Scream 2: Steelbook Edition - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Scream 2: Steelbook Edition



Movie:
4K Video:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:


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Movie
I always find it amusing when watching Scream 2 how the characters are discussing sequelitis in the opening act, complete with arguing over which sequels actually were better than the first. A rarity in film making, as most of the creative energy went into the first, and the second usually attempts to simply up the ante and max things out to level 11. While Scream 2 may not SUCCEED it’s originator, it most certainly ties it for best movie of the franchise. Not to mention it’s the film where the series starts to get even more meta than it had before, winking and nudging the audience along as it plays with horror and sequel tropes.

Poor Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has finally moved on from the fact that Billy Loomis tried to murder her after killing her mother 2 years ago, and has gone on to college where she has a nice boyfriend in the form of Derek (Jerry O’Connell) and hanging out with her friends on campus. That is until a copycat murderer starts stabbing people just like the first go around, and now Sydney has no idea who could possibly be after her. Dewey (David Arquette) sagely warns her that it HAS to be someone entrenched in her life (as these movies always do) before trying to help her figure out what’s going on.

Now Sidney has to figure out which of her friends/acquaintances wants to kill her, as the plot dances from Derek, to her teacher, to a random student. And it doesn’t help that Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber) is back in town and acting REALLY suspicious too. Not to mention Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) mucking things up and generally causing mayhem.

I’ve always liked Scream 2 more than the original, even though I think that on a technical front Scream is the general favorite and slightly more competently done film. That being said, I really enjoy the ever living snot out of the sequel, as it’s firing on all cylinders, winking and nodding at the audience CONSTANTLY with horror tropes and machinations. The film is just meta enough to get a chuckle from the obvious nods and attention given to well worn horror/sequel cliches, but not meta enough that you’re groaning under the absurdity of it (that particular feature was beaten to DEATH in the new 2022 sequel/reboot).

Then there’s the obvious benefit of having literally anyone who WAS anyone back in the 1990s starring in it. Roseanne’s Laurie Metcalf is here, with Lewis Arquette (David Arquette’s father actually), Sarah Michelle Gellar at the height of Buffy fame, with cameos from Luke Wilson, Heather Graham, and a baby faced Timothy Olyphant. All in all this is Wes Craven firing completely geared up for war with a gloriously hammy horror film that doesn’t shy away from the stabbings and killings either. It’s not AS revealing as the original, but it has more fun with the concepts of cheesy sequels and actually manages to avoid all of the pitfalls OF said sequel issues.




Rating:

Rated R for language and strong bloody violence




4K Video: Video:

Scream 2 always looked good on the 2011 Lionsgate disc, but this is a massive improvement over said disc in all appreciable ways. Paramount’s new 4K UHD release is simply stellar, with a beautiful looking grain structure, and bright colors that pop midst the sunlit college campus shots. The flick is very filmic, with clean black levels, great detail levels all around, and the shadow detailing is superb. There’s a few moments where you can see grain levels spike (usually inside during the night time shots, or inside the theater), but otherwise the grain levels are very even and balanced, and this is one incredible looking 4K master.

The Dolby Vision and HDR really make the film pop, with Gale Weathers red highlights really popping as well as a very natural color grading to the film. The ruddy skin textures are more smooth and clean, and I didn’t notice that over processed and color saturated nature of the old Blu-ray really showing up. The old Blu-ray was always artificial and fake looking, albeit it did generally look good. Colors were TOO vibrant and lacked detail, while this new Dolby Vision application really brings the old 1997 film to life once more. Not to mention the cleanup that has gone on in the disc, with all of the old pops, speckles and various print debris being completely eradicated. Simply put, this is a GORGEOUS looking 4K remaster.





Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track is basically just the same 5.1 mix that the Lionsgate disc had, which was an impressive mix. Surrounds are wildly active as the killer stabs and slashes his way through Sidney’s friends, and the dialog above reproach. The car chase with the cop riding on the hood is exceptionally vibrant and aggressive, and there’s some solid bass involved. My ONLY complaint in the film is that the bass is just a little lighter than I would have liked, and I felt it could have added some more weight to the score. Great mix, just a minor nitpick.











Extras:

4K UHD
• Audio Commentary with Director Wes Craven, Producer Marianne Maddelana, and Editor Patrick Lussier

Blu-ray
• Audio Commentary with Director Wes Craven, Producer Marianne Maddelana, and Editor Patrick Lussier
• Deleted Scenes
• Outtakes
• Featurette
• Music Video
• TV Spots
• Theatrical Trailer

Final Score: ​

I’m actually a bit surprised that we’re only getting a stand alone copy of the 2nd film. I would have thought Paramount would have released the entire trilogy (or quadrilogy if you include 4) in one complete 4K set, but then again, you’d actually have to own the abysmal third film. The new 4K UHD remaster looks great, and the steelbook packaging is REALLY nice. Great fun flick, great packaging, and a nice looking video score. Highly recommended.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Timothy Olyphant, Jamie Kennedy, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Heather Graham, Sara Michelle Geller, Liv Schreiber
Directed by: Wes Craven
Written by: Kevin Williamson
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 HEVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, German DD 5.1, Spanish (Castilian), Spanish (Latin), French, Italian, Japanese DD 2.0
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Norwegian, Swedish
Studio: Paramount
Rated: R
Runtime: 120 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: October 4th, 2022

Recommendation: Highly Recommended

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. There are so many Scream sequels out.. I remember seeing the first one but the rest, I don't have much memory. Will have to check this out as well as the first one again.