After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the holiday. Picking off residents one by one, what begins as random revenge killings are soon revealed to be part of a larger, sinister holiday plan. Will the town uncover the killer and survive the holidays… or become guests at his twisted holiday dinner table?

For in-depth thoughts on Thanksgiving, please see my colleague Mike Vaughn’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Thanksgiving arrives on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR presentation in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio approved by director Eli Roth. This release comes right about nine months after the original Blu-Ray release that left us clamoring for a 4K UHD option. Thankfully, sales were strong enough to convince Sony that this was a title fans needed in the best quality possible. This 4K UHD Blu-Ray is not a jaw-dropping difference from the amazing Blu-Ray also included in this package, but it refines the presentation to look immaculate for fans who want the ultimate presentation.

The greatest benefit of this presentation is the utilization of Dolby Vision to unlock the precise depth of the color palette. Color saturation is unbelievable with the hues enriching the screen in the lighting, articles of clothing, and certain flourishes of the production design. Perhaps even more impressive is the handling of the contrast. Black levels have the perfect amount of depth and do not fall victim to crush or digital noise even in the cavalcade of darker scenes. Highlights likewise hold firm with none of the fluorescent store lights blooming. The clarity is first-rate with discrete textures in the environment and costumes easily discernible. Skin tones are natural with exposed skin showing off gruesome details such as blood, burns, and scars. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has delivered the definitive presentation of this new holiday horror classic.

Audio Quality

This new release comes with the previous DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track along with a new Dolby Atmos presentation that levels things up quite nicely. The soundscape is very kinetic and springs to life when the narrative calls for it. This story features noises coming from unexpected places, items penetrating flesh, and more emanating from various directions. The addition of the overhead channels makes the space feel three-dimensional. The movie conjures the environmental sounds effectively, and the track maintains exceptional detail even when there are violent confrontations. Dialogue comes through clearly as it balances well with the soundtrack and the sound effects. The low end wakes up when it needs to for some nice texture. This is a powerhouse track for fans of the film. Optional English, English SDH, French, German, Spanish, and Turkish subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Sony has provided Thanksgiving with a sleek new SteelBook featuring artwork that is truly lovely in person. The front artwork is embossed with a turkey that has a hatchet in it, and the rear features the pilgrim mask. The interior sports various photos of the pilgrim. This release also comes with a note from Eli Roth. Photos of the SteelBook can be found at the bottom of this review.

NEW – Carve Diem: A new 25-minute featurette that compiles footage captured by the cast members who were given old school Mini DV cameras to document the process of making Thanksgiving. There are so many great candid moments captured here.

NEW – Giving Shanks: A new 23-minute continuation of this footage documented by the ensemble.

NEW – Trailers: The 4K UHD disc includes the Teaser (0:56) and Theatrical Trailer (2:23).

Audio Commentary: Director Eli Roth and Screenwriter Jeff Rendell provide such a fun commentary track in which they gleefully take you through every scene of the movie and provide great details about the production.

Behind The Screams: A four-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss their fervor for creating this story, childhood filmmaking exploits, and much more.

Gore Galore: A nearly four-minute look at how the creative team strove to elevate the art of gory kills.

Outtakes: A five-minute collection of flubbed lines, malfunctioning props, goofing around, and more.

Deleted, Alternate & Extended Scenes: A nearly 35-minute collection of unused footage that is really worth checking out if you enjoyed the film.

Massachusetts Movies – Eli & Jeff’s Early Films: A 12-minute piece that provides archival material from the youthful exploits of Eli Roth and Jeff Rendell. You can watch this footage with optional audio commentary from the duo.

Previews

Final Thoughts

Thanksgiving is a terrifically fun return to the director’s chair for Eli Roth as he serves up one of the best movies of his career. This feature film may be quite a bit different from the fake trailer that inspired it, but it takes the concept to some really fun places. The film is built for a mass audience, yet Roth ensures his gorehound sensibilities are represented in some of the gnarliest deaths we have seen in studio horror in some time. For a slasher film, it simply delivers the goods. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has provided a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc that sports a magnificent A/V presentation and some new supplements in gorgeous SteelBook packaging. Fans waiting for a premium option have been amply rewarded. Highly Recommended

Thanksgiving is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures 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.