Written by: Kieran Fitzgerald, Oliver Stone
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 HEVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH
Studio: Shout! Studios
Rated: R
Runtime: 134 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: November 11th, 2025

Recommendation: Good Watch

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

​