6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Babe, fresh from his victory in the sheepherding contest, returns to Farmer Hoggett's farm, but after Farmer Hoggett is injured and unable to work, Babe has to go to the big city to save the farm.
Starring: Magda Szubanski, James Cromwell, Mary Stein (I), Mickey Rooney, Elizabeth DailyFamily | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: DTS 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
When Babe proved to be one of the biggest and most unexpected hits of 1995, the handwriting was probably already on the wall that a sequel would be inevitable. The little fable about a talking pig who thinks he’s a sheepdog seemed to touch something rather universal in audiences worldwide, and the film’s beautifully rendered storybook setting and brilliant special effects work, which was certainly head and shoulders above the likes of, say, Mr. Ed, made it seem quite possible that these farm animals, including Babe the pig, could indeed talk. Perhaps surprisingly, a lot of people were caught off guard by Babe: Pig in the City, decrying it as an overly dark and dour entry in what was a nascent franchise, but one has to assume those people either weren’t paying attention to the first Babe or perhaps at least missed the first few minutes of the first film. While there’s no denying Babe’s ultimate sweetness, there’s also no denying the sinister Grimm’s fairy tale ambience that ran rampant through the film, not least in the opening sequence when the horrors of what animals endure in “industrial farming” environments. What may be true about Babe: Pig in the City is that the darkness and light are in more extreme contrast, as certain elements of the sequel are decidedly more whimsical than in the first film, while at the same time the basic storyline which finds Babe abandoned and alone in a Big City which is in fact the entire United States seen in microcosm, has an unsettling aspect that is hard to ignore.
Babe: Pig in the City is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Universal Studios with a VC-1 encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. The somewhat dingy environment of the hotel means that at least some of Babe: Pig in the City doesn't quite pop with the vibrancy that was exhibited in the first release. There are, however, several standout sequences, including one where Mrs. Hoggett ventures out into a brightly lit crowd scene, as well as some of Babe's shenanigans around the hotel at various times. Fine object detail is pleasing in close-ups to the point that individual snout hairs on the pig can easily be seen, but midrange and wide shots are often rather soft looking, with some approaching fuzzy territory. This is a Universal catalog release after all, and while DNR seems to have been applied, grain is still evident, at least in some of the outdoor footage. There may have been some artificial sharpening done as there is minimal but noticeable haloing at various moments throughout the film. Colors look accurate and are often quite vivid (though a lot of this film is bathed in browns).
Babe: Pig in the City's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is rather good, though subtle at times. The best moments in terms of surround activity are big set pieces like Mrs. Hoggett's foray into the city as well as a great sequence where Babe is being chased by two guard dogs. That sequence especially is rife with fantastic activity running rampant through the side channels as Babe attempts to escape the beasts and one of them drags an ever increasing aggregation of items behind it that have gotten stuck on its broken leash. Dialogue (and narration) is very cleanly presented. Fidelity is excellent and dynamic range is reasonably wide.
No supplements are offered on this Blu-ray disc.
Babe: Pig in the City isn't as magical as the first Babe, but it's a whale (or a pig) of a lot better than most sequels. The characters are fun and whimsical, the production design is fantastic, and though the story doesn't have the universal appeal of the first Babe, it still has many classic elements that distinguish the best fairy tales. This Blu-ray features good video and very good audio and even without the addition of any supplements, Babe: Pig in the city comes Recommended.
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