THE WORMS HAVE TURNED! Six years after Tremors first tunnelled its way into audiences’ affections, the original creative team returned for an equally edge-of-your-seat sequel that would pave the way for a long-running franchise by adding some new twists to everyone’s favorite slimy subterranean slitherers! Earl Bassett (Fred Ward)’s celebrity after defeating the Graboid attack against the town of Perfection has proved short-lived, until he’s recruited by a Mexican oil company whose workers have found more than they bargained for under the soil. With the help of a scientist (Helen Shaver) and a new sidekick (Christopher Gartin) – not to mention the return of his gun-toting survivalist pal Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) – Earl is about to learn the Graboids have evolved and are deadlier than ever! Reprising the same mix of nail-biting horror and rib-tickling humor that made the original film so beloved, Tremors 2: Aftershocks is back in a brand new 4K restoration that makes this creature feature pop like never before!

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

[youtube https://youtu.be/ZKxNTPdeCv4?si=3AeXNv1m9qqqO2Ng&t=512]

Video Quality

Tremors 2: Aftershocks makes its 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut with a rich 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer that allows it to look like one of the most visually pleasing direct-to-video movies ever. The film is presented in its original 1.85:1 from a 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The 4K UHD release does not contain an accompanying Blu-Ray, but, when compared to the old Universal Blu-Ray, this disc offers substantial improvements in all respects. The movie has the perfect amount of natural film grain formidably encoded by Fidelity In Motion that reveals a lot of interesting texture and detail within the transfer. The goopy Graboid and Shrieker guts are wickedly disgusting. The image shows off an unbelievable amount of depth that makes this dusty landscape feel more three-dimensional than ever.

Black levels are deep and allow the picture to retain a robust amount of depth and detail in darker environments. Highlights are brighter and offer greater stability without veering into blooming. The improvements in contrast and overall clarity cannot be underestimated. The UHD disc contains very nuanced, deep colors throughout that unlock the complexities of the earth tones. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a great amount of facial detail including stubble. Arrow Video has once again made fans of this franchise extremely happy.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and 4.0 lossless audio tracks that offer a worthy representation of the film. The original stereo mix is resolute and nuanced, and the remastered 4.0 mix expands things quite nicely without compromising the artistic intent. The quippy dialogue comes through clearly and never succumbs to any digital anomalies. The Jay Ferguson score is presented with a significant amount of clarity and unwavering fidelity. Music is prominent throughout the presentation, but it never overshadows the dialogue or other important information.

The sound design springs to life quite naturally for a satisfying listening experience. There are various creature mayhem sequences where the track gets to show off. Rear speakers are used to flesh out the world a bit without being overly showy in their implementation. The low-end response is not going to knock you off your seat due to the lack of a dedicated channel, but it does what it needs to do. This release has been treated well with a pair of audio tracks that more than get the job done.

Special Features

The Limited Edition Collector’s Set of the Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Tremors 2: Aftershocks comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer case and includes a 60-page bound book featuring new writing by Jonathan Melville on the Tremors 2 scripts that never got made, and Dave Wain & Matty Budrewicz on the history of Universal’s DTV sequel division. This package also includes a double-sided poster and a small fold-out poster featuring new Shrieker X-ray art. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Commentary #1: Director/co-writer S.S. Wilson and co-producer Nancy Roberts provide a great new commentary track that was recorded separately and stitched together in which they discuss the unexpected success of Tremors on home video, the journey towards making a new installment for the home video division of Universal, working on a reduced budget, trimming some of the original cast members who didn’t want to return, the new additions to the story, the visual effects of the film, and much more.

Commentary #2: Author of Seeking Perfection: The Unofficial Guide to Tremors Jonathan Melville gives a detail-rich breakdown of the film that is very well structured and focused which capitalizes on Melville’s relationship with the original cast and crew to give valuable insights into the production.

Graboid Go Boom with Peter Chesney: A new 20-minute interview with special effects designer and second unit director Peter Chesney in which he discusses working with S.S. Wilson, the benefits of being a second unit director, crafting physical effects, working with limited manpower, the limited mobility of the creatures, how they created safe explosions, and more.

Critical Need-To-Know Information with Phil Tippett: A new nearly eight-minute interview with visual effects legend Phil Tippett in which he discusses the shift to digital effects work and the early CGI technology.

The Making of Tremors 2: A nine-minute archival featurette from the original release that tackles different elements of the film’s production via interviews with the performers, filmmakers, and special effects teams.

Outtakes: Eight minutes of test footage, flubbed takes, and forgotten lines are provided here.

Trailers: There are trailers provided for Tremors (1:55) and Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1:53).

Image Galleries: The disc also includes an assortment of Production and Behind-The-Scenes stills, screenplay grabs, storyboards, promotional material, and more.

Final Thoughts

Tremors 2: Aftershocks has the reputation of being one of the best direct-to-video sequels ever, and it is hard to think of many that obviously surpass it. The film is not quite as good as the original effort, but this one does a really nice job of working within its limitations. We are glad to see at least a few familiar faces return, and the balance of comedy and creature feature goodness works out quite well. Arrow Video has delivered a 4K UHD package featuring a sterling A/V presentation and a good amount of special features that should please fans. If you are a fan of the series, there is no reason not to upgrade. Recommended

Tremors 2: Aftershocks is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray.

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

Disclaimer: Arrow Video 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.