6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Everyone's favourite rascals Frylock, Master Shake, Meatwad and Carl fight the corporate overlord Amazin, led by tech mogul Neil and his trusty scientist sidekick, Elmer.
Starring: Dana Snyder (II), Carey Means, Dave Willis, Peter Serafinowicz, Natasha RothwellAnimation | 100% |
Comedy | 96% |
Dark humor | 56% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Originally conceived as a spin-off of Cartoon Network's surprise smash hit Space Ghost Coast to Coast, Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro's Aqua Teen Hunger Force somehow ended up outliving its predecessor through 15 seasons and even a 2009 feature-length film. Since the show's 2015 cancellation, it enjoyed a brief YouTube revival earlier this year and now comes Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm, a second full-length film released straight to video and HBO Max.
Plantasm differs from the first Aqua Teen film in that it actually has a semi-logical plot, which might end up being its biggest handicap. Not that I'm against accessible entry points -- if such a thing even exists for this franchise -- but it's a lukewarm thread at best, one that offers several bright spots but spins its wheels elsewhere, especially most of the attempted social commentary concerning Amazin' and its owner. Then there's a running gag involving Mooninites Err and Ignignokt (Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis), who interrupt the film seven times -- including the end credits -- and this gets old pretty quick. (For added emotional torture, an on-screen text prompt lets the non-threatening Mooninites "hijack" your smartphone with a near-endless string of SMS insults and even a spoiler for the post-credits scene. It's kind of clever, but I unsubscribed after about 40 minutes.) Everything ties together in a reasonably satisfying way, but your enjoyment of Plantasm may hinge more on your nostalgia for its overall vibe than the story itself.
It's kind of fitting for a franchise whose oddball characters and dialogue take precedence over everything else, so it's likely that anyone who
enjoyed earlier versions of Aqua Teen Whatever will get their money's worth. But even within the boundaries of direct-to-video fare there's
room for improvement here, so here's hoping that future Cartoon Network DTV productions -- of which there are at least two planned -- build
momentum, or at least keep it going. Surprisingly enough, Warner Bros. has gone all-out on the home video front, serving up Plantasm in
either a stand-alone
Blu-ray or this 4K combo
pack (which even feels weird to type), both of which include a few solid bonus features.
Presented in true 4K on Warner Bros.' 2160p transfer, Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm translates pretty damn cleanly to UHD even without the benefits of HDR enhancement. The beefed-up (but still admittedly crude) animation style looks razor-sharp on this dual-layered disc, which nearly triples the real estate of the single-layered Blu-ray... even though it probably doesn't use much more than half of the available data. By design, the animation style obviously doesn't leave much room for gradient details and supple textures, relying more on its wildly varied color palette and crisp edges to make an immediate visual impression. Its trademark ADHD-style cuts and non-sequiturs lead to rapid-fire tonal and location changes, with perhaps the best compliment being that Plantasm's anything-goes vibe plays without any hitches here. Saturation and contrast levels are superb, from the lime-green and purple Mooninites to the sickly earth-toned hues of invading plant life and, of course, the deep blacks and blues of outer space, which all add to the overall depth. It really is a nice-looking presentation for a franchise with extremely modest visual roots yet somehow feels right at home in the 4K format, even if a dual-layered Blu-ray likely wouldn't have finished all that far behind.
For my thoughts on the included Blu-ray's second-place but comparatively decent 1080p transfer (which is where this review's screenshots are sourced from), please see my separate review of that title.
Similarly, the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix falls within expected territory for a film of this type: mostly front-loaded, but with a more than a few little sonic surprises due to the subject matter and constantly shifting tone. Surrounds open up nicely during heightened action, which includes a handful of battles on and above the Earth and also extends to the original score. Channel panning and discrete effects come into play here as well as an overall envelopment that feels suitably large but not overcooked. Speech and other foreground effects are crystal clear -- when they're supposed to be, at least -- and obviously do most of the driving here, occasionally also extending into the rears depending on location and volume level. Overall, it's a perfectly good mix that complements the visuals nicely.
Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are offered during the main feature only. For whatever reason, the bonus features only include Spanish subtitles which is very unusual for a Warner Bros. release.
This two-disc release ships in a dual-hubbed keepcase with stylin' cover artwork duplicated on both the matching slipcover and an included fold-out poster that's shrink-wrapped to the package. A digital copy redemption slip is also tucked inside. Extras are mostly found on the Blu-ray but the audio commentary is also on the 4K disc.
4K DISC (Movie and Bonus Feature)
BLU-RAY DISC (Movie and Bonus Features)
Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm revives Cartoon Network's second-longest running series with another feature-length film that, for better or for worse, mostly preserves the show's unpredictable sense of humor. It's certainly entertaining in spots and the animation is a solid step up from previous iterations, yet it unsurprisingly feels pretty padded even at just 76 minutes and the constant Mooninite interruptions don't help matters, either. That said, Warner Bros.' 4K release is a surprising one indeed: not just because it exists, but because it preserves the source resolution in an SDR transfer that looks great. Add in a few decent bonus features and you've got a Recommended disc for faithful fans.
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