The Nice Guys 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

The Nice Guys 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

How do you like my 4K, Big Boy?

Reviewed by Randy Miller III June 21, 2025

Don't say I didn't warn you: in my February review of Warner Bros.' domestic 4K release of Shane Blank's underrated 2016 detective comedy The Nice Guys, I mentioned that celebrated UK boutique label Second Sight Films had already announced their own deluxe Limited Edition and standard 4K editions of the film later this year. After one short delay, the big day is finally here and fans can low look forward to a more or less definitive release with top-tier A/V merits and a solid collection of bonus features. This Limited Edition also includes a matching Blu-ray and fancy packaging, while their separate standard 4K edition is a decidedly slimmer keepcase release with the UHD disc only.

For a synopsis and appreciation of The Nice Guys, please see Michael Reuben's 2006 Blu-ray review. I agree with Michael's assessment of the film and might even award the film 4.5/5 on a good day, as it's the kind of comedy that's even easier to enjoy the more you watch it. Either way, if you're a fan of Shane Black's other action comedies, from Lethal Weapon to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (the former of which arrives on domestic 4K this week from WB, but both are strong candidates for future Second Sight releases), you'll probably enjoy the ride from start to finish.

The Nice Guys 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots are all sourced from the included Second Sight Blu-ray disc.

For those wondering if Second Sight's solid 2160p/HDR10/Dolby Vision presentation of The Nice Guys -- which has been approved by director Shane Black -- improves upon Warner Bros.' domestic 4K release, my answer is a decisive yep, but you might have to squint a little. There's not a world of difference here, truth be told, as both are 2K upscales with HDR10/DV capability and authored on a dual-layered disc at similar bit rates. (And before anyone gets too worked up over the two or three similar/identical screenshots between both versions, please remember that WB's was captured from a downscaled 4K disc while Second Sight's is from their Blu-ray.) That said, this new master -- which was indeed advertised as such on the press release -- does indeed feature slightly warmer and fresher colors as well as marginally tighter fine details overall, though you'd probably have to watch it on a fairly large screen to notice some of these upgrades. Both are quality presentations, but I have give Second Sight a slight edge in the ratings.

The included Blu-ray disc, which again is where these screenshots are sourced from, is likewise sourced from this new master and shows similar differences when compared to Warner Bros.' 2006 Blu-ray. There's a definite higher bit rate this time around and better encoding to boot (which, like their 4K disc, was performed by the well-regarded Fidelity in Motion), so again Second Sight earns a slight edge even though WB's linked Blu-ray still holds up well.

The Nice Guys 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is, however, a slightly more appreciable difference in the audio, as Second Sight's 4K and Blu-ray discs both feature a new Dolby Atmos remix alongside the original theatrical 5.1 track, which is again presented in DTS-HD Master Audio. As expected there's some enjoyable attention to detail here: the height channels are occasionally put to good use at various moments, such as a a few bodies raining from above at various points -- a Shane Black tradition, if ever there was one -- as well as warmer surround support for atmospherics and music cues. That said, like the visuals it's not a drastically different presentation... just one that adds a bit more precision for those currently set up for Atmos or at least 7.1, which this mix automatically folds down to if you're not. Dialogue, front field effects, and other native elements are otherwise fairly similar to the original 5.1, which is still a fine mix in its own right.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only, not the extras listed below.

The Nice Guys 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc Limited Edition 4K/Blu-ray combo pack sits in a Digipak case with separate hubs. Also tucked inside the sturdy outer slipcase is a handsome 150-page hardback book with brand-new essays by several ​​critics and journalists including Mitchell Beaupre, Barry Forshaw, Jamie Graham, Justin LaLiberty, Naomi Roper, Hannah Strong and Nadine Whitney, as well as images from the film and production credits. Nine collectors' art cards are bound together inside too, some of which include artwork by Obviously Creative that's used for the book and outer case. Similar to past Limited Edition releases from Second Sight, this is a first-class effort with plenty of style and substance.

On-disc extras are fairly plentiful and almost all of them are new-to-disc, which means there's minimal overlap with Warner Bros.' recent domestic 4K edition; those last two recycled items are covered in my linked review.

• NEW! Audio Commentary - This recent group track features director/co-writer Shane Black and co-writer Anthony Bagarozzi with moderation by author Priscilla Page. This is a fittingly breezy and entertaining session, despite the fact that Bagarozzi apparently hadn't seen the film since its theatrical release, and as such it's largely loaded with trivial tidbits, confessions, stories from the set, favorite moments, secrets and shout-outs, a couple small regrets, and scene-specific recollections. Page in particular does a great job here; she's obviously a huge fan of the film and steers the conversation back on track during a few occasional lapses into silence.

• NEW! Knights in Tarnished Armour (35:47) - Shane Black returns for a nicely-produced mid-length video interview that repeats a few bits and pieces from the commentary but serves as an entertaining recollection of the original story's time in development hell, changing certain characters and plot details (and the timeframe), his love for old-school detective stories, herding the cast together, creative problem-solving on a budget, the writing process, giving credit to members of the crew, his long legacy in Hollywood, and much more.

• NEW! Finding an Audience (22:15) - This second of three recent video interviews features enthusiastic co-producer Ethan Erwin, who speaks about working with mega-producer Joel Silver, his first time reading the script in the early 200s (and a number of changes made to it over the years), Shane Black's other films including Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the shooting process, filling out the supporting cast, and other items of interest.

• NEW! A Thousand Cuts (14:04) - Director of photography Philippe Rousselot rounds out the interviews, obviously changing course to talk about the film's period-specific visual aesthetic, Shane Black's previous films including Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the challenge of shooting comedies, film vs. digital, and more.

• NEW! From Lethal Weapons to Nice Guys (21:29) - As is title implies, this video essay by multimedia artist Leah Singer -- which is subtitled "How Shane Black Reinvented the Buddy Movie" -- takes a look the director's body of work during the last few decades, drawing comparisons and contrasts along the way.

• NEW! Trailers (3 clips, 5:04 total) - A trio of promotional pieces, some fairly rough in quality.

• Always Bet on Black (5:27)

• Worst. Detectives. Ever. Making The Nice Guys (6:16)

The Nice Guys 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shane Black's The Nice Guys is an underrated action-comedy right in line with the co-writer/director's previous work -- it's the kind of breezy, likeable movie you can pop in on a whim and appreciate something new every single time. I was late to the party seeing this one for the first time but I'm a big fan already, enough to say with confidence that Second Sight's new UHD options -- whether you choose this Limited Edition combo pack or the more affordable standard 4K edition -- are worth a purchase for fans and newcomers too. Both feature top-tier A/V merits including a new Dolby Atmos remix and a nice collection of mostly exclusive bonus features. Very, very Highly Recommended.