Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Sing 2 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 31, 2022

Sing 2 is, of course, the sequel follow-up to the gigantic 2016 Illumination hit Sing. The film does what all good sequels do: it ups the ante for story, scope, characters, and as a digitally animated title, visual depth and complexity. While the story may be flat, and the film without real dramatic heart and intensity, it overcomes its shortcomings as a laser-focused production that absolutely knows its place, its purpose, and its audience. Fine art it is not, but a finely tuned return escape into the cuddly and musically rich and diverse fan-favorite world this film offers in spades. Go in with an expectation to be entertained rather than for life change, and Sing 2 will prove to be one of the most agreeable films of the year.

Buster (voiced by Matthew McConaughey) and company are on the rise. Their latest show is a success, and they dream of reaching even higher into stardom. When they notice a talent scout in the audience they believe that they’re about to earn their big break. However, the scout leaves early and tells Buster, quite simply, that his crew “is not good enough.” He would never make it in the big leagues,” she tells him. But Buster is not dejected. Though the scout shuts down his repeated pleas, he and the crew break into the Crystal Entertainment headquarters, hoping to impress entertainment bigwig Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale) who can make dreams come true – or dash them with the press of a button, as he usually does. Buddy and company are rejected outright, but when Jimmy hears a desperate pitch of Gunter’s latest idea – a Sci-Fi stage show – Jimmy gives the production the green light after being led to believe that retired and reclusive singer Clay Calloway (voiced by Bono) has signed on to star. Of course, he has not, and Buster must pull out all the stops if he’s going to both put on a top-notch show and somehow draw Calloway into it before Jimmy catches wind of treachery.

The film’s plot dynamics are not exactly breaking new ground. In fact, once the story parameters are set, the movie’s ebbs and flows come as no surprise: there will be successes and failures, starts (and stars) and stops, open roads and roadblocks, and various twists and turns that all keep the characters on their toes and the general narrative drama interesting, even if none of it proves to be of much lasting value. Audiences will recognize room for story deviations, ups, and downs, and predict with high accuracy when and how they will come, and of which variety, but the movie is more than sum of its parts.

Indeed, Sing 2 is not about its story. It is rather about the songs that push it forward, the characters who perform them, and general jovialness that the film exudes. Kids won't care that the story plays within familiar beats. The film knows its audience and its purpose and uses plot as a framework, however crude it may be, to allow the film to logically reach the next number. Some of the more personal stories prove to be of more interest than the overreaching context within which the core story plays out; Rosita’s (voiced by Reese Witherspoon) sudden fear of heights and the internal emotional response is of some interest and value, as is Meena’s (voiced by Tori Kelly) shyness and flirtations with love. Nothing here is elegant, except for the technical bits, which are first-rate.

It doesn’t get much better than what Sing 2 has to offer in terms of its construction. Not only are the characters well-drawn and diverse, they are also nicely voiced. All of the primaries enjoy real soulful inhabitation and seamless blend of digital artistry and human voicing. The quirks and personality traits, as well as the singing voices, are top notch. The visual production is a treat, too, with the film bursting with color and vividly complex set pieces that delight even eyes so accustomed to watching the latest and greatest in digital production playing out on the screen.

Sing 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Universal's Sing 2 UHD takes everything that is great about the companion, and concurrently released, Blu-ray and amplifies it. The 2160p/Dolby Vision presentation delivers just the sort of dynamic viewing experience one would expect from this format and a brand new, high end digital animation film. Clarity is boosted by quite a bit; several shots border on photorealistic and the sense of overall definition is certain. Fine point details are more clearly presented, and not just character qualities but world definition. Look at a brushed metal dryer and scuffed blue tiles at the 8:54 mark inside a bathroom. On the UHD the finer characteristics are presented for all they're worth at the 2160p resolution, affording the viewer the very best end product on their screen. The improvements to stability and clarity may not tower over the Blu-ray, but the differences are immediately obvious (at least when watching the films back-to-back) but also evident on various A-B comparisons. The Blu-ray is not lacking, but the UHD is clearly the next level presentation.

