7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.4 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Trying to outdo his main rival Vector, serial villain Gru hatches a plan to steal the moon, aided by his army of minions. About to set his dastardly plan in motion, and bristling with his arsenal of freeze-rays and sci-fi gadgetry, all goes according to plan until the arrival at his door of three little orphan girls, Margo, Agnes and Edith, in search of a father figure.
Starring: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Will ArnettAdventure | 100% |
Family | 96% |
Animation | 79% |
Fantasy | 68% |
Comedy | 59% |
Sci-Fi | 28% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
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
Spanish: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Four-disc set (2 BDs, 2 DVDs)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
Blu-ray 3D
D-Box
Mobile features
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
When we got adopted by a bald guy, I thought this would be more like Annie.
Ever wonder what the biggest challenge facing Hollywood is these days? There are probably dozens of "correct" answers, but near the top of the list
must be, "how to keep the digitally animated film fresh and profitable?" It's amazing how studios keep finding ways to fill theater seats with films
created completely in the digital realm and in the recording studio. It's been 15 years since Toy Story redefined the cinematic landscape, and since then there's
been no shortage of good-to-great-to-brilliant digital adventures that manage to not only one-up their predecessors in terms of visual delights --
that's to be expected as technology improves by leaps and bounds with every flip of the calendar -- but continue to tell inventive stories that
keep
these sorts of films at the top of the charts, earning nearly universal critical praise while raking in untold billions of dollars and warming the hearts of
young and old alike around the world. It seems like most of the great ideas are going to digital films, and why not? Not only are they still surefire
profit-makers, but the modern-day magicians -- the digital artists who make it all possible -- are capable of doing anything and everything in the
digital domain, including shrinking the moon to the size of a softball. With that in mind, there's no longer such as thing as a plot line that's too
outlandish, a special effect that's too hard, or a
character that's too difficult to bring to life. The digital era might mark the second Golden Age in Hollywood, for it's now possible to do anything and
everything and put it on-screen with graphics that are as colorful and detailed and as lifelike -- or as fantastically make-believe -- as the imagination
of the artists
will allow. The digital realm, then, was the perfect breeding ground for another in what is becoming an incredibly long list of fine animated films.
Despicable Me takes full advantage of all the bells and whistles of the 21st century -- including 3D -- to dazzle audiences with a unique story
that takes place in a carefully and colorfully realized world that's populated by lovably diverse and distinctive characters involved in a plot that, yes,
deals with the shrinking of the moon. In other words, it's the perfect example of what digital filmmaking is all about.
Where George Bailey and John Michael Montgomery failed, Gru will succeed.
The great 3D discs are the ones that are the easiest to review, and brother, Despicable Me 3D is a piece of cake. This is a fantastic inaugural
3D
release from Universal that comes awfully close to perfection. Of all the transfer's fantastic features, the best might be its colors. This is easily the
liveliest 3D release yet, with a color palette that's nothing short of striking in terms of vibrancy and diversity. Whether the desert tans that open the
film,
Vector's bright orange accents, or the Minions' banana yellow shading, Despicable Me dazzles in 3D with some of the best color around. Just
as
good is the disc's endless supply of wonderfully realized details. Every frame is home to striking textures that reach the pinnacle of what Blu-ray and
digital animation both are currently capable of achieving. Clothing looks spectacular, with the slightest of frays and fuzzies visible on the pink woven
cap worn
by
one of the girls plainly visible throughout, while Gru's zippered black garment reveals the most intricate of fabric textures. Gru's classic Science Fiction
rocket-propelled vehicles
look amazing, too; the slick metallic surface reveals not only the detailing of every nut and bolt holding the vehicles together, but also every dent and
scratch that gives the
machines
character. Black levels are superb, and only the slightest hint of banding is visible in one or two shots. This is an amazing transfer, and the 3D
attributes make it even better.
Universal's first foray into Blu-ray 3D doesn't disappoint. Although the film's title card appears outlined by heavy ghosting -- so much so that the 3D
effect is almost ruined -- and several other objects feature shadows throughout the movie when the disc is replayed on Panasonic's first-generation
Blu-ray 3D hardware, such anomalies are cancelled out by the superb and seamless depth offered by the added dimension of high definition goodness.
