Jaws: The Revenge 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Jaws: The Revenge 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker August 2, 2024

'Jaws: The Revenge' arrives on 4K UHD courtesy of Universal. The third sequel to the landmark original film which arrived in theaters in 1975 features cinema favorites Michael Caine and Mario Van Peebles in supporting roles. Outfitted with a very pleasing 2160p transfer and surprising Dolby Atmos audio track, fans of the film should be very happy with this release despite its lack of any new special features. A Blu-ray disc, slipcover, and Digital Code redeemable through Movies Anywhere are also included.

For an appreciation of the film, please follow the link here. By way of full transparency, I enjoyed the campy and outright bizarre nature of this film a bit more than my colleague Martin Liebman seemed to in his review from 2016 and would have scored it a full point higher (2.0), but for consistency's sake, I am carrying his rating of the film over to this new release.

Jaws: The Revenge 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Fans of Jaws: The Revenge wil be pleased to know that the variety of issues that plagued the previous Blu-Ray release are largely resolved here. Fine detail is very high, as seen in shots on the shoreline where virtually every grain of sand and shell is distinguishable. Skin tones look realistic and healthy for the majority of the film's runtime, only occasionally wandering into slightly reddish territory. Primaries like the yellow police rain coat, bright yellow lights at the dock, and those in the Christmas lights around town during the opening scenes pop nicely. The color palette is opened up to allow for more subtle and lifelike gradations in the hues of the water which reveals a spectrum of colors from turquoise to greenish blue and light blue to deep blue. Blood, even in the watery shots at night is a deep and rich red. Grain is present and is very fine, resolving naturally. Black levels are deep and inky and can teeter on the brink of being troublesome as has been the case with previous home video releases of the title, but on the whole, are very satisfactory on this disc. The film has never looked better than it does here in 4K.

Please be advised that all screenshots are taken from the included 1080p disc.

Jaws: The Revenge 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The upgrade to a Dolby Atmos track for Jaws: The Revenge is very well done and compliments the film nicely. It's not overpowering but provides solid immersion right from the start as the score surrounds the listener, as do the musical stings that accompany shark attacks. Not constantly immersive, the track carefully picks its moments to add flairs of ambiance and environmental sounds. Bass adds tasteful but not oppressive depth to both the music and underwater environmental sounds creating a deliciously rich experience. Dialogue is crisply and cleanly rendered, as are the numerous screams which never sound shrill or distorted. Directionality is satisfactory and sounds move fluidly. While the track is not as ambitious and fully leveraged as what one would find in modern films, it's an appealing improvement for a film that's pushing 40.

Jaws: The Revenge 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

On-disc bonus features are consistent with the previous Blu-ray release and include:

• Alternate Ending (3.42) - A slightly less optimistic and humourous ending than what was ultimately used for the film.

• Theatrical Trailer (1.06) - Original theatrical trailer in SD.

Jaws: The Revenge 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The 2160p transfer doesn't make the film any less strange, but it does allow viewers to simply focus on the story and the wild performances from Michael Caine and Mario Van Peebles. It's also hard to take one's eyes off Lorraine Gary and her uniquely over-the-top final reprisal of the role of Ellen Brody in what was to be her last film appearance. The Dolby Atmos track is likewise a pleasant but unexpected improvement. While the film wasn't well- received upon its release, it still remains my favorite of the Jaws sequels. For fans of the series and the film, Jaws: The Revenge 4K comes Recommended.