Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Cars 2 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Disney has released the critically lukewarm 2011 Pixar sequel film 'Cars 2' to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/HDR video and a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The UHD disc includes no new supplements, but the bundled Blu-ray contains a number of extras, all of which are identical to what was included with the 2011 Blu-ray 3-D release.

Cars 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Cars 2 makes the transition to the UHD format with a passable, but not really noteworthy, 2160p/HDR UHD presentation. The opening spy sequence, taking place at night on a platform in the middle of the ocean, offers a good example of the HDR color's basic improvements, delivering more agreeable black level depth out across the expansive night sky. Spots of bright light -- fiery explosions, a few torches and spotlights -- offer greater intensity and luminance, cutting into the surrounding darkness for a more vigorous spectacle that enhances the sequence's excitement and sense of danger. Contrarily, the next sequence takes place in Radiator Springs in daytime where the bright blue sky is notably more deep, presenting with an impressive, natural blue that's more true than the comparatively washed out Blu-ray. The various cars enjoy greater saturation as well across a fairly fun spectrum of colors, including various shades of red, green, purple, and so on. All of that said, the color differences don't seem quite as dramatic as they did on the first film's UHD. There's certainly more overall depth and the wider color gamut and greater intensity play up the movie's bold and playful tonal flavors, but it doesn't feel like the HDR colors explode with quite the same natural intensity. It's a good application, but not eye-popping.

As expected, the uptick in resolution doesn't amount to much in terms of tangible increases in image clarity and intimate detail visibility. There are minor increases in essential characteristics, whether considering car sheen, racetrack pavement, or natural terrain around Radiator Springs. The movie's source elements just don't appear to have much more to offer than what the previously issued Blu-ray had on tap. The boost in total clarity is satisfying, but the fact is most of the image's improvements come by way of the HDR color application, which adds a perception of greater image depth to go along with punchier, more fully saturated and deeply contrasted colors. With this upscaled to 4K presentation, there' just not much opportunity to push the imagery far beyond what the Blu-ray already had to offer. A little bit of aliasing presents here and there, but it's not exactly image-breaking in any occurrence. Otherwise, there are no encode issues of note. This is a nice looking presentation but it's not a major overhaul in any way, presenting as more of a refinement rather than a reworking.

Cars 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Cars 2 kicks into high gear on UHD with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The track plays well at high volume, and as usual it's necessary to raise the volume to enjoy the track to its fullest extent. It's not audibly lacking at high volume in any given area. There's an appropriate amount of verve and vigor to music. It's very well spaced; engages the surrounds and overheads with prominent, but not unbalanced support; and clarity from high energy and high impact beats to the classic Spy movie notes play with appreciable detail. Engine revs are throaty, growling at the starting line and zipping and rumbling along the track. One can feel the speed and power in the chest as the cars maneuver along the track and around one another. Each race is terrifically engineered from a sonic perspective and the Atmos configuration opens up the proceedings with very impressive and highly satisfying intensity. The Atmos track produces some tangible overhead content around the 22:45 mark as microphone dialogue reverberates around the stage and creates some mild fill in some background atmospherics, such as an exterior scene in chapter 20 where the entire track engages with the music and chatter that springs the locale to life. Dialogue is clear and well detailed. It is well prioritized for the duration.

Cars 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Cars 2's UHD disc contains no extras, but the pair of bundled Blu-ray discs include all of the legacy content that was included with the 3-D release. See below for a list of what's included. Please click here for full supplemental content coverage. This release ships with an embossed slipcover and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code.

Blu-ray Disc One (Feature Film):

• Audio Commentary: Directors John Lasseter and Brad Lewis.
• Hawaiian Vacation
• Air Mater

• The Pacific
• Emeryville
• Radiator Springs
• London
• Paris
• Munich
• Prague
• Porta Corsa
• Tokyo
• Sneak Peek: The Nuts & Bolts of Cars Land

Cars 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Cars 2 benefits from the transition to UHD but it's not an overhaul of the Blu-ray. Colors are tweaked to add nuance and depth and dazzle but there's little in terms of pure textural boost. The Atmos soundtrack is fairly good with the volume cranked. Plenty of extras are included on a pair of bundled 1080p Blu-ray discs; there's nothing, supplementally, on the UHD presentation. Recommended.