Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

The Goonies 4K Gift Set Blu-ray Movie Review

Good enough.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III September 1, 2020

Now available alongside the standard 4K edition, Warner Bros.' new Amazon exclusive 4K gift set of Richard Donner's The Goonies continues the studio's long history of deluxe, oversized packaging variants. It's more compact than most, largely due to the mostly flat souvenir pack-ins, with much of its hefty price tag likely eaten up by a rugged outer box. Although perhaps not as unique as 2010's 25th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition (which included, among other things, a themed board game), it's still a pretty neat little collection of trinkets that die-hard fans will enjoy.

For an overview and analysis of The Goonies, please see our review of the 2010 25th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition. While I am somewhat more softened by the film's rowdy and youthful charms, I still consider it to be a little overrated -- even back in the late 1980s when yours truly saw it for the first time and was forever freaked out by Sloth, "the stiff", and One-Eyed Willie (which sound extremely questionable when grouped together). That said, The Goonies remains a fun "Saturday afternoon" flick that almost requires at least a few kids in the audience to appreciate.

The Goonies 4K Gift Set Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For my thoughts on Warner Bros.' new 2160p transfer, please see our separate review of the standard 4K edition.

The Goonies 4K Gift Set Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For my thoughts on Warner Bros.' DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix (which is essentially just a port of the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix featured on 2010's Ultimate Collector's Edition), please see our separate review of that title. Please note that the list of available dubs and subtitles is different on this 4K disc and that information can be seen above.

The Goonies 4K Gift Set Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Obviously, the main attraction of this collectible gift set is the packaging itself. As for the on-disc bonus features, they are identical to those found on the 25th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition and other stand-alone Blu-ray releases (including the "Triple Feature" set that paired it with Gremlins and Gremlins 2) and can only be found on the included Blu-ray, which is itself the recycled older edition rather than a newly remastered one.

• Gift Set Packaging - Packed inside a sturdy outer "treasure chest" about a half-inch taller (and a full inch wider) than a regular Blu-ray keepcase, this gift set is about three times as thick as the standard edition. Branded with the movie's logo and adorned with embossed golden treasure accents, the box is intended to sit horizontally and opens with a hinged lid at the top. Packed inside are the movie itself -- unwrapped and with no slipcover -- as well as a few movie-themed trinkets including an embroidered patch, a set of five buttons (two with the movie's logo as well as "Hey You Guys!", "Do the Truffle Shuffle", and "Goonies Never Say Die"), and a two-sided replica of One-Eyed Willie's treasure map, which is printed on relatively thin but slightly glossy paper and folded. The themed goodies are individually wrapped in plastic with a light glue holding them shut.

  A handsome-looking set to be sure, although it may have benefited from a few more items considering its list price of about $50 (which it is currently selling for on Amazon). That's almost twice as much as its regular 4K counterpart costs right now, but the limited nature of this collectible -- and of course the nostalgia hard-wired into The Goonies' fan base -- will likely push die-hard fans in the direction of a purchase.

The Goonies 4K Gift Set Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Richard Donner's The Goonies still has a rabid fan base more than 35 years after its original release. If you're one of them, you likely have it on Blu-ray already...and maybe even the 25th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition. This new gift set shares a lot in common with that release but the overall feel and design of this package, while perhaps not as unique, seems like a better fit for the main feature. Despite my slight reservations about the 4K disc itself -- which includes the recycled Blu-ray it's paired with -- this gift set's sharp design and extra packaging goodies smooth over most of that initial disappointment and make this feel like a more complete (albeit expensive) alternative.