Crocodile Dundee II appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.35:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This felt like a dated but mostly good image.
Sharpness seemed fine. Some softness crept into the wider shots but the film usually offered appealing delineation.
Jagged edges and moiré effects remained absent, but light edge haloes appeared at times. Grain seemed largely natural, and print flaws only manifested as a few small specks.
With a natural palette, the colors appeared reasonably full. While they never stood out as impressive, the hues came across as positive enough.
Blacks were dark, while shadows felt fairly smooth. For a movie from 1988, this became a decent to good presentation.
In addition, the movie’s DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack proved effective. Though not packed with action, the film offered enough lively moments to bring the mix to life at times.
Those moments brought decent involvement to the tale. Otherwise, we got a good sense of place/environment along with appealing stereo music.
Audio quality felt fine for a mix from 1988. Speech seemed reasonably concise and natural, without much edginess.
Music appeared peppy and full, while effects felt largely accurate. A little distortion crept into a few louder moments, but those remained minor. Overall, this felt like a more than competent track for a movie from 1988.
How did the Blu-ray compare to the DVD version? Both offered similar soundfields, though the lossless Blu-ray mix seemed a bit warmer.
The Blu-ray’s visuals came across as better defined, cleaner and more vibrant. While not an impressive product, the Blu-ray easily topped the blah DVD.
Note that Crocodile Dundee II initially came out on Blu-ray in 2014 via a “double feature” with the 1986 original film as well. I never saw that release but because the two come with identical specs, I strongly suspect that the 2021 version simply reissues the 2014 disc.
In addition to the film’s trailer, we get a Behind the Scenes Featurette. It spans five minutes, 25 seconds and offers notes from writer/actor Paul Hogan and actor Linda Kozlowski. Nothing of note emerges in this promo piece.
When the first movie turned into a hit, Crocodile Dundee II became inevitable. I wish I could claim the sequel manages fun twists on the prior flick’s themes, but instead, it seems uninspired and forgettable most of the time. The Blu-ray offers mostly good audio, erratic but generally positive visuals and no notable bonus features. Dundee II doesn’t flop but it also fails to find a groove.
Note that this Blu-ray can be found only as part of a “Crocodile Dundee Trilogy” three-disc set. In addition to 1988’s Crocodile Dundee II, it also includes 1986’s Crocodile Dundee II and 2001’s Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles.
To rate this film, visit the original review of CROCODILE DUNDEE II