Babe: Pig in the City 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Babe: Pig in the City 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 9, 2026

Babe: Pig in the City may have displaced audiences as dramatically as the film did with its titular character, though as I mentioned in my now long ago Babe: Pig in the City Blu-ray review of Universal's original 1080 release of the film, anyone who thought that the first Babe was all sweetness and light simply may not have been paying attention. That said, there is no doubt that this follow up is considerably more (to utilize a term from this disc's commentary which is potentially a very dangerous drinking game considering how often it's used) "dark" than the original.

The above linked review offers plot information and my reaction to the technical presentation (there were no supplements offered on the Universal 1080 disc).

Babe: Pig in the City 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Babe: Pig in the City is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Kino Lorber's Studio Classics imprint. 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". While the overall appearance of this sequel is very much in line quality wise with that seen in Babe's 4K upgrade, the improvement may actually be more noticeable with this follow up, since the old 1080 release from Universal didn't quite have the video "oomph" that Universal's 1080 of the first film did. The color timing is once again warmer and better suffused in this version, and this version is also (appropriately?) darker than the old Universal presentation. In fact, in looking back at the old Universal release with the benefit of hindsight and especially when comparing it to this version, the old one can look a bit artificially brightened at times. The HDR / Dolby Vision grades probably help with "pop" in the bookending sequences at the farm more than the "big city" vignettes, though impressively deep blacks help to give the urban "paradise" (?) a sinister undertone. Detail levels are typically very commendable, though as with Babe's 4K presentation, this 4K outing can't help but show some of the seams in the special effects work more overtly than in Kino's 1080 presentation.

Babe: Pig in the City 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Babe: Pig in the City offers DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 options (the old Universal 1080 release did not have a stereo track, but had a lossy surround track in French in addition to a lossless surround track in English). I frankly didn't hear much if any difference between this 5.1 track and the one on the old Universal release. As I mentioned in my review of the Universal release, some of the best moments in terms of surround activity are big set pieces like Mrs. Hoggett's foray into the city as well as a great sequence where Babe is being chased by two guard dogs. That sequence especially is rife with fantastic activity running rampant through the side channels as Babe attempts to escape the beasts and one of them drags an ever increasing aggregation of items behind it that have gotten stuck on its broken leash. Scoring also nicely spreads through the rear channels regularly. Dialogue and narration are both rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Babe: Pig in the City 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K UHD Disc

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

1080 Disc

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


• A Darker World (HD; 22:53) is more of the Zoom adjacent interview that was included on Babe 4K, this time concentrating on the sequel.


• 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.

Packaging features a slipcover.

Babe: Pig in the City 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Some of the supplements on this disc and Babe 4K at least allude to some "backstage drama" between George Miller and Chris Noonan. Noonan co-wrote and directed the first film, but Miller took over this one, evidently excising Noonan's participation completely, and while Miller seems to think Noonan didn't add anything substantial to the first film, there may be dissenting voices from many who find this second film to simply be too (drinking game alert) dark for its own good. Still, this is an often enchanting if disturbing film, maybe a bit like Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events in terms of presenting an unsettling tale with a kind of storybook ambience (and amazing production design). Technical merits are solid, and the commentary and interview very enjoyable. Recommended.