GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 4K + 3D Blu-ray Review

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (4K UHD Blu-ray + Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital)

Release Date: August 22, 2017

Studio: Marvel Studios Home Entertainment

Video: 2.39:1 1080p/2160p Widescreen

Audio: Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, English DVS 2.0

4K UHD Blu-ray: English Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1 Core), English Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, French (Quebec) Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

THE RATINGS

The Movie Itself - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Video Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
3D Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
4K Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Audio Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Special Features - ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰

Overall - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

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THE FILM ITSELF Our Reviewer's Take
3D and 4K in one package. Wish we'd have more of those...

Reviewed by Gavin King

Marvel Studios has released a Best Buy-exclusive SteelBook of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 that includes the regular 1080p Blu-ray reviewed here, a 3D Blu-ray exclusive only to this release, and a 4K UHD Blu-ray of the film. Here, I will be reviewing both the 3D and 4K iterations of the film's presentations.

Marvel Studios and director James Gunn impressed with 2014's smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy and succeed yet again with their highly-anticipated follow-up, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, a film that's consistently action-packed, funny, and brimmed with an absolutely fantastic soundtrack, all mixed together in a wonderful crescendo of a big-budget major studio sci-fi flick. It's arguably an improvement over its predecessor, with tighter pacing, more engaging screenwriting, more emphasis on thoughtful character development, and brighter, more vibrant settings abound, whether it be zooming through space, in mysterious forests, or on a unique, eye-catching planet. In fact, it's a nearly flawless film that only ever-so-slightly (big emphasis on that ever-so there) pales in comparison to one other superhero movie that released this year. (The title of said movie will be revealed once it comes time to review that film.)

Discovering a new planet...

Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and a baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) are up to the task to protect the Sovereigns' highly vital batteries. They've been hired by the race's leader, Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), in which the Guardians earn her respect after defeating a giant monster known by the name of the Abilisk. All goes well on their mission, until they soon find out Rocket stole a few of their batteries for his own keeping. This in turns leads to the Guardians being attacked by a huge fleet of Sovereign drones. They're eventually crash-landed on a planet called Berhert, stranded and, for now, hopeless. Suddenly a mysterious ship enters towards the Guardians. It's Ego (Kurt Russell), Peter Quill's father, much to Quill's confusion. Him, Gamora, and Drax all enter Ego's ship and begin to learn the true meaning behind Peter Quill's parentage, all while Rocket, baby Groot, and a Ravager named Yondu (Michael Rooker) have plans of their own.

James Gunn crafts Vol. 2 in a way that every portion of the story weaves together organically without a single forced beat crammed in anywhere. Every character serves a purpose. Every location has a reason to be where it is. Every song gives meaning to the scene accompanying it. It's not a big mushy mess of forced action, phoned-in dialogue exchanges, or obligatory plot devices. In fact, it's the complete opposite. The story fleshes out beautifully and carefully on the screen, transforming what was a lesser known Marvel comic beyond its core roots and giving moviegoers a hugely entertaining, yet extremely diligent, superhero spectacle that's not all just big battles between good and evil - more on this in a moment - but also meticulously crafted storytelling that perfectly syncs the colorful on-screen visuals.

Prisonmates.

The film's soundtrack is its lifeblood. It's pretty much the reason the first film did so well, critically and commercially alike, and this sequel follows its predecessor's footsteps in gleefully toe-tapping, yet narratively essential, verve. The film kicks it all off with a truly amazing opening scene involving a baby Groot dancing to ELO's Mr. Blue Sky in what is, arguably, the best opening to a superhero movie in a long, long time. Things just get even better from there as the Guardians listen to Lake Shore Drive in their Milano ship, are greeted into Ego's Planet while My Sweet Lord runs in the background, and as Rocket takes out some bad guys to the tune of Southern Nights. After all, the music does play a hugely important role in the story, not just existing there in the movie to sell CD albums and win the hearts of classic music geeks. Awesome Mix Vol. 1 was after all a gift to Quill from his dying mom, and to keep the tradition of music going in his Walkman is something of not only true fan service but also care for following up on the first film.

