SpannerWorks - Tremors 2: Aftershocks DVD Review

Review added January 13, 2005. Tremors 2: Aftershocks :: DVD Review

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Studio: Universal		>> Review Equipment
Video: 1.85:1 (Enhanced for 16:9)		Length: 95 Minutes
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192kbps) Eng/Fr/It/Esp/De		Subtitles: Eng/Cz/Dan/Fin/Heb/Hu/
Video Format: PAL		Ice/Nor/Pol/Por/Sv
Layer Change: 45:08		Disc Format: RSDL DVD-9
Average Bit-Rate (A+V): 9.2Mbps		Disc Capacity Utilised: 7.17GB
		Region Coding: 2/4

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:: The Film ::

	>> Skip to Audio/Video Details When Tremors was released back in 1990, it managed to slip under many an observer's radar. It wasn't a box office success by any means, but became a renters' favourite once it hit video store shelves. This success allowed the creation of this direct-to-video sequel (and another sequel six years later). Like many sequels, Tremors 2 is a mere shadow of its predecessor, and sorely lacks the comic chemistry of Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward's Val and Earl characters. Only two of the cast from the first film are present this time around: Fred Ward as Earl Bassett and Michael Gross as gun-toting survivalist Burt Gummer. In this installment the two battle a plague of Graboids snacking on the workers at a Mexican oil field. Joining the pair, and filling the void left by Kevin Bacon's absence, is the new character of Grady Hoover played by Christopher Gartin.
	Ward's character is also given a love interest this time; a geologist by the name of Kate Riley played by Helen Shaver. As direct-to-video sequels go, this isn't half bad and seems to know not to treat itself too seriously, but may only really appeal to die-hard Tremors fans.

:: Video ::

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Tremors 2 lacks the cinematic 'feel' associated with big-budget films, but what we are given is quite good, with a generally clean anamorphically-enhanced 1.85:1 transfer without any major deficiencies. The print used certainly isn't immaculate, but the occasional hairs and print defects visible onscreen are fairly minor. Colours are vibrant and shadow detail is good, although fine detail retrieval isn't the greatest and the picture does appear quite soft in more than a handful of scenes. Whether this is a transfer problem is hard to say, although I suspect the film's budget may ultimately be to blame.

Despite this occasional softness, the overall look of the film is pleasantly smooth, with no obvious aliasing. One aspect particularly worthy of note is the transfer's black level, which is excellent, with deeply saturated blacks free of digital noise and other nasties. Compression artefacts are rare and edge enhancement is minor when used. Grain is also kept to a minimum. Not reference quality but perfectly respectable, earning a solid four stars.

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:: Audio ::

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As a low-budget production, an aural extravaganza wasn't really on the cards. The soundtrack present is a fairly ordinary Dolby Surround encoded Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack running at 192kbps. The soundtrack's dynamic range is severely limited, and the front soundstage restricted across the horizontal plane. Dialogue and ambient effects are heard almost exclusively from the centre channel, with only a handful of effects and pans venturing into the front channels and no directional dialogue.

The film's score seems to be the primary user of the front channels, without which the soundtrack would be almost monophonic. Surround activity is negligible, as is bass content. Dialogue is obviously ADR produced but clear and easily discernible, ably fulfilling its primary function. Although a basic affair, there are no sonic nasties and the restricted dynamic range seems to have spared us from the excessive clipping so common in discrete movie soundtracks nowadays. Three and a half stars.

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