Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		0.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		5.0

Paramount Scares: Volume 2 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 20, 2024

It was only last October when Paramount released the first in its new line of "Paramount Scares" 4K collections, a set which seems to be the studio's Horror-themed answer to the very prestigious Columbia Classics sets that Sony has been releasing to great fanfare and critical claim for the past few years. That first "Scares" set included some terrific films and it appears that this may well indeed be a Halloween tradition for Paramount now with the release of this second volume releasing in the same season. This set lacks the same gravitas as the previous one, offering four films instead of five and, this time, no "surprise" film (the inclusion of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in the first collection was to be a surprise but was leaked ahead of time). This set includes three films making their UHD debuts: Friday the 13th Part II, Breakdown, and Orphan: First Kill while World War Z is a repeat repeat UHD release, albeit from another studio. See below for links to previously written film, audio, and supplement reviews; links to new video and audio reviews for these UHD issues; and a few words on and photographs of the packaging.

For full film reviews, please click through the following links; note that these links point to original Blu-ray releases.

• Friday the 13th Part 2
• Breakdown
• World War Z
• Orphan: First Kill

Paramount Scares: Volume 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For full UHD video reviews, please click through the following links:

• Friday the 13th Part 2
• Breakdown
• World War Z
• Orphan: First Kill

Paramount Scares: Volume 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Each film incudes the original audio from the Blu-ray releases. Please click below for full audio reviews:

• Friday the 13th Part 2
• Breakdown
• World War Z
• Orphan: First Kill

Paramount Scares: Volume 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This second volume of Paramount Scares ships in a box that is predominantly green (the first volume was predominantly red). It's certainly going to distinguish itself from the first and also stand out on any display. The box measures approximately 11.5" long by 8.5" wide and 2" deep, which is similar to the dimension of the original release's box. As with that first box, this box's artwork is made up of a collage of images from the various films inside. One of the joys of a collection like this, and packaging like this, is the simple act of exploring all of the nooks and crannies and discovering the big images and some of the little hidden, or at least not so prominent, elements that are scattered throughout the collection.

The box is of a very simple design, with a top that easily lifts off. Inside are some treats, including, most prominently and similarly to the first issue, an exclusive, full glossy color paper issue of Fangoria magazine that covers the four films in this collection in some detail. For collectors of that magazine, this alone is worth the cost. Some additional goodies are included, including a folded color poster that is essentially a collage of images from the four films, much like the outer box artwork the poster measures approximately 22" tall and 16" wide. There are also some physical goodies as well: an official Paramount Scares lapel pin, four small iron-on patches (one for each film), and a heavy duty Paramount Scares sticker, which is curiously the color from the last set (red) rather than the dominant color for this set (green). A single digital copy voucher with individual codes for each film is also included in the box.

Each film ships in a standard back UHD case, nothing unique or interesting, but each film also ships with a bronze colored slipcover with a quote from the film on one side and a stylized image from the film on the other. They are very attractive, and give each film a distinguished look, as was the case with the original boxed set. Some fans might be happy to see these take a unique look while others might have wished that they would have followed in exactly the same style as the previous boxed set for the sake of display purposes, but there is no arguing that these look great as they are.

Paramount Scares: Volume 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Paramount's sophomore effort for its Paramount Scares line is just as good as the original box, the lack of a fifth surprise movie notwithstanding. The lament is more for the absence of a fifth film and less the "surprise" factor, because let's face it, in the Internet age there are really no surprises anymore. It will be interesting to see if four or five films make the cut next year, assuming there is a release next year. Hopefully there will be, because Paramount seems to already have these collections down to a science, even if I'm still not quite sure what Breakdown is doing in a "Horror" themed boxed set. It's a wonderfully tense thriller with horrific narrative elements, but I would never call it a horror film in the tradition of Friday the 13th, Part II, for example. Anyway, it's wonderful to have that film in 4K, even if I was not exactly thrilled with it. It's a shame that World War Z is a repeat UHD release, but the other three are new to the format. The technical presentations are excellent, too, and the price is definitely right. Recommended!