Vol 2. sees a nice assortment of familiar faces and newcomers in the character department. The follow-ups enjoy a seamless, well-transitioned transfer from the predecessor, containing all of the lovable spirit that has made these characters an eventual tradition. Perhaps the most fleshed-out continuation here is the character of Drax, who was more or less a typical "tough-guy" in the first film. This installment sees the character's lighter side and, most importantly, more humorous. There's no shortage of wonderfully-introduced welcome additions here, too, whether Peter's mysterious father Ego or the much-welcome comic relief character of Mantis. Each of the film's big sci-fi battles never cease to entertain, with an abundance of seamlessly-integrated special effects that balance that very fine line, and very difficult to fight line, between appreciably campy and agreeably modern. This is fantastic stuff, a sequel that was totally worth the long-anticipated wait and improving upon its precursor in all the right ways.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 4K + 3D Blu-ray - Video Quality

3D - The only way to watch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 on Blu-ray 3D is in this 4K + 3D SteelBook, which has been, unsurprisingly, selling like hotcakes. Fortunately, the 3D effects are reference-quality and this release makes for one of the absolute finest watches yet on the format, even this far into the slowly dying lifespan. The list of standout 3D moments are endless. Perhaps one of the most memorable is the ambush on Berhert. When the Ravagers shoot at Rocket through the forest, there's an endless barrage of third-dimension goodness when debris from the nearby trees, sleep-inducing needles, and other fun elements fly across the screen as if we as the viewers could reach out and grab the objects. In addition, this scene takes place in deep nighttime, so to see this one get bogged down by dull, flat, and unimpressive blacks would be a large shame. Thankfully, that isn't the case here, and those blacks stay truly firm and never bothersome, just as they were on the regular 1080p Blu-ray. Oh, and did I mention that the screen expands to the theatrical 1.85:1 IMAX aspect ratio in a number of scenes? Yep, full-on kudos to Disney here; that extra screen widening allows for a much wider, much more impressive sense of depth of field to big action moments, which offer some truly amazing depth inward and outward; whether laser blasts, giant spacewide views, or big collisions of debris, most every scene takes the added dimension to startlingly effective outcome, and disappoint it does not. The best news, or, the most relieving in most cases, colors remain a wonderful vibrancy and details don't lose one perceptible bit of textural quality. No noticeable compression artifacts came in to play, either. Consider yourself lucky if you own a 3D TV/projector and got the chance to own the SteelBook; you're in for a real third-dimension treat.

4K - Well, well, well, it's about time, Disney! Thanks to some aggressive persuasion by the film's director, James Gunn, Disney finally decided to bite the bullet and go all-out on the continuously expanding home media format, the one and only 4K Ultra HD. So, the burning question is: Does Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's UHD improve upon its 1080p Blu-ray counterpart significantly? The answer is simple: yes, yes, and yes. In fact, Disney's 2160p debut looks so good, and marks a debut so promising, that it quite honestly, at times, puts the original Blu-ray to shame at some points. Things begin astonishingly with the Guardians' arrival at the Sovereigns' castle. The interior sees a much more punchy gold that totally drowns out that somewhat gray Marvel color scheme and replaces it with an absolutely show-stopping, jaw-dropping gold that's honestly sure to sell 4K home theater systems by that scene alone. But it's not just the beginning. Oh, there's so much more. The interior of Ego's palace is a lot more vibrant, whereas the Blu-ray looks somewhat grayer in an A to B comparison. Contraxia's neon hues and shades abound are pretty much candy for the eye. Multicolored space tones build on the pop and brauvua that was already good on the Blu-ray. This is one of the best, if not the best, examples of improvement on vibrancy over an included Blu-ray, and there's a reason Gunn pushed to make this Disney's first UHD release. Black levels remain that nicely deep, and even a bit improved, shading to bring out the best in the darker moments. Of course, there's not a single blip of banding, aliasing, or any other compressional bugaboo on display. In short, Disney has come out of the gate extremely strong, and I cannot wait for their upcoming UHD releases of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Cars 3 this fall. Way to go Disney!! 

