The highly anticipated follow up to the smash hit Grease, GREASE 2 was originally released on June 11, 1982. Michelle Pfeiffer dazzles in a role that helped launch her to stardom and Maxwell Caulfield shines in his feature film debut. The two star as high school students from very different backgrounds who find love despite the expectations of everyone around them. This upbeat and campy ode to teenage romance dances to its own beat, gaining fans and cult-movie status four decades later.

It’s 1961 and there’s a new crop of seniors ready to rule rockin’ Rydell High, including the coolest cliques on campus—the Pink Ladies and T-Birds. Michael Carrington (Caulfield) is the new kid in town, but he’s been branded a brainiac. Can he fix up an old motorcycle, don a leather jacket, and avoid a rumble with the leader of the T-Birds (Adrian Zmed) to win the heart of Pink Lady Stephanie Zinone (Pfeiffer)? This cool rider is surely going to try!

For thoughts on Grease 2, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/gbos_C5B5A8?t=4325]

Video Quality

Grease 2 comes to Blu-Ray from Paramount Home Entertainment with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1 that is the same disc that was introduced in the Grease multi-film set five years ago. At the time, the disc was perfectly solid as it utilized an older master that was in great shape, and that opinion has not really changed. The presentation impresses throughout most of the runtime with image stability and delineation being generally strong. Instances of outright print damage are few and far between, and overall clarity and detail is well defined. The film thankfully does not present with much in the way of unnatural digital tinkering. This transfer has some natural film grain, but there are instances where it appears to be unstable and a bit clumpy. The picture can run a bit soft in a handful of shots, but colors are natural and never lack in depth. Black levels are surprisingly deep with fine detail present in shadow. While a new scan would likely improve the film, this transfer is no slouch by any means.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray provides a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix that does not knock it out of the park, but once again does what it needs to do once you crank the volume a little more than usual. The activity focuses heavily on the front channels with some of the notable tunes bumping out without filling the room appropriately. Music is used skillfully throughout these presentations, but it never overpowers the dialogue or other important information. The dialogue comes through clearly and never falls victim to any digital anomalies. Rear speakers get some occasional activity with ambient sounds, but it is not a standout in that regard. The low-end support feels a bit anemic compared to what it could be. The track accomplishes what it needs to do, but with a film so focused on the musical experience you expect a bit more. If Paramount ever remasters the video, they should also give a new pass to the audio, as well.

Special Features

The main reason for this new release is to get the film in a sleek new SteelBook that is quite fetching in person. The aqua-colored SteelBook features front artwork featuring animated depictions of Michael and Stephanie, and the rear features Michael on his motorcycle inside a white lightning bolt. The interior sports a still photo of the couple in a fantasy sequence that looks quite heavenly. Video of the SteelBook can be found in the video above.

There are no special features on this disc.

Final Thoughts

Grease 2 is notable for giving us a fun Michelle Pfeiffer performance and not much else. We do not have an issue with a sequel being made to Grease, but the truth is that the songs in this one are just not very memorable. The larger mark against this follow-up is the script which does nothing to justify the inclusion of numerous characters and really leans into some problematic elements. The returning characters and other allusions to the original movie are among the strongest elements this time out which is not enough to sustain a feature. The movie has some fun moments, but it is a big step down from the original. With this new release, Paramount Home Entertainment recycles their previous Blu-Ray in a pleasing new SteelBook packaging. The A/V quality is generally strong, but a refresh would not hurt along with some special features.

Grease 2 is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, SteelBook and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.