From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic MEAN GIRLS. New student Cady Heron is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George. However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels, she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis and Damian, she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.
For in-depth thoughts on Mean Girls (2024), please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Mean Girls offers a terrific presentation that stands tall on the format, but the lack of an accompanying Blu-Ray makes it difficult to judge the exact level of upgrade. The implementation of Dolby Vision/HDR gets all of the mesmerizing nuances out of the colors. The natural palette is stunning with plenty to gaze upon in the backgrounds. One of the most fun aspects of this movie is all of the fun costumes which are presented with a pleasing nuance. The lighting also makes an impression with an array of hues in a few key numbers. The increased range of the color spectrum cannot be taken for granted.
Skin tones appear very natural and consistent with crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores and makeup. Elements taking place in any shadowy spaces are more vivid and finely delineated. Black levels are robust in this presentation, staying deep and inky with tremendous detail. The highlights in the film are likewise faithfully defined with whites stable and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. This 4K UHD presentation shows why the format is so important in the home entertainment landscape. Paramount has knocked it out of the park with another fabulous transfer on this latest 4K release.
Audio Quality
This disc comes with a showstopping Dolby Atmos presentation that works perfectly with this narrative. With this being a musical, you have to make sure your songs are flowing through in top form. From the opening moments, this track announces itself with a suitably expansive experience that allows each number to flourish. Music is the lifeblood of this film, and it saturates the room with an energy befitting the genre. Sounds are faithfully rendered with exceptional directionality from the more boisterous numbers to the exchanges of dialogue.
Ambient details fill the speakers to quite satisfying ends in the rear and overhead channels. The overhead channels complement the supporting channels which allows the school and other locales to feel a bit more three-dimensional. Dialogue is presented clearly without ever being overshadowed by any of the competing sonic elements. The low end is engaged consistently thanks to the myriad of sounds and heavy bass in some of the numbers. The mix will be a feast for all with a good home theater system. There are optional English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
- A New Age of Mean Girl: A six-minute piece that takes a look at the legacy of the feature and the ways this creative team tried to make it new and inspiring including the casting, the musical numbers, and more.
- Song and Dance: A 12-minute featurette that explores the musical aspect of this production including the choreography, the direction of Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., translating the Broadway show to the screen, how the songs changed, and more.
- The New Plastics: An eight-minute look at the new talent bringing these iconic roles to life, the place of these characters in pop culture, and more.
- Extended Scene – I’m Having A Small Get Together At My House: A minute-long unused scene is provided after Cady convinces her mom to let her stay home and she plans her party.
- Gag Reel: A four-minute collection of flubbed lines, malfunctioning props, laughing fits, and more.
- “Not My Fault” – Music Video with Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion: The three-minute music video is provided here.
- Mean Girls Sing-Along with Select Songs (English Only): An option to play the entire movie in Sing-Along Mode or play all the sing-along songs.
Final Thoughts
The new Mean Girls is one of the more disappointing musicals we have seen in some time. As a musical, the staging and lighting of the numbers are lackluster at best with not much standing out visually. The songs themselves have finessed for the big screen in a way that feels exceptionally bland outside of a song or two. And finally, while we would love to judge this on its own merits, it is nearly impossible to not think of the original film and realize this version is a diluted version in every way.
This film references the original material without seemingly understanding what made moments hilarious or emotional. The pacing is atrocious as performers spit out lines without letting anything land, mistaking acknowledgment of a moment as something that actually makes you feel. This whole exercise feels very hollow, and Busy Philipps feels like the only new performer who truly elevated the material. While we far from hate this movie, it just feels so unremarkable and toothless that it is hard to imagine ever choosing to watch this over the original. Paramount Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring an amazing A/V presentation and a nice assortment of special features. If you do vibe with this remix of a movie, this release will treat you right.
Mean Girls will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, and DVD on April 30, 2024. The film is currently available on Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.