Welcome to Bates High School. Today’s lesson: stay on Rachel Lang’s good side, because if you don’t, there will be hellfire to pay! When a group of competitive, oversexed jocks target Rachel as a snitch, it triggers Rachel’s psychic impulse for revenge. While mourning the suicide of her best friend, her rage boils to a fever pitch and Rachel finds herself struggling with her inherited telekinetic powers. Can guidance counselor Sue Snell, survivor of Carrie White’s original bloodbath, manage to help Rachel before it’s too late? Is there any way to save Rachel from her own supernatural fury, or is it destined to destroy her alongside her teenage tormentors?

A chilling sequel from acclaimed cult filmmaker Katt Shea (Stripped to Kill, Streets), THE RAGE: CARRIE 2 stars Emily Bergl (TV’s Shameless) along with Jason London (Dazed and Confused), Dylan Bruno (Saving Private Ryan), Zachery Ty Bryan (TV’s Home Improvement) and also features Academy Award® nominee Amy Irving (Carrie, The Fury) reprising her role of Sue Snell. Vinegar Syndrome presents this late 90s horror sleeper, which Variety called “an explosion of supernatural violence” on 4K UHD for the very first time, exclusively restored from its original camera negative.

For thoughts on The Rage: Carrie 2, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Vinegar Syndrome presents The Rage: Carrie 2 with an excellent 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the Original 35mm Camera Negative. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray by Scream Factory as part of a two-pack with the 2002 film, but that release is out of print and going for ridiculous money on the secondary market. We have never seen any version of the feature previously, but it is safe to say this release is the ultimate representation of the film. The sequel does not have as much style as the original Brian De Palma film, but it still looks great on this format and will impress horror fiends.

There are no indications of lingering print damage or stray specks throughout this top-tier restoration. The film grain appears natural and consistent without any hints of unwanted manipulation as everything resolves well. The texture present in the clothing and within the background elements and makeup is off the charts. The utilization of Dolby Vision for enhanced color output is a notable win for this release. There is a complexity to the locales that makes an impression. Bold colors permeate the screen and reveal a level of nuance that is cherished. The contrast is exceptional with deep black levels free of crush and effortless highlights with no blooming. In terms of encoding, there do not seem to be any digital nuisances such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such eyesores. Vinegar Syndrome always stands tall as one of the best.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of the film comes with the original DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track along with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo mix, each of which brings the world to life with relative ease. The soundtrack and the evocative score from Danny B. Harvey establish the appropriate mood for this feature that never comes up short in its fidelity. Dialogue comes through clearly without being overwhelmed by the sound effects or music. Things don’t get too kinetic until the end, at which time the surround sound presentation makes itself known. The high school environment is brought to life with an array of sound that flows through to provide some lively ambient details. All of the various sounds in the mix seem accurately rendered so that nothing ever feels out of place. This presentation is free of any hiss or other age-related wear and tear. Vinegar Syndrome has done very good work here. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: There are two archival commentary tracks provided in which the filmmaker gets to delve into the somewhat bumpy road she took to making this film, shooting on location, working with the performers, the themes she wanted to explore, and much more.

- Audio Commentary #1: Director Katt Shea, cinematographer Donald M. Morgan, moderated by David DeCoteau

- Audio Commentary #2: Director Katt Shea

Deleted Scenes: A ten-minute collection of unused moments is presented here with an introduction from director Katt Shea. This footage can be viewed with an optional commentary from Shea.

Alternate Ending with Commentary by Katt Shea: A bonkers, minute-long alternate ending is provided with commentary from Shea.

Original Trailer (2:16)

Final Thoughts

The Rage: Carrie 2 obviously does not hold a candle to the original classic, but it is somewhat unfair to expect a relatively minor follow-up decades later to match one of the great horror films. When viewed independently, this outing offers its own brand of thrills and fun. Sure, some of the effects are endearingly dated, but the lead performance from Emily Bergl grounds the whole affair in something emotionally truthful. You wait with bated breath to see the stock villains get what is coming to them, and your heart goes out to our leading lady when her happiness begins to crumble. It is a familiar dynamic, but this take brings enough originality to entertain. Vinegar Syndrome has delivered a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a first-rate A/V presentation and a decent assortment of special features. If you are a fan of the film, this is a stellar release. Recommended

The Rage: Carrie 2 is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray.

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

Disclaimer: Vinegar Syndrome has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.