The transfer is one of those where realistic depth proves a far more valuable commodity than does gimmicky 3D tricks. Depth is superb throughout,
and whether viewers are looking across a room or down a city street, the television becomes a window into an animated world that places the viewer
in the middle of every environment. When three Minions go shopping in chapter 10, the superstore's expansive isles seem to stretch on to infinity,
the effect little more than a visual gag but one that works incredibly well in 3D. Similar shots fare quite well throughout, as does a particular shrink
ray scene near the end of the film and a unique first-person view of a cookie robot scurrying around Vector's home. As noted earlier, there aren't a lot
of deliberate "wow" moments in the film, though there are a few that work quite well and don't seem forced into the movie just for the sake of
dazzling the 3D audience. A roller coaster ride in chapter six doesn't exactly leap off the screen, but the 3D visuals do a fair job of replicating that real
life experience. The tip of a spacecraft seems to stick straight out of the television in one late scene, but there are a few obvious "misses" throughout
the movie, scenes where a greater 3D effect might have benefited the experience, such as a barrage of gunfire and missile launches in chapter six
that don't seem to shoot out of the screen with quite as much 3D bravado as one might hope. Still, Blu-ray 3D -- at least so far -- has been more
about balance and realistic
depth, and that's exactly what this disc provides. Combined with its superb coloring -- easily the best yet on a 3D disc -- and exceptional detailing,
Despicable Me 3D is one top two or three Blu-ray 3D discs currently available.
Despicable Me's DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack is just as wonderful as its 1080p 3D video transfer. Universal's latest killer soundtrack offers exceptional spacing around the soundstage; separation is fantastic as every speaker works to create a seamless environment and deliver pinpoint sound effects and imaging, while music plays primarily across the front but with a rear channel support presence that practically melts away the speakers and fills the room with rich, infinitely clear, and satisfying notes. Indeed, sound effects play with a naturalism that's the equal to anything heard on the best Blu-ray discs; whether something as mundane as a doorbell ringing off to the side or far more agressive and dynamic effects such as jet-propelled vehicles and missiles zipping through the listening area, there's no shortage of sound effects, both big and small and everything in between, to bring the movie to life and satisfy even the most demanding of audiophiles to no end. This mix is perfectly balanced; the surrounds carry a large percentage of information, but only just enough to support rather than dominate the soundtrack. This a seamless listening experience that's about as rich and invigorating as they come. Bass is superb, too; it's potent but not overwhelming, every instance finding just the right volume and strength to support whatever's happening in the movie without dominating the remainder of the track or playing with even a hint of sloppiness. A dance tune in chapter nine pounds out the beats with perfect accuracy, while action scenes are supported by a potent and tight low end that add another dynamic to the experience. Dialogue is perfectly centered and crisp throughout. Universal's Despicable Me soundtrack is about as good as it gets.
Despicable Me delivers a lengthy assortment of extra content, but there's not an equal amount of substance to match. The package is
highlighted by a picture-in-picture mode and an audio commentary track, supported along the way by various little odds
and
ends that shed some light on the making of the movie but don't go into any great detail. Most of the extras are exclusive to the 2D-only disc found in
this set; only the commentary, D-Box capabilities, and BD-Live functionality are found on both discs. DVD and digital copies of Despicable Me
round out this four-disc set.
Despicable Me is a joyous little film that represents the new wave of digital features about as well as any other of the now varied and approaching countless entries that have dazzled viewers wile warming hearts and tickling funny bones since Toy Story started a trend and set in motion a seemingly unstoppable freight train carrying limitless profits, ever-expanding potential, and some of the best stories of the past 15 years. Despicable Me is filled with memorable characters inserted into a fresh and exciting plot line that certainly pays homage to other films throughout -- watch for a scene in the final act that's right out of the end of The Empire Strikes Back -- but is nevertheless one of the more creative and exciting movies of its kind. Great voice acting and what passes for perfect animation in 2010 round out, surprisingly, one of the year's best films. Universal's Blu-ray 3D release of Despicable Me features a fantastic technical presentation and a slew of extra content. Highly recommended as a disc that may have very well cracked the top ten releases of the year had it come out a few weeks sooner.
2010
2010
Exclusive Minion Goggles
2010
2010
2010
2010
Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray
2010
2010
Universal 100th Anniversary
2010
2010
2010
2010
Limited Edition Holiday Gift Set
2010
+ Minions Fandango Cash
2010
+ Minions Fandango Cash
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
Secret Life of Pets 2 Fandango Cash
2010
2013
2013
2011
Collector's Edition
2012
2012
2012
2009
2010
2010
50th Anniversary Edition | DVD Packaging
1963
2014
2013
PIXAR
2010
2014
2010
2013
2012
2013
1999
1995