Rating summary
| Movie |  | 4.5 |
| Video |  | 5.0 |
| Audio | | 5.0 |
| Extras |  | 0.0 |
| Overall |  | 4.0 |
Spider-Man 2 4K Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 12, 2017
Sony has released all three of the Tobey Maguire/Sam Raimi 'Spider-Man' films to the UHD format with new 2160p/HDR-enhanced video and new
Atmos audio. Many other small changes have been made to the Blu-ray discs included. These releases can be found in both the Best Buy exclusive Steelbook presentation as well as the DigiBook release. Read on for more on the
new UHD presentations.
For a full film review, please click
here.
Spider-Man 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Spider-Man 2 is another shot-on-film "true 4K" release that blows many of it more contemporarily (and often digitally) crafted peers out of the
water. Sony's
presentation is amongst the finest available on the format. Grain is ever-present but, compared to the first film on UHD, a bit more stable and complimentary, less "intrusive," for lack
of a better word. The image is incredibly pure and filmic. Textural nuance and wide-ranging elemental and environmental qualities abound. Whether
fine skin textures, beads of sweat on Parker's face after entering a fire, beat-up alleyways, run-down apartment complex interiors, clothes, or the
Spider-Man outfit, the UHD delivers a finely-honed
masterpiece of visual excellence that accentuates its every quality with clarity to spare and definition and depth that will be the envy of almost any
other
home video presentation. The HDR-enhanced color palette is equally impressive. It offers improved color stability in presentation, with firmer, bolder
colors that are never wanting for more punch while adding an impressive level of nuance, whether primary Spider-Man outfit colors or small
background supports or even, simply, red lipstick and other small splashes of intense color. Nighttime and low-light interior black levels are wonderful.
Skin tones are full and healthy. No immediate print or encode flaws are apparent. Sony has done a marvelous job on this one; it's a gem in the growing
4K library.
Spider-Man 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Spider-Man 2's Dolby Atmos soundtrack, much like that of its predecessor, delivers a superior, reference-quality listen. It's large, aggressive,
and seamlessly spaced, taking full advantage of the additional rear channels as well as the overhead layer. The track is perfectly fluid in movement
across every axis -- up and down, side to side, front to back -- and every element is presented in glorious sonic harmony. Action scenes notably
command the stage with a blend of high output elements: blaring alarms, big music, potent low-end depth, explosions, seamless movement. The
track's best is embodied in a scene when Doc Ock's presentation goes awry. The sound presentation is varied but stable and always able to present all
of its moving pieces in
harmonious balance of expert imaging flow through the stage, engaging every speaker without ever losing track of everything working in it, including
heavy but complimentary music and extensive but seamlessly integrated overhead usage. Likewise, when Doc Ock attacks the doctors in a scene
moments later, the tentacles whip around the stage with furious precision and the top end compliments the action with noticeable and balanced
properties. Another raging fire sequence, much like that in the first film, as heard in chapter 11, delivers amazing overhead saturation as flames engulf
above, wood cracks, and debris falls, all the while the more traditionally oriented speakers carry a heavy load of flaming intensity. Such precision and
involvement and aggression carries through every action scene. Less chaotic environments spring to life with perfectly balanced environmental din, and
musical
clarity in more subdued moments is equally pleasing. Dialogue is effortlessly clear and robust with excellent prioritization and firm front-center
positioning.
Spider-Man 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
Spider-Man 2's 4K UHD disc contains no supplements beyond the usual Sony "cast and crew" photo tab and collection of categorized
"moments:"
(2160p/HDR/Atmos): Peter Parker, Villains, Spider-Man, and Amazing Fights. All other extras can be found on Blu-ray
discs throughout the larger UHD set. Note that only the theatrical cut is included.
Spider-Man 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Spider-Man 2 remains the best film ever to feature the webslinger. It's the quintessential Superhero film and sequel and earns a
reference quality UHD release that is currently not available individually, only through the options listed above.
