‘Pusher Trilogy’ 4K UHD Review (Second Sight)
In the mid-90s director Nicolas Winding Refn burst on the scene with his powerful film debut, the gritty criminal underworld action film Pusher. Then, almost 10 years later, he would return to direct two sequels. Now, as we are heading to 2026, the original film is turning 30 years old. So, for this epic birthday Second Sight Films have restored this trilogy and are releasing it on 4k UltraHD.
- Pusher (1996) – A gang of mid-level criminals navigate Copenhagen’s gritty underworld after a drug deal goes wrong. *** 3/5
- Pusher II (2004) – Fresh from jail, a criminal vows to leave his past behind following the birth of his first child, but getting out of the life isn’t so easy when you’re born into it. *** 3/5
- Pusher III (2005) – An ageing drug dealer and addict struggles to come to terms with his life choices while a new criminal starts making waves in the underworld. *** 3/5
Make no mistake about it, this trilogy is only for mature audiences! It is filled with violence, sexual content and drugs. So, viewer beware.
Second Sight Films have given each film in this trilogy a dedicated 4k disc. The films have been transferred to 4K in 2160p and are presented in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The audio tracks include a Danish language track in Dolby Atmos and original Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes. There are also English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. To be honest, I would have liked to have seen an English dub included – I grew up on Godzilla films, so those bad dubs make these foreign films for me so much better!
Second Sight Films have done a wonderful job with this release. These new 4K restorations are brought to us by Director Nicolas Winding Refn, and they bring new life to these films. The picture quality is – to be expected from Second Sight – crisp and clean. But this new 4K box set is not just the movies, there are some great bonus features too. Take a look at what is included:
On Disc Special Features:
- New audio commentary with Nicolas Winding Refn and Peter Bradshaw (Pusher)
- New audio commentary with Nicolas Winding Refn and Catherine Shoard (Pusher II)
- New audio commentary with Nicolas Winding Refn and Alan Jones (Pusher III)
- Gambler: feature-length documentary
- Danish director Poul Nyrup’s 1960s trilogy of youth films in new 4K restorations: Mellem Venner, Call Girl Centralen “Villa Vennely” and Stenbroens “Helte”. Sharing a kinship with the Pusher trilogy in their uncompromising depiction of marginalised lives, Nicolas Winding Refn dedicated Pusher III to the director.
Limited Edition Contents:
- Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Thomas Walker
- 120-page book with new essays by Jamie Graham, Justin LaLiberty, Janine Pipe, Ariel * Power-Schaub, Alison Taylor and Nadine Whitney plus an excerpt from Scandinavian Blue by Jack Stevenson on the films of Poul Nyrup
- 5 collectors’ art cards
This is more than just a deluxe box set, it’s a work of art. Beautifully produced, the Pusher Trilogy on 4K isn’t simply a movie collection; it’s a showpiece that will stand out in any home video library. If you’re a fan of gangster films or crime thrillers, this set could be the missing gem in your collection.
**** 4/5
The Pusher Trilogy is available now from Second Sight Films and Amazon.
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