The Dolby Vision color grading is what pushes this presentation the most. The adds to depth and vividness are obvious and can render the Blu-ray looking a little pale and flat. It is not on its own, but comparisons do reveal this technology's superiority. Colors are dense and punchy with incredible balance both in bright and low light. Various clothes and animal skins and furs enjoy wonderful accuracy and vividness. The boldest tones absolutely launch off the screen and even support hues find superior presentation accuracy. Black levels depth is terrific, beyond even the Blu-ray, and likewise whites are more dynamic and crisper here (look at Buster's white shirt as seen in various shots and scenes throughout the film).

The encode is slightly superior here, too. The light macroblocking that popped up in one scene on the Blu-ray is pretty much gone here, and there are no other source of encode flaws to worry about. In short, this one looks terrific.

Sing 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Universal brings Sing 2 to the UHD format with a Dolby Atmos audio presentation. In short, this track offers everything a modern Musical soundtrack requires, and then some. This is an impressively large, and seamlessly engaged, audio presentation. It is a finely tuned machine of power and elegance alike. Sound is positioned everywhere, but not for the sake of immersion. Everything is in wonderful balance, whether fully immersive music or more specifically oriented and positioned one-off effects. Clarity is never sacrificed for volume or spread; the track's larger musical numbers and finer atmospheric effects alike never betray total realism. Listeners will sit in awe at the pure definition and detail on display throughout with, of course, the music the dominant delight. The track is rounded into perfect, top-tier shape by center positioned, well prioritized, and lifelike dialogue reproduction.

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

This UHD release of Sing 2 includes a couple of obligatory mini-movies and several featurettes. A Blu-ray copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.

• For Gunter's Eyes Only (2160p/Dolby Vision, 3:44): Gunter (voiced by Nick Kroll) is hypnotized and becomes a James Bond-esque secret agent, of course to humorous results.
• Animal Attraction (2160p/Dolby Vision, 4:12): Darius (voiced by Eric André) struggles to shoot a commercial.
• Outtakes (2160p/Dolby Vision, 2:07): Humorous moments from the recording sessions.
• Meet the Animators (2160p/Dolby Vision, 4:34): Introducing the artists who made the film and exploring their visions and creative processes.
• Super Sing-Alongs (2160p/Dolby Vision, 14:51 total runtime): Songs with karaoke lyrics on the screen. Included are "Let's Go Crazy," "Break Free," "A Sky Full of Stars," "Could Have Been Me," "I Say a Little Prayer," and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For."
• How to Dance & More (2160p/Dolby Vision, 17:50 total runtime): A collection of mini-featurettes that instruct viewers in various elements to bring the Sing 2 experience to life in a home show. Included are How to Dance to 'Sing 2,' Stage Design 101, Make-Up, Mics, Costumes, and Props.
• The Voices of Sing 2 (2160p/Dolby Vision, 11:26 total runtime): Brief interviews and recording clips with the voice stars. Included are Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, Reese Witherspoon as Rosita, Taron Egerton as Johnny, Tori Kelly as Meena, Nick Kroll as Gunter, and Garth Jennings as Miss Crawly.
• From the Drawing Room (2160p/Dolby Vision): Several featurettes and interviews hosted by Director Garth Jennings. Included are Talent Talk with Tori Kelly (8:29), Choreography (6:55), Friends and Family (2:08), Costumes by Rodarte (3:24), Anatomy of a Sequence - The Bus Sequence (1:46), Anatomy of a Sequence - The Bicycle (1:40), From Scratch to Voice (10:41), and Singing (2:02).
• How to Draw (2160p/Dolby Vision, 13:42 total runtime): Co-Director Christophe "Zebe" Lourdelet reveals the process to draw Buster Moon, Ash, Johnny, Miss Crawly, and Clay Calloway.

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

Sing 2 is not a dramatic powerhouse, but it is an entertainment delight. It's well constructed on the page, in the computer, and in the recording booth. Children will love it and adults should more than be able to tolerate it. Universal's UHD delivers exceptional audio and video presentations. A few good extras are also included. Recommended.