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 4K + 3D Blu-ray - Audio Quality

3D AUDIO: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is another one of those Blu-ray releases where the theatrical Dolby Atmos soundtrack is being reserved exclusively for the 4K release of the film. Still, it would be a lie to say that the included DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack isn't good, because this one's a beast, exceptional in practically just about every way. There's no beat missed in this one. Quite literally in some cases. The film's soundtrack sounds amazing here, with impressive stage handling as the track goes about its business with each musical number. It's all made even better with a great-sounding bass accompaniment; what's not to love if you're a hardcore fan? Of course, action battles are hugely enveloping. Whether emergency crash-landings, laser gun one-on-ones, an escape from a prison, or space escapes, listeners will feel part of the onscreen action, and it's all thanks to the sheer complexity that is this 7.1 track. The listen is also home to some excellent-sounding ambient effects that offer much-pleasing stereo separation. Birds chirp in forests, inhabitants party in Contraxia, and prisoners gather around in a jail, all of which place the listener into the location effortlessly and spotlessly. Of course, that essential dialogue is always clear, spot-on, and always 100% audible in that front-center spacing, enjoying the appropriate cross-channel effect when the scene asks. Crank this one up and have a blast.

4K AUDIO: Yet another exciting upgrade that Disney has brought to the table in the tradition of its welcoming to UHD is the addition of a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, the same track that was mixed theatrically for Dolby Cinema and Dolby Atmos theatrical showings. The overheads don't always come to be used in total abundance throughout every scene, but those upper layer channels blend in very, very well with the track and aid in creating a nicely fuller, more breathable listening environment that brings out a few little hidden secrets that the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack had hidden. Most notable is the improved sense of atmosphere throughout the scenes. Whether raucous battles in space, prison escapes, or laser guns, the track never misses a beat when it comes to enriching the environment of said scenes. Bass remains tight and taut, whether in musical beats or superhero clamor. Dialogue is never buried and remains totally clear throughout. An A+ soundtrack all the way, and another great Disney debut.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 4K + 3D Blu-ray - Special Features

No bonus content is included on the UHD. All supplements are located on the included 1080p Blu-ray.

- Bonus Round: The Making of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Consists of four parts:

In the Director's Chair with James Gunn The cast and crew sing their praises about the director, James Gunn. Gunn is also interviewed to talk up the film's elements.

Reunion Tour: The Music of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 This piece looks at how the importance of the film's soundtrack plays a vital part in the film.

Living Planets and Talking Trees: The Visual Effects of Vol. 2 A closer look at the film's wide visual spectacle.

Showtime: The Cast of Vol. 2 A run-through piece of the film's talented cast and the crew singing their praises.

- Guardians Inferno Music Video A catchy, fun little music video of Guardians Inferno by The Sneepers ft. David Hasselhoff. This is about as '70s as it gets, folks. Interlacing, 4x3 aspect ratio, cheesy special effects... oh, and can't miss that David Hasselhoff... er, I mean, Zardu Hasselfrau!

- Gag Reel The lovable Marvel tradition!

- Deleted Scenes include the following: Adolescent Groot Extended, Memorial to the War on Xandar, Kraglin and Quill Talk Tunes, and Mantis and Drax Feel the Sadness Extended.

- Audio Commentary Gunn's commentary is not only insightful and nicely detailed but is also a wonderful walkthrough through the film's behind-the-scenes elements, and is also great fan service. Enjoy this one!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 4K + 3D Blu-ray - Overall Recommendation

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is, arguably, one of the best superhero movie sequels of all time. It's a total blast, populated with memorable characters, a fun and interesting plot, and plenty of sci-fi bravura throughout. Essentially, there's nary a misstep in here; it's an improvement over the first (at least, in this reviewer's opinion) and sure to make moviegoers of all kind with huge smiles all over their faces. Marvel/Disney's Best Buy exclusive SteelBook is easily the definitive Vol. 2 release. Not only is the 3D video demo-quality, but Disney's debut into the UHD realm is one that's going to overjoy the fans and bring a smile to home theater enthusiasts' faces. The Atmos audio, also a new for Disney, shines, too, and the Blu-ray supplements are still rock-solid. This is, without a doubt, the ultimate Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 experience, with stellar presentations of all kind. This release earns my highest recommendation.

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