3D Safari: Africa Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		2.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		2.5

3D Safari: Africa Blu-ray Movie Review

Lions and tigers (but no bears) in Blu-ray 3D.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 15, 2011

Africa is world-renowned for its wildlife.

It's often referred to as "another world," but in reality it's only halfway around this one. 3D Safari Africa takes its audience to "another world" of intrigue and animals for a look at the wildlife that dots Africa's diverse landscape, from her planes to her highest mountaintops, from her driest lands to the banks of the Nile itself. Sojourns into Africa are nothing new for the world of home entertainment; television stations regularly offer digital trips into this exotic kingdom, home video releases often traverse this landscape in hopes of catching a glimpse at the creatures that call it home, but rarely is the journey taken in high definition 3D, at least not yet. 3D Safari Africa features renowned adventurer Hunter Ellis offering a basic overview of the life and times of some of Africa's most interesting, charismatic, dangerous, and photogenic animals. There's nothing new here that most viewers haven't already seen on National Geographic, PBS, Planet Earth, or even the local zoo, but the 3D visuals are a nice and (for now) somewhat unique treat, offering a relatively new way of seeing old material all over again like it was the first time.

Don't mess with mama.

Famed television personality Hunter Ellis heads a two-man expedition deep into the heart of three east coast African nations: Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. His goal: to catch a glimpse of Africa's most popular and prestigious wildlife, to "learn about the animals and the environment in which they live." His journeys will teach him about not only the animals and their environments, but the local cultures and, just maybe, a little bit about himself. 3D Safari Africa sees Ellis interact with tribal warriors and kindly people who care for orphaned elephants, but his adventure begins and ends with the local wildlife population. Ellis encounters giraffes; "chronically promiscuous" warthogs; cheetahs in care of their young and on the hunt for speedy gazelles; elephants; lions; water buffalo; hippos and crocodiles on the Nile River; apes in the Virunga mountains; and many more. The species are diverse and their exploits fun and demonstrative of the way they live, lives that have been shaped by millennia of instinct and co-existence with nature and with one another.

3D Safari Africa certainly isn't the best African nature video out there, but it's easy to watch and exciting to witness as it unfolds, "unfolds" meaning, basically, that it moves on from one animal to the next. It's very basic stuff, and it can't really be enhanced by what is palpable enthusiasm from Hunter Ellis. The film never really excels beyond a "been there, done that," or "seen one, seen 'em all" sort of vibe, but the draw, of course, is the 3D content, which does help keep the movie fresh, and face it, it never really gets old watching baby Cheetahs, does it? The movie also imparts some basic animal trivia. For example, viewers will learn that giraffes can run at a speed of 30 miles per hour, have four stomachs, but sport the same number of neck vertebrae as humans. Such information still takes a back seat to watching the animals live, play, hunt, and feed, even if the film never really does much more than point and shoot and get lucky with some cool shots and neat scenes of animals in action.

3D Safari Africa, however, isn't just about Africa's diverse animal population. It additionally offers a fine basic overview of the people and landscapes in the Kenya-Uganda-Tanzania region of the country. The film yields some gorgeous natural visuals, some of which work well in the movie, others which probably need to be seen in person to truly grasp the grandeur of the moment. For instance, Hunter Ellis is rightly excited to bear witness to a distant Mt. Kilimanjaro, but the effect just doesn't resonate on-screen. Great waterfalls and other natural wonders, however, do, and even Hunter's interaction with other people -- including a group dedicated to rescuing and nursing orphaned elephants and his unique "initiation" into the Maasai tribe -- are often just as entertaining and enlightening as the main animal event. There are times, however, when the movie feels as if it's stretching on just to reach a predetermined runtime. It's not a major detriment, and even though Ellis only ventures in front of the camera for a few moments here and there, he does seem a little too enthusiastic to place himself in line with the animals rather than simply narrate and share his information off-camera.

3D Safari: Africa Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

3D Safari Africa delivers a steady but occasionally frustrating Blu-ray 3D experience. The 3D content generally impresses, but the usual suspects struggle to keep up. The image on the whole is ever-so-slightly dull and soft, maybe better said "hazy." Colors are often lacking in vibrancy, and while that's not always a problem given the earthy Safari clothing, bland earthen landscapes, and animals like rhinos that aren't particularly colorful to begin with, the transfer can't always get away with its overall dull façade. Bright hot air balloons, pink flamingos, and orange cheetahs and zebras don't often yield the sort of colors fans would expect and rightly demand of a high definition release. Detail is equally frustrating. Some shots of grasses look clumpy and indistinct, while others deliver wonderful separation and clarity. Clothing and facial details are bland, but some close-ups are superb, such as as a shot that reveals the rough and intricate skin textures on an elephant. The image is generally free of banding, blocking, and other unwanted intrusions. It's steady, just sort of bland.

On the other hand, the 3D elements are impressive. General depth is usually superb; shots stretching out into the vastness of the African planes are a sight to behold in scope and natural appearance. The 3D effect creates a very real sense of spacing between objects, whether simple grasses or the area in between herds of animals. Some water-level shots of hippos in chapter eight are marvelous; the water seems to want to spill straight out of the screen and into the living room. As good as these elements are, they're pretty much all this disc has to offer. Unfortunately, there's nothing like giraffe heads poking out of the screen or anything like that. It's all very basic, but also very effective 3D-as-depth. Overall, the image could definitely be better. Color and detail are rather bland, and this material, while it screams "great for 3D!" misses a few opportunities for a more eye-popping experience.

3D Safari: Africa Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

3D Safari Africa features a serviceable Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. A Dolby Digital 2.0 offering is also included. Dialogue is the name of the game here; it's generally steady with only a few bouts of mushiness. It remains firmly entrenched in the center channel. Minor ambience is limited to the front. Singing birds and chirping insects deliver most of the atmosphere. The surrounds simply don't carry much of this sort of information. Music is adequately spacious across the front, enjoying fair clarity throughout the movie. A few animal sound effects -- growling, purring, and the like -- also play with acceptable clarity and presence. This is a very straightforward track. Like the video, it's adequate but seems like it could have been a little more polished. As it is, it's at least good enough to get audiences through the movie.

3D Safari: Africa Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

3D Safari Africa contains only the bonus feature Living Large: Hippos and Rhinos -- 3D (1080p, Blu-ray 3D, DD 2.0, 6:01), a short 3D film that looks at these extra-large creatures.

3D Safari: Africa Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

3D Safari Africa doesn't bring anything new to the table in terms of African nature/safari videos, but it never gets old seeing these animals in action. Still, it has its bland stretches, and the camerawork isn't up to the same level of excellence as Planet Earth, but the film does exude an authenticity and heart that's sometimes lacking in more dry safari videos. Level 33's Blu-ray 3D release of 3D Safari Africa is effective but also sort of bland. The 3D elements definitely fare better than the general attributes like detailing and coloring. The lossless soundtrack is stable but unmemorable, and the included supplement is more or less a deleted scene. Still, nature and animal lovers will enjoy this one enough to warrant a purchase. Recommended.