Tremors 2: Aftershocks Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Tremors 2: Aftershocks Blu-ray Movie Review

Shake, rattle, and chomp.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 25, 2015

Tremors 2: Aftershocks is currently only available as part of the four-film, two-disc "Attack Pack."

Shades of Gremlins and Jurassic Park hang over Tremors 2: Aftershocks, a fun direct-to-video follow-up to the hit monster movie Tremors. Earl (Fred Ward) reluctantly agrees to travel to Mexico to battle a Graboid infestation at a major oil refinery. He's accompanied by a super fan named Grady (Chris Gartin) and the refinery's resident geologist Kate (Helen Shaver). Earl and Grady easily trick a handful of the subterranean beasts into eating remote-controlled cars packed with dynamite, but when it becomes apparent that they'll need bigger guns and explosives, they call in Burt (Michael Gross), a firearms enthusiast whose weapons pack a punch. Unfortunately, they quickly learn that there's more to the Graboids than they were previously led to believe, making their fight all the more complicated and dangerous.

Even with the departure of several surviving characters from the original, Aftershocks holds its own with key cogs Ward and Gross holding down the fort and appearing to have a blast in the process. While the movie is absent just a bit of the charm, pace, and creativity of the original -- a movie that stands as one of the most purely entertaining, watchable, and re-watchable Monster movies this side of the 1950s -- this sequel manages to keep the line moving, introduce a few new ideas, and maintain almost the same level of enthusiasm that made the original such a success. Beyond that, there's a bit more of an origins story at play as well as a few twists unique to this film, not the least of which is the new approach afforded to the characters who now go into the fight prepared, this time, not blindly, as before.

Tremors 2: Aftershocks Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Tremors 2: Aftershocks looks a fair bit better than its noise-reduced and edge-enhanced predecessor. While edge halos remain here, they're not quite as frequent or obvious; generally, only distant mountaintops and a few straight lines around the refinery suffer. Grain remains throughout, and details are sharp and exacting, whether facial features, terrain, clothing lines, or worn-down odds and ends around Earl's home and the refinery. Colors are cheerful and even, while black levels are deep and balanced.

Tremors 2: Aftershocks Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Tremors 2: Aftershocks features a disappointing DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack. There's not much definition or heft to some of the heavier effects, whether rumbling trucks, heavy gunfire, explosions, or splattering monsters. Music enjoys fair clarity and middling detail with a decent front end spread. Minor atmospherics define a few locales but don't immerse the listening audience. Dialogue plays clearly enough with only Kate's voice seeming to go randomly processed and hollow for a few lines around the 1:10:00 mark.

Tremors 2: Aftershocks Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Tremors 2: Aftershocks contains no supplemental content.

Tremors 2: Aftershocks Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Tremors 2: Aftershocks is a cool, breezy, good performing sequel. While it's not quite as memorably entertaining as the original, it keeps up appearances and travels down a few new roads that keep things both familiar and fresh. Universal's featureless Blu-ray offers better video than the original but a fairly dull 2.0 lossless soundtrack. Recommended.