Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

The Angry Birds Movie 2 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 5, 2019

The Angry Birds Movie made a lot of money at the box office, so much that it's reportedly the third-highest grossing film based a video game of all time. That, of course, means a sequel was inbound whether anyone really wanted to see it or not. Anecdotally it seems Angry Birds' popularity has waned in recent years, but the brand certainly has enough name recognition clout and character familiarity to drive most any movie bearing its name to profitability, and that's what happened. This sequel raked in more than double its budget but still less than half the box office revenue of the original. That's probably a fair indication that the chances of a third are no better than 50/50, and the smart money would be on this being the final film. The Angry Birds Movie 2 is at least a jovial, carefree film, one with nothing to add to the broader talking animals CGI landscape but offering enough charm, humor, and general entertainment value to squeeze out a decent watch for the kids who will be fixated on the color and excitement. Adults won't find too many of the gags too long in the tooth.

It’s business as usual in the never-ending battle between birds and pigs, with various assaults (and some insults) flying from Bird Island to Piggie Island, and vice versa. Red (voiced by Jason Sudeikis) is loving life as Bird Island’s protector, but it turns out everyone else is a little war-weary. When Piggie Island falls under attack from a new threat and a new island -- Eagle Island -- the pigs call for a truce with the birds. Red isn’t buying it, but it quickly becomes apparent that the pigs are right and that both islands are under a new, direct threat. The two warring factions have no choice but to set aside their differences, join forces, and turn their attention to a new threat led by the nefarious Zeta (voiced by Leslie Jones) who has big plans for the two rival islands falling under her merciless attack.

While there's something very new and very dangerous under the sun in the world of Angry Birds -- a new island that demands new thinking and allegiances to overcome -- there's really nothing new under the sun in terms of the movie's output. It's constructed by rote, a film that takes expected visual and aural avenues without any effort to rework the well established system. It banks on incessant humor, ratchets up the cute factor, and throws in plenty of high flying stunts and countless examples of visual spectacle all in an effort to hide the dearth of originality within. It all rings rather hollow in the collective, but in the moment by moment playback the movie works well enough thanks to spirited voice performances and gags that don't fall entirely flat. It may may be made on the backs of other, better films, but it brings enough structural knowledge and visual delight to the table to carry it through the banality that defines the sum.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

The digitally animated The Angry Birds Movie 2 arrives on the UHD format with a 2160p/HDR video presentation upscaled from 2K. The results are very impressive considering the UHD's advances in texture clarity and color accuracy both. The increases in sharpness are obvious from the outset. Feathers are of course one of the chief beneficiaries, appearing with a surprisingly substantial boost to individual sharpness and collective clarity. The Blu-ray can actually look soft and indistinct: not always, but in some instances to be sure. World details are likewise equally aggressive in the upgrade, rendering everything from sunny beaches to frigidly cold ice interiors with jaw-dropping definition. The picture is razor-sharp from corner to corner from the first frame to the last.

The HDR color grading is an even more impressive benefit for the film. The movie's abundantly colorful palette, soaring on the Bu-ray, is transformative on the UHD. The entire spectrum finds a substantial jolt of tonal intensity and color saturation. The adds to brightness, depth, pop, and kick are striking. Red's coloring leaps off the screen. Chuck's yellow is taken well beyond the next level. Blue skies are revelatory for the intense adds to depth and color detail. And even with so many tones on the screen at once, even combining frigid blue ice with fiery hot orange lava, there's no give to the palette's intensive, eye-popping goodness. This presentation is a masterwork of HDR implementation. It renders the five-star Blu-ray practically obsolete right on release day.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Angry Birds Movie 2 features a DTS:X soundtrack. The presentation struggles to be heard and take command at reference volume. Upwardly adjusted it's a good, solid presentation, albeit with some cramped dynamics and a minimal feel for serious low end extension. An attack in chapter 11 that sends frozen balls of lava onto both Piggie and Bird islands struggles to really push the low end while not hitting the full, expected range of sound traversal. It's a bit cramped overall and there's not a feel for dramatic top end push, either. But general clarity is fine, with good instrumental detail to score and popular music both. It's wide along the front and folds in enough rear and overhead support to satisfy. Environmental details are nicely integrated with good clarity and stage-setting effectiveness. Dialogue is clear and effectively positioned and prioritized in the front-center channel.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Angry Birds Movie 2's UHD disc includes one extra, the mini movie titled Live Stream, presented in 1080p. All other extras can be found on the bundled Blu-ray, which is identical to Sony's standalone release. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Mini Movies! (1080p): Six shorts are included. They are: Take Your Kids to Work Day (1:46), Hatchlings! Mother's Day (1:44), Hatchlings! Father's Day (1:00), Early Hatchling Gets the Worm (2:11), Hatchlings! Easter (1:22), and Hatchlings! Holiday (1:07).
• Mini Movie! Live Stream (1080p, 2:41): Silver, Red, and the Hatchlings appear on a web live stream.
• DIY Fun! (1080p): Three craft projects for young fans to make. Included are Hangry Birds: Popcorn Balls (3:01), Smarty Birds: Crafty Volcano (4:31), and Crafty Birds: Pig Snot! (2:47).
• Bird Watching (1080p, 10:04): A look at some of the real birds who inspired the characters in the movie and who live at the Los Angeles Zoo.
• Meets the New Birds & Pigs (1080p, 7:58): A run-through of some of the new characters and the actors who voice them.
• Hatching the Hatchlings (1080p, 5:19): Expanding the Hatchlings' story in this film, the visual keys to cuteness, funny scenes, voice work, and more.
• Flocking Together: Making The Angry Birds Movie 2 (1080p, 11:33): A look at this film's story, Red's arc in the story, the new villain, visual designs and details, crafting the Harvey costume, themes, and more. The cast also discusses what they would do with a day on Eagle Island and shares a few tips for budding artists.
• Happy Thanks-Pigging! (1080p, 1:25): The characters react poorly to news of Thanksgiving and encourage people to eat something other than turkey.
• Jingle Birds (1080p, 1:32): The voice cast performs a holiday classic with an Angry Birds spin.
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Angry Birds Movie 2 rises above nonexistent expectations, bringing a zany and surprisingly agreeable little romp to the screen. The film thrives on its one-off gags -- the scene-by-scene humor -- and works in a passable story elevated by exceedingly vibrant animation and spirited voice work. It's nothing that will redefine the genre, but it's a perfectly serviceable escape. Sony's UHD includes reference quality 2160p/HDR video and the supplemental content will delight the kids. The audio is less than perfect but ultimately provides a good overall listen. Recommended.