By John Corrado

The directorial debut of Ernest R. Dickerson (Spike Lee’s cinematographer), the 1992 drama Juice follows Q (Omar Epps), Bishop (Tupaac Shakur), Raheem (Khalil Kain) and Steel (Jermaine Hopkins), four friends in Harlem who are after the power they call “juice.”

Following the 25th anniversary Blu-ray release in 2017, Paramount has now given Juice a 4K Ultra HD upgrade, with a brand new edition being released in honour of the film’s 30th anniversary this month.

The main tension in the story is between Q, who wants to make it as a DJ, and Bishop, who sees a quicker way to get money and power through armed robbery, using a DJ competition as their alibi.

In the same vein as a Spike Lee or John Singleton film, Dickerson offers a gritty look at inner-city gang life. The screenplay, co-written by Dickerson and Gerard Brown, tells a still-relevant story about poverty and seemingly endless cycles of violence that builds to a powerful ending. The film features an intense performance by Tupac, as well as a soundtrack that boasts choice cuts of early-’90s hip hop. It’s a good movie that offers a number of tragic, dramatic turns and plays with a decent amount of suspense, especially on first viewing.

The 2160p presentation on the 4K disc offers a decent upgrade that is most noticeable during the outdoor daytime scenes, with colourful items like Raheem’s red jacket and a red car really popping on screen. It’s a good release for fans of the film or those looking to upgrade from the Blu-ray, though the content of the disc remains the same as that release, making a double dip feel slightly less necessary aside from the obvious benefits of 4K.

For more on the film itself, you can read my full review of the 25th anniversary Blu-ray right here.

Bonus Features (4K Ultra HD):

The 4K disc ports over the same bonus features – a commentary track and four featurettes – from the 25th anniversary edition (minus the photo gallery). There is no Blu-ray in the package, but a code for a digital copy is also included.

• Commentary by Director Ernest R. Dickerson

• You’ve Got the Juice Now (19 minutes, 11 seconds)

• Wrecking Crew (23 minutes, 43 seconds)

• Sip the Juice: The Music (12 minutes, 50 seconds)

• Stay in the Scene: The Interview (22 minutes, 42 seconds)

Juice is a Paramount Home Entertainment release. It’s 94 minutes and rated 18A.

Street Date: January 11th, 2022