It’s safe to say that 2015 wasn’t the best year for Johnny Depp. First was his box office flop Mortdecai, which failed to impress despite an impressive cast. However, his other film that year was far more interesting, 2015’s Black Mass. Thanks to the new Black Mass 4K release, the Whitey Bulger crime drama is now available on UHD for the first time and is interesting to revisit.
“In 1970s South Boston, FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James Whitey Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI in order to eliminate their common enemy, the Italian mob. Black Mass tells the story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Bulger to evade law enforcement while escalating his power to become one of the most notorious gangsters in US history,” says the official description.
Depp plays Bulger in the film, and he’s joined by a stellar cast that includes Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard, and Dakota Johnson. Depp’s performance is stellar, as he has a frightening scene presence, and is definitely one of his best in the past decade. It’s worth noting that it might not be the most historically accurate, as Bulger himself and other associates have taken issue with it. But as far as a film goes? It winds up being an incredibly entertaining and powerful showing for Depp.
The film has a few issues, such as some uneven pacing and some subplots that could’ve been cut, but it’s definitely worth checking out. Getting to see such a stacked cast together in a crime drama is a lot of fun. While it’s not quite up there with classics of the crime drama genre, it’s not leagues away either. The film was also shot in Boston, which looks great in 4K and adds an additional sense of authenticity to it.
There are quite a few bonus features in the Black Mass 4K release. There is an hour-long documentary called The Manhunt for Whitey Bulger that goes into the real history and is a great watch afterward. There’s also a pretty stellar 12-minute featurette titled “Johnny Depp Becoming Whitey Bulger,” which gives a look into Depp’s preparation and professionalism. Finally, a 23-minute video (“Black Mass Deepest Cover, Darkest Crime”) features the cast and crew discussing the film and showing some great behind-the-scenes footage.
Black Mass 4K Review: Final Verdict
The Black Mass 4K release is well worth picking up if you’re a Johnny Depp fan. It’s one of Depp’s best performances, especially in the later stage of his career, and features a talented cast that properly supports him. With meaningful extras, it’s a great launching point for looking into the real story of Whitey Bulger as well.
Disclosure: ComingSoon was sent product by the publisher for our Black Mass 4K review.
