TechRadar Picks Batman 4K Blu-rays for Batman Day, With The Batman as AV Test Disc

According to TechRadar, the character's screen history includes the 1966 Batman series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, numerous animated shows and big-budget movies. The writer said the selections include 4K Blu-rays and some standard Blu-rays, and that one disc is used as a benchmark when testing the best TVs and soundbars.

The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, follows Bruce Wayne's early years as the Dark Knight as he confronts a serial killer called The Riddler, played by Paul Dano, while Gotham's corruption and a mystery involving Bruce's own family deepen. TechRadar said the film is a go-to disc for AV testing because of its low brightness and many high-contrast scenes. It added that shadow detail and crisp textures give viewers plenty to scrutinize, and that the camera work creates a murky, gloomy look suited to Gotham's seedy underbelly.

On a Dolby Vision-capable TV, TechRadar said, the disc delivers breathtaking images, with OLED TVs particularly impressive. The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is immersive and detailed, according to the article. The Batmobile/Penguin chase is its reference scene, showing off bass from the Batmobile engine, precisely mapped sounds of swerving traffic and a hail of bullets, and the capabilities of a surround system or soundbar.

Batman Forever, directed by Joel Schumacher, took a more colorful approach than Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns. It stars Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne/Batman, who faces Two-Face, played by Tommy Lee Jones, and The Riddler, played by Jim Carrey. TechRadar said it was the first Batman movie the writer remembers watching growing up, and noted that the film remains divisive among fans.

The 4K Blu-ray of Batman Forever is praised for bold neon colors that pop on screen, especially in Dolby Vision, including the Riddler's vibrant greens, neon light tubes across Gotham and vivid reds. TechRadar said the disc also uses shadow well, with melodramatic shots of characters over lamps creating dynamic images. On an OLED such as the LG G6 used for testing, blacks are rich and inky, while the 4K upscale delivers crisp textures, particularly skin tones. Its Dolby Atmos soundtrack is just as impressive, the article said, with the batarang cutting through the air mapped precisely to rear channels, explosions carrying heft, bullets packing a punch, and Two-Face's helicopter at the start serving as a showcase for Atmos.

The Dark Knight, the second entry in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, pits Batman, played by Christian Bale, against the Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger, a criminal mastermind seeking to plunge Gotham into chaos and push Batman to his limits. TechRadar said the 4K Blu-ray looks fantastic throughout, but its IMAX scenes are where it shines. The opening bank robbery is packed with detail, from the Joker's creased suit and the robbers' masks to the densely packed streets of Gotham. Later, as Batman stands amid smoldering wreckage in another IMAX-shot sequence, rich black levels and superb shadow detail look sublime on OLED.

TechRadar also highlighted high-contrast scenes, such as the prison escort in which cars move into tunnels and the dark surroundings contrast with trucks and overhead lights. The DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack is phenomenal, according to the article. In the opening scene, the score is balanced, with scratching strings mapped to the left rear and a ticking clock mapped to the right while the front channels handle the main action. Subwoofers get a workout from explosions, bullets and the Tumbler engine, and the article noted excellent detail when Batman rides his bike.

Editor's Summary TechRadar used Batman Day to recommend Batman 4K Blu-rays, highlighting The Batman, Batman Forever and The Dark Knight. The article focuses on picture and sound performance, with The Batman serving as a regular benchmark for TV and soundbar testing.