T2 Trainspotting appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.85:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This became a high-quality presentation.
For the most part, sharpness worked fine. A few interiors looked a smidgen soft, but the majority of the flick appeared well-defined and accurate. No signs of jagged edges or shimmering occurred, and I witnessed no edge haloes or print flaws materialized.
The movie’s palette opted for a teal tint much of the time, though it brought out a mix of other strong primary hues as well. These looked well-rendered and dynamic. Blacks seemed dense and tight, while low-light shots presented good smoothness and clarity. Overall, this was a pleasing transfer.
In addition, the film’s DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack also worked well. Dominated by music, songs and score blasted from all five channels on a regular basis, and these added zing to the proceedings.
Effects became a less active participant, as they usually focused on ambient elements. Some louder bits emerged as well, but most of the mix went with environmental material, and that seemed fine, as thbe soundscape opened in an appropriate manner.
Audio quality was fine, though note that T2 came with an unusually loud track – I needed to drop my normal volume level quit a bit when I watched the film. Music varied a little dependent on the source, but the score and songs boasted positive range and heft.
Due to all those Scottish accents, dialogue occasionally became a bit tough to understand, but the lines were reproduced with good clarity. Effects showed nice accurate and dynamics as well. This turned into a worthwhile soundtrack.
When we move to extras, we start with an audio commentary from director Danny Boyle and writer John Hodge. Both sit together for this running, screen-specific look at story/characters and connections to the first film, cast and performances, sets and locations, music, and related domains.
Overall, this turns into a fairly insightful chat. We get a good mix of production details, all presented in an engaging and informative manner. Those factors make it a worthwhile discussion.
20 Years in the Making runs 24 minutes, 49 seconds and involves Boyle and actors Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle and Jonny Lee Miller. They discuss the original film and revisiting the characters, reflections on the first flick and expanding its horizons for the sequel, and aspects of the production.
While we get a few good thoughts here, much of “Years” offers appeal just as a “family reunion”. Absent Ewen Bremner – who couldn’t attend – it’s nice to see the main crew chat and reminisce. They just don’t tell us a lot that I’d call substantial.
Called Choosing Endorphins Over Addiction, a featurette about Calton Athletic that lasts four minutes, 25 seconds. The team features a roster of former addicts who turned to sports to help kick their habit. It’s an intriguing notion but it doesn’t give us actual information, so it feels more like a trailer for a longer program than a concrete discussion itself.
A whopping 29 Deleted Scenes last a total of 30 minutes, 11 seconds. Most of these provide minor extensions and snippets that don’t add up to much.
We do get some intriguing additions, though, with more of Renton/Diane as the prime attraction. Actually, I can’t claim the added footage of the two provides much of interest – the existing “reunion” of the former lovers works better – but it’s interesting to see these clips.
Another moderately compelling new theme comes from more of Begbie and his attorney. These don’t need to be in the movie, but they’re entertaining and become some of the better scenes. Otherwise, much of the material remains forgettable.
The disc opens with ads for Spider-Man: Homecoming<, Underworld: Blood Wars, Rough Night, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, Resident Evil: Vendetta and Life. No trailer for T2 appears here.
Perhaps the most we could hope from it, T2 Trainspotting presents a decent update on the 1996 film’s characters. While it doesn’t do much to create its own identity or purpose, it manages to offer a watchable sequel. The Blu-ray provides very good picture and audio along with a nice collection of supplements. I doubt anyone will look back on T2 20 years from now, but it creates a reasonable view of its participants.