Groundhog Day 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Groundhog Day 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 19, 2023

Sony has released the fan-favorite time loop Comedy 'Groundhog Day' to the UHD format for the second time. The film was previously released to UHD in 2018 and featured new Atmos audio and 2160p/HDR video. This release retains the same audio track but adds Dolby Vision color grading. The bundled Blu-ray, identical to that released many years ago, is included and houses almost all of the supplemental content.

Groundhog Day is a special film not only for its comedic theatrics or one of the top performances of Bill Murray's career but for its blend of humorous and heartfelt storytelling about an aloof and self-centered man who repeats what he believes to be the worst day of his life that gradually turns into his best. A bad situation -- one from which he cannot escape -- becomes a life-changing exploration of his innermost soul amidst the ups and downs of small town life on a blustery winter's day. The film finds character complexity through plenty of humor. It balances a bit of crass content, localized flavor, repetitious yet ever evolutionary laughs, and narrative depth and meshes it all together with seamless precision, where the dramatic content and the comedic content become so effortlessly entwined that both feel prominent yet never overpowering, equal partners in telling a tale of redemption over time yet in no time at all. Filled with memorable dialogue, classic moments, unforgettable side characters, wonderful comedic antics, and touching narrative excellence, the film remains an icon of contemporary cinema and an infinitely re-watrchable and ever-enjoyable tale.

For a full (and alternate take) review of the film, please click here.

Groundhog Day 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sony's new 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD release of Groundhog Day does not represent a major revision or image overhaul, but this is nevertheless a good, sturdy image that bolsters the original thanks to the Dolby Vision grading. The image is notably brighter, with bolder colors and more satisfying whites, which appear brighter, more vivid, and a little more brilliant, not enough to leave the old UHD looking creamy, but enough to notice the difference. The new color grading certainly gives a feel for superior life and vitality to the image without performing any radical transformation work. This is a nuanced upgrade, one that is plainly evident even before conducting the obligatory A-B comparison with the old disc, but not so dramatic as to render the 2018 HDR disc ineffective or too terribly antiquated. The image looks pretty well identical otherwise. This one may appear a tad sharper, but any discrepancy could be attributed to the individual playback devices, which are not identical. The image holds a very pleasing grain structure and impeccably complex textures. This is a very flattering and filmic image that does Groundhog Day very proud.

Groundhog Day 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For its second UHD release, Groundhog Day retains the Dolby Atmos soundtrack from the 2018 disc. What follows is the original review of that audio track:

The film is, of course, not particularly intensive on the sonic front, but the Atmos presentation does add some critical depth and space to the soundtrack. Music enjoys a robust boost in clarity and stage saturation. It's big, transparent, extends beyond the speaker placement and seems to fill the room with enjoyably clear and detailed instrumentals, including a hearty low end support. The Pennsylvania Polka song, critical as an entry point to each new day when Phil walks into Gobbler's Knob, plays with a stage-commanding airiness about it, gleefully floating through the stage and creating an open, enriching listen that essentially transports the listener from cozy home theater to chilly Pennsylvania field. Environmental supports enjoy equally impressive stage entrance, such as light gusty winds or honking traffic on a congested road closed down by snow, and recreate the places with scene-enriching ease. Dialogue is firm, front-center positioned, and naturally detailed. This track proves Atmos isn't just for the sonic big boys.

Groundhog Day 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

All of Groundhog Day's core supplemental content can be found on the bundled Blu-ray disc, with the exception of a Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:39) on the UHD disc. Below is a list of what's included, but for full reviews please click here. As for the UHD disc, it does not include the extra content from the previous issue, including cast and crew still photos and the collection of categorized "moments." A digital copy code is included with purchase.

The SteelBook packaging features a classic image from the film, depicting Bill Murray's Phil inside the alarm clock that sits next to his bed at the bed and breakfast. A snowy backdrop appears behind him. The rear panel features a darker metallic blue background with some snowflakes falling and the groundhog poking out of a hole, center. The spine is the same blue color with the film's title in large white letters, center, and a white Columbia Pictures logo at the bottom. Inside is a grayscale image of Phil and his crew inside the news van.

• Audio Commentary: Director Harold Ramis
• A Different Day: An Interview with Harold Ramis
• The Weight of Time
• The Study of Groundhogs: A Real Life Look at Marmots
• Needle Nose Ned's Picture-in-Picture Track
• Deleted Scenes

Groundhog Day 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Groundhog Day walks that fine line between cinematic comfort food and purposeful storytelling. It blends hearty humor with heartfelt happenings, built around a razor-sharp script flawlessly delivered by way of an unforgettable cast of characters. One of the best films of its time and a top comedy of all time, they just don't get much better than Groundhog Day. Sony's UHD re-release impresses with high-end 2160p/Dolby Vision picture, a wonderfully complimentary Atmos soundtrack, and all of the extras from the 2009 Blu-ray release. It's a fair upgrade from the 2018 disc, but the SteelBook packaging is pretty uninspired. Recommended.