Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.5

Loki: The Complete Second Season 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 1, 2024

Note: Disney / Buena Vista is releasing a slate of Disney+ offerings all in SteelBook packaging and all available beginning on December 3. For the first time in my personal experience of reviewing Disney product, they are only releasing these series on 4K disc, with no 1080 disc releases available as of the writing of this review.

Loki may come off as a psychedelically infused combo platter of elements from shows like Quantum Leap and The Time Tunnel as its title character (Tom Hiddleston) has any number of both personal and temporal "variants" to contend with, but perhaps just a bit cheekily it might be suggested that it is featured player Jonathan Majors who might want to either "time slip" or jump into someone else's skin, considering his well publicized personal problems which ultimately resulted in him being jettisoned from a whole host of projects, including if not Loki itself (as discussed in a moment), then several other planned Marvel Cinematic Universe outings, including a once announced feature based on Kang the Conqueror. Rather interestingly in that regard, as relatively late as October 23, the show's creative staff was insisting Majors' issues would have no bearing on the second season, as is discussed in this generally great overview of the second season courtesy of a Variety interview with executive producer Kevin Wright. A couple of months before Wright's interview with Variety, The Hollywood Reporter had itself expressed at least a bit of surprise that Majors was prominently featured in the trailer for the second season, a "tell" that might indicate behind the scenes conflict may have already been underway, even before Majors' eventual conviction. All of this may admittedly be "background noise", but it may in fact ultimately end up playing more significantly into future depictions of Majors' character(s) in a variety of MCU productions, though as of the writing of this review, there is no third season of Loki being discussed, and in fact this second season feels like it provides enough "closure" to tie up at least most of the dangling plot threads.

Those wanting the text equivalent of "previously. . .on Loki" may want to head over to my Loki: The Complete First Season 4K Blu-ray review.

The good news is, maybe not exactly in the same way as Kevin Wright may have meant but still ending up with the same result, Majors' peccadilloes may provide some salacious background chatter but in fact do not affect this often brilliantly fun and funny second season of Loki continuing to provide an almost carnival-esque atmosphere, even given the admitted fact that the characters Majors portrays figure into this season undeniably prominently. And despite any "meta" feelings Majors' extracurricular problems may engender in some viewers, he's often quite effective as a 19th century carnival performer named Victor Timely in particular, especially when considering the fact that Timely would seem to be about the direct opposite of the way Majors has been portrayed in the press, and maybe slightly hilariously the way Majors portrayed himself in some now infamous leaked messages that came out during his trial.

Even more good news arrives in the sheer surplus of plot lunacy and bounteous other characters suffusing this second season, which keeps things moving briskly and often wonderfully unpredictably, as Loki perhaps slightly improbably actually becomes something akin to the hero he's always seemed to want to be. That ultimate transformation actually began in the first season, but with any number of multiverses spinning out of control in this second season, Loki's ability to meet the moment (or moments, considering the variant timelines) interestingly becomes a real turning point for the character, and is perhaps why this season's wrap up feels semi-definitive.

There's some really interesting information in the main Making Of featurette on Disc One of this set where it's mentioned how Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five provided some inspiration, at least insofar as there's a focal character who can't keep track of the time (so to speak). But even more interesting are some allusions to how this second season kind of posits the whole Time Variance Authority in general and Hunter X-5 / Brad Wolfe (Rafael Casal) in particular as finding themselves in somewhat the same predicament Loki did in the first season, in terms of both defining and redefining themselves in light of new information.

Loki: The Complete Second Season 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: This release does not include a 1080 Blu-ray, so these screenshots are taken directly from the 4K UHD disc and downscaled to 1080 and SDR. Color space in particular is therefore not accurate. Because there are no 1080 discs in this package, the 2K video score above has been intentionally left blank.

Loki: The Complete Second Season is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Disney / Buena Vista with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.20:1. The IMDb lists a variety of cameras, though a uniform 4K DI. Every shot I could see including a camera in the Making Of featurette didn't reveal any easily discernable brand or model, and so I can't authoritatively state what was utilized for this particular season, but I will say chief cinematographer Isaac Bauman is on hand in that above referenced featurette overtly mentioning how he didn't want to mimic the look of the first season, and in that regard, the first thing that struck me this season was the increased reliance on digital grain to give a more textured look to things. Your mileage of course may vary, but I was kind of ambivalent in my response to this technique. At times, things looked (I'm assuming intentionally) yellowish and splotchy, but assuming that was a deliberate aesthetic decision, it does set this season apart from the arguably glossier, smoother looking first season. That particular situation aside, this is another really fantastic looking presentation, with excellent fine detail levels throughout on virtually all of the practical sets and costumes, and some rather good CGI as well, especially in the horrifying/hilarious transformations Loki goes through as he time slips. HDR / Dolby Vision is hard to "compare" since there's no 1080 version to stack this up against, but the palette is really beautifully nuanced a lot of the time. There are a number of burnished yellow-golden scenes within the Time Variance Authority, but then other vignettes can offer subtle teal backgrounds and highlights, including in the "basement lair" of Ouroborous (Ke Huy Quan). Purples in scenes featuring He Who Remains are also incredibly vibrant.

Loki: The Complete Second Season 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Loki: The Complete Second Season features a rambunctious Dolby Atmos track that provides some really fun surround activity throughout every episode. From the opening clamor of a confused Loki trying to evade Mobius (Owen Wilson), to later cacophony as any number of timelines are explored, engagement of the side and rear channels is expertly handled in terms of both ambient environmental effects, other, more whimsical, sound effects (like the, yes, horrifying/hilarious sound effects accompanying Loki's time slipping), and scoring. Atmos speakers get regular workouts as well, and there are some really inventive moments that combine Atmos placement with LFE, as in a kind of funny slow dolly into some closed doors where a pulsing "time loom" awaits. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English, French and Spanish subtitles are available.

Loki: The Complete Second Season 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc One

• Assembled: The Making of Loki: Season 2 (HD; 58:05) is another really appealing overview in the Assembled series, though considering Loki's problems "keeping it together" this season, this might have been better titled Disassembled. Joking aside, this has a ton of behind the scenes material (including information on how the great "deconstruction and reassembly" of Loki was achieved as he time slips), and some really good interviews.

Disc Two

• Loki Through Time (HD; 6:15) offers a brief history of the character in his various MCU appearances.


• Gag Reel (HD; 1:46)


• Deleted / Extended Scenes (HD; 5:02)

Disney is offering packaging collectors another really nicely designed SteelBook, this one appropriately adorned in emerald greens. Loki graces the front cover, along with smaller versions of himself and Mobius, with other supporting characters surrounding Ouroboros on the back panel. The interior panels offer a photograph of many of the principal characters (Majors is notably absent in all of the depictions). Collector cards are also enclosed.

Loki: The Complete Second Season 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Virtually every Disney+ limited or miniseries I've personally reviewed has had at least some redeeming characteristics, but I have to say Loki has been by far the most fun to watch. This second season has absolutely no discernable "sophomore slump", and continues apace with some alternately guffaw inducing and actually rather thoughtful moments. Technical merits are first rate and the supplements very enjoyable. Collectors should also appreciate the handsome SteelBook packaging. Highly recommended.