Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Despicable Me 2 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Universal has released the smash hit family-favorite film 'Despicable Me 2' to the UHD format for the first time. The film now boasts 2160p and HDR-enhanced video along with a new DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack. No new supplements are included, but the three mini movies are offered with new 2160p/HDR-enhanced presentations. Read on to see how this release stacks up to the original Blu-ray.

Despicable Me 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date. No review for the Dolby Vision presentation is available at this time.

To this point, Universal's animated films to feature on the UHD format haven't really proven all that interesting, failing to really differentiate themselves from their 1080p Blu-ray counterparts in any real way. Neither Sing nor The Secret Life of Pets do the format any favors, even if one might think super-colorful animated fare might be a goldmine for HDR content. Despicable Me 2 doesn't exactly continue on in that direction. There are some noticeable differences between the images the two formats produce, but the UHD is certainly not leaps-and-bounds superior to the well-reviewed 1080p image.

Despicable Me 2's UHD release falls very much in-line with that of its predecessor. Universal's 2160p/HDR-enhanced presentation offers a slightly altered color scheme but no increase in appreciable detail. To be sure, many of the movie's core images aren't exactly textural wonderlands. Smooth skin and minion bodies lack any sort of nuance, leaving clothes, environments, and various props and set pieces to shine. Sadly, there's really no improvement. The movie was reportedly finished at 2K and one is hard-pressed to see any increase in definition on heavily textured clothes, plants, woods, or other surfaces that might offer some sort of boost with the increased resolution.

Colors are where things begin to get a little interesting. Well, maybe not interesting, but at least different. Watching the movie without comparing it to the original Blu-ray yields a very nice, diverse, cheerful, and well saturated color palette. It's not particularly remarkable, but it looks quite nice, full of punch and vigor and perfect saturation and nuance. Truly, the palette is a wonder of beautiful colors, with pinks, purples, aquas, and of course minion yellow all dazzling standouts. Making that comparison with the well-reviewed Blu-ray makes the differences known. The big change, much like that on the Despicable Me release, is that the UHD and its HDR component produce colors that are less garish than the Blu-ray, less intensely saturated and more nuanced. Boldness and accuracy remain paramount, but it's easy to see where they've been toned down but at the same time more finely tuned. They pop much more here even as they're less distinctly pronounced. That said, the Blu-ray's colors are perfectly serviceable, and indeed sparkle. This isn't an upgrade that makes one's eyes pop, but it's nice enough to please. Still, those who just own the Blu-ray don't need to put this UHD on their bucket list for home video viewing.

Despicable Me 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Despicable Me 2 bumps up to a DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack from the standard Blu-ray's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless presentation. Much like the move from one to the other on the first film's UHD release, the improvements are not significant but they do result in a more open and enjoyable track. There's not a massive change in terms of core elements like dialogue, music, and effects when it comes to basic core clarity, but listeners will note enhanced spacing, greater movement, and a bit more pure aggression. There are some fun overhead moments throughout, notably near the end when a ship zips around -- overhead -- and really draws the listener into the moment. In fact, that entire action scene offers a much more satisfying sonic experience, including improved low end depth and general spacing about every axis. It's more of a refinement, but the extra punch and area of operation is most welcome and most beneficial to the movie.

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

Despicable Me 2's UHD debut contains no new bonus content, but the UHD disc does include the Renaud/Coffin audio commentary track as well as the three mini-movies -- Puppy, Panic in the Mailroom, and Training Wheels -- in 2160p/HDR video and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. All of the supplements carry over on the included 1080p Blu-ray disc, which is a simple port of the original release.

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

Despicable Me 2 is the obligatory sequel that made the obligatory massive amounts of money for Universal. The franchise shows absolutely no signs of slowing down and a new movie is right around the corner. This sequel may be a bit inferior to the original, but it's still a very fun, colorful, and expressive animated film that's sure to please for generations to come. Universal's UHD release offers a fine DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack and a 2160p/HDR image that's better in terms of color presentation but practically identical in terms of detailing. No new extras are included. Super fans of the film and the franchise might want to pick it up, but the improvements aren't that big to warrant a double-dip for general audiences.