Spider-Man 2 4K Blu-ray Movie

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

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.

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.