Babe 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Babe 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 6, 2026

Babe is one of those films almost guaranteed to melt even the hardest of hearts, as evidenced by one of the commentaries included in this set where self confessed curmudgeon Peter Hankoff announces he's not going to have even one snarky thing to say about anything. Some may have assumed that producer and co-writer George Miller must have been hard hearted himself after his Mad Max franchise, but Babe offers more than ample proof that Miller may just be another "old softie" when you get right down to it.

Babe received a long ago 1080 release from home studio Universal, and my Babe Blu-ray review of that release offers plot information, a list of supplements and my reaction to the technical presentation.

Babe 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc in this package.

Babe is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Kino Lorber's Studio Classics imprint with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. The back cover of this release states this offers a "brand new HDR / Dolby Vision master from a 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative". I was generally pretty pleased with the old Universal release, but in hindsight of course that release shows some undeniable deficits that both the 1080 and especially 4K UHD presentations in this set help to rectify, most notably in terms of overall brightness and most particularly color timing. This new version is considerably warmer generally than the old Universal release, something I think benefits the underlying story greatly, and there's a tighter grain configuration here (the Universal release could show pretty gritty grainfields against skies in particular). There are still some variances to be observed at times, including some noticeable fluctuations in grain thickness aside and apart from any composited shots, and even some slight variations in color temperature. I actually found some of the barn material to be just a bit too brown for my personal liking, to cite one example. The HDR / Dolby Vision grades offer considerable pop but frankly I didn't see any huge uptick in shadow detail in dark scenes like the opening "abduction" of Babe's mother or, later, some of the nighttime material with Rex. The 4K version probably unavoidably shows some of the "seams" of the special effects work at times that are arguably a bit less observable in the 1080 version.

Babe 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Babe features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that to my ears was substantially the same as the 5.1 track on the old Universal 1080 disc, but this new release also offers a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 option that the old 1080 disc did not. The surround track is probably going to be the favored choice for most, and as I mentioned in my original review of the Universal release, while Babe's soundtrack isn't a typical summer blockbuster "wow" offering, on its own relatively quieter terms, the 5.1 track is perfectly cinematic and does feature quite a bit of involving immersion. From the first haunting squeals of the "modern farming" pigs to the more sylvan ambient environmental noises of the Hoggett Farm, the track is alive with various noises which are nicely posited around the soundstage. Voicework is excellent throughout the film and is delivered with excellent fidelity. The sweet underscore, including James Cromwell's now iconic singing, is also presented with nice vibrancy. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Babe 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K UHD Disc

• Audio Commentary by Co-Writer / Co-Producer George Miller


• Audio Commentary by Film Historian / Writer Julie Kirgo and Writer / Filmmaker Peter Hankoff

Note: Both of the above commentaries are accessible under the Audio Menu on the 4K UHD disc.

1080 Disc

• Audio Commentary by Co-Writer / Co-Producer George Miller


• Audio Commentary by Film Historian / Writer Julie Kirgo and Writer / Filmmaker Peter Hankoff


• That'll Do, Pig (HD; 24:54) is a new interview with actor James Cromwell.


• Making Pigs Talk (HD; 30:36) is a new interview with George Miller.


• The Making of Babe (SD; 3:56)


• George Miller on Babe (SD; 6:12)
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• Concept Art & Storyboard Gallery (HD; 2:20)


• Trailers include Babe (HD; 2:14) and Babe: Pig in the City (HD; 2:33) along with some other tangentially connected trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber.

Note: A bit more information on the supplements ported over from the old Universal 1080 release is available in my Babe Blu-ray review.

Packaging features a slipcover.

Babe 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As a near lifelong vegetarian, some of the subtext of Babe probably strikes home more viscerally for me than some, but in that regard it's perhaps salient to note that another longtime vegetarian, James Cromwell, is also a noted animal rights activist, and commentators Julie Kirgo and Peter Hankoff mention how their viewing of the film affected their diets as well. Eating regimens aside, this film is a, well, veritable banquet of emotions and has received a nice upgrade visually here, with some appealing new supplements added into the mix. Recommended.