7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.7 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.7 |
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 AVC
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
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy (on disc)
DVD copy
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
D-Box
Mobile features
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Pixar and Dreamworks have long held a stranglehold on critically acclaimed computer animated films, and for very good reason. Other animation studios have tried to earn a seat near the head of the table, they really have. But few have produced the kind of memorable, fully realized family fare that Hollywood's go-to animation houses have delivered over the last fifteen years. Well, it looks as if the times, they are a-changin'. While Pixar and Dreamworks served up their best films to date in 2010 -- Toy Story 3 and How to Train Your Dragon, respectively -- another clever contender confidently strode into the ring: Illumination Entertainment. Without an in-house animation studio at their disposal, Illumination turned to outside talent around the world; a move that could have ended in failure, but instead gave us Despicable Me, a sharp, sprightly slice of family fun. Illumination not only beat Dreamworks to the punch, releasing an animated film about rival supervillains some four months before Megamind debuted, it outclassed its Mega-competition in nearly every way. In fact, Despicable Me has but one weakness: comparisons to the year's best, How to Train Your Dragon and Toy Story 3.
In the Shadow of the Moon
No quibbles here. Despicable Me's 1080p/AVC-encoded presentation held me captive for ninety-five eye-popping minutes. Colors erupt to dazzling effect, primaries singe the screen, and blacks are rich and inky. Contrast never falters either