The Nice Guys 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
Limited Edition
Score: 86
from 2 reviewers
Review Date:
A stellar 4K Dolby Vision and Atmos remaster from Second Sight brings The Nice Guys’ gritty, glittering 1970s comedy to vivid life.
Disc Release Date
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Video: 91
The Nice Guys receives a Director-approved 4K UHD Blu-ray with Dolby Vision HDR, Wide Colour Gamut, and Fidelity in Motion encoding, delivering vivid period colors, refined detail, and rich textures—showcasing enhanced clarity, shadow depth, and vibrant highlights.
Audio: 81
The UK 4K Blu-ray of The Nice Guys offers a notable upgrade with a Dolby Atmos track—delivering enhanced immersion, discrete effects, clear dialogue, robust LFE, and greater environmental presence compared to the prior DTS-HD MA 5.1, though overhead use remains limited.
Extra: 91
Second Sight’s 4K UHD Blu-ray release of The Nice Guys delivers a robust package with extensive new interviews, a detailed commentary, a 150-page hardback book, collectible art cards, and a full suite of featurettes, making it a standout for collectors and cinephiles.
Movie: 76
The Nice Guys’ 4K UHD Blu-ray is a visually vibrant, sharply detailed restoration of Shane Black’s neo-noir—delivering standout Gosling/Crowe chemistry, whip-smart scripting, and meticulously recreated 70s LA with balanced audio and dense period detail that rewards repeat viewing.

Video: 91
Second Sight Films’ 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "The Nice Guys" features a new 4K UHD master, supervised by director Shane Black and encoded by Fidelity in Motion. Presented in 3840 x 2160p resolution with an HEVC (H.265) transfer, the film maintains its original widescreen 2.39:1 aspect ratio, and benefits from both HDR10 and Dolby Vision high dynamic range technologies. The transfer stands out with a robust and filmic presentation marked by fine detailing and subtle textural accuracy, enhancing both the film’s inherent period look and visual depth.
Shot digitally on the Arri Alexa XT Plus (ARRIRAW 2.8K) and Red Epic Dragon (Redcode RAW 6K), and utilizing Panavision and Angenieux lenses, the resulting image displays substantial improvements in color vibrancy and shadow detail over prior masters. The wide color gamut—anchored in pastel-heavy, 1970s-inspired hues—retains authenticity while leveraging Dolby Vision’s expanded contrast to deliver highlights with notable clarity, such as shimmering poolside reflections and richly saturated costumes or vehicles. Inky black levels, accurate skin tones, and deft highlight control give the visual presentation a lustrous quality that respects the intentional period palette, yet brings out vivid elements that truly pop onscreen. This edition marks a technically meticulous update that visually elevates the film far above earlier Blu-ray releases.
Audio: 81
The UK 4K Blu-ray release of "The Nice Guys" notably distinguishes itself with its audio presentation, offering both a new Dolby Atmos mix and the original DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. While the previous DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track was robust and delivered clear, prioritized dialogue, the addition of the Atmos mix on this release provides a material improvement in immersive sound. The Atmos track enhances environmental dynamics, employing the array more effectively to create a sense of dimensionality and presence throughout scenes. Effects benefit from added discreteness and spatial accuracy, and the soundtrack demonstrates appreciable energy. Low-frequency effects (LFE) are well-integrated and lend notable heft to the overall presentation.
However, while the Atmos mix does improve spatial immersion compared to the 5.1 option, its use of overhead channels is restrained. Overhead atmospherics are present but generally understated, contributing to ambiance rather than delivering prominently dynamic effects above the listener. Occasionally, musical cues are emphasized in the height speakers, but these instances remain measured and do not dominate the overall mix. Dialogue consistently remains crisp and intelligible, ensuring that character exchanges are not lost amid the film’s active soundscape. Overall, the new Atmos mix provides a tangible upgrade, particularly in terms of environmental immersion and precision, even if its overhead elements are deployed conservatively.
Extras: 91
Second Sight’s 4K UHD release of "The Nice Guys" stands out for its comprehensive package of extras, offering a robust lineup of newly produced interviews, video essays, and insightful commentary tracks that deepen appreciation for the film’s craft. The limited edition includes a rigid slipcase, newly commissioned artwork, a substantial 150-page hardback book with essays from multiple film critics, and nine collectors’ art cards, catering to both cinephiles and collectors. On the disc, the bonus features demonstrate careful curation, featuring extensive conversations with director Shane Black, his collaborators, and key creative personnel. The inclusion of both a feature-length commentary and several focused interviews ensures a thorough exploration of the film’s production, direction, and cultural context. This supplements the technical excellence of the 4K transfer by making the set genuinely informative and collectible.
Extras included in this disc:
- Commentary with Director Shane Black and Co-Writer Anthony Bagarozzi: Insightful track moderated by Priscilla Page.
- Knights in Tarnished Armour: In-depth interview with Shane Black.
- Finding an Audience: Interview with Co-Producer Ethan Erwin.
- A Thousand Cuts: Interview with Director of Photography Philippe Rousselot.
- From Lethal Weapons to Nice Guys: Analytical video essay by Leigh Singer.
- Always Bet on Black: Additional featurette.
- Making the Nice Guys: Worst. Detectives. Ever.: Behind-the-scenes documentary.
- Cast Interviews: Perspectives from principal cast members.
- Trailers: Promotional material included.
Movie: 76
Shane Black’s “The Nice Guys” channels the energy and wit of his earlier triumphs, weaving a neon-soaked homage to 1970s Los Angeles that balances riotous slapstick with sharp noir sensibilities. The story follows hapless private eye Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and stoic bruiser Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) as they navigate a labyrinthine plot involving vanished porn stars, corporate cover-ups, and delightfully chaotic set pieces. Black’s signature dialogue crackles with quotable one-liners and subversive twists, relying less on a tightly wound mystery than on richly drawn characters and dazzling period detail—from disco-era soundtracks to smoky nightclub interiors.
The chemistry between Gosling and Crowe is the film’s true engine: Gosling’s manic, physical comedic timing collides with Crowe’s grounded, deadpan gravitas, crafting a mismatched duo whose escalating misadventures are both hilarious and surprisingly poignant. Angourie Rice brings further depth as March’s daughter Holly, adding warmth and a genuine moral anchor to the wild proceedings. Black’s flair for ensemble casting and offbeat personalities—including memorable turns from Margaret Qualley, Matt Bomer, Kim Basinger, and Keith David—ensures every supporting role enriches the bustling tapestry of 1977 L.A.
What sets “The Nice Guys” apart is its ability to intertwine slapstick and satire with an undercurrent of social critique: the film lampoons institutional corruption and environmental apathy without losing its breezy rhythm or genre self-awareness. The result is a stylish, layered comic thriller that rewards rewatching through both intricate visual detail and its relentless barrage of jokes. While its box office underperformance suggests initial misalignment with audience expectations, the film excels as a rewatchable cult favorite—playful yet substantial, irreverent yet affectionate toward the buddy-detective formula.
Total: 86
Shane Black’s "The Nice Guys" has undergone critical reappraisal since its underwhelming theatrical performance, amassing a dedicated following for its sharp wit and vibrant depiction of 1970s Los Angeles. The new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release from Second Sight capitalizes on this growing appreciation, delivering a technically impressive remaster. Featuring a HEVC 2160p transfer in the film’s original 2.39:1 aspect ratio, the restoration is supported by Fidelity in Motion with Dolby Vision HDR (HDR10 compatible) that brings out both the gritty texture and garish brilliance of the era’s aesthetics. Detail and color rendering are significantly heightened, allowing for a genuine sense of period authenticity and cinematic flair.
Audio is equally robust, with English Dolby Atmos providing an immersive soundstage that enhances both the action sequences and the film’s crisp, often rapid-fire comedic dialogue. Secondary audio options include DTS-HD MA 5.1 and English SDH subtitles, ensuring accessibility and flexibility across playback systems. The package is further bolstered by an array of extras, both on- and off-disc, making it not only a technical showcase but a substantive collector’s edition.
In summary, Second Sight’s 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "The Nice Guys" sets a new benchmark for catalog titles, blending state-of-the-art video and audio presentation with thorough supplemental content. This edition is a must-have for Shane Black enthusiasts and cinephiles alike, reaffirming the film’s place as one of the most memorable—and now best-looking—comedies of the last decade.
- Read review here
AV Forums review by Casimir Harlow
Video: 100
but it's one encoded by Fidelity in Motion Curiously, this isn't the only 4K release of The Nice Guys this year, with February seeing Warner release a US 4K of the title, however it seems that was culled...
Audio: 90
Dialogue is disseminated with clarity and distinction, taking precedence on both tracks, but effects take on an added dynamic edge with the Atmos, which splays its wares across the array, offering discrete...
Extras: 90
Second Sight's typically lavish UK 4K options for The Nice Guys are impressive both on and off-disc, with both Limited and Standard flavours, the former including a whole lot more tat, but hard to turn...
Movie: 80
Bang Bang - Shane Black fashions a snappy slice of period-set, modern-bent detective musings here, and it's as much in the casting as the script, with Gosling's centrepiece a spiritual precursor to his...
Total: 90
this one probably had most people at "Fidelity in Motion" Second Sight pull out all the stops once more in a fabulous FIM-backed 4K remaster of The Nice Guys, with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to boot,...
Video: 90
The Nice Guys was originally shot on the Arri Alexa XT Plus with Panavision E-, G-series and Angenieux Optimo 2S lenses and the Red Epic Dragon with Kowa Prominar lenses (some shots) in ARRIRAW 2.8K resolution...
Audio: 80
The Atmos mix is a solid one that has a good spread of sounds, clear dialogue and nice extension if not ground rattling into the lows, but it doesn’t do much with the overheads....
Extras: 100
A thousand Cuts: An interview with Director of Photography Philippe Rousselot (1080p; 00:14:04) From Lethal Weapons to Nice Guys: A video essay by Leigh Singer (1080p; 00:21:29) Always Bet on Black (1080p;...
Movie: 80
Despite critical praise, The Nice Guys bombed at the box office in 2016—likely a victim of mismarketing (trailers sold pure action, not dark comedy) and franchise-fatigued audiences....
Total: 90
Original English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Subtitles: English SDH Street Date: 16 June 2025 Share this: Click to share on X (Opens in new window)...
Director: Shane Black
Actors: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice
PlotIn 1970s Los Angeles, grizzled enforcer Jackson Healy and bumbling private investigator Holland March cross paths when they're separately hired to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a young woman named Amelia. Their initial clash gives way to an uneasy partnership when they discover that their cases are connected. Amelia is involved in a convoluted conspiracy involving a pornographic film that somehow links to the car industry, environmental protests, and the recent death of a famous porn star. As Healy and March dig deeper, they uncover a web of corruption that extends to the highest echelons of power.
Their investigation leads them through a series of dangerous encounters and bizarre events, including a break-in at a mobster's mansion and a violent altercation at a ritzy party. Along the way, March’s resourceful teenage daughter, Holly, often aids them, showing a knack for detective work herself. Despite their often comical blunders and differing approaches, Healy and March form a more efficient and cohesive team as the stakes rise. Their search for Amelia takes on greater urgency when they realize that uncovering the truth could put their own lives at risk and change the future of the automobile industry forever.
Writers: Shane Black, Anthony Bagarozzi
Release Date: 20 May 2016
Runtime: 116 min
Rating: R
Country: United States
Language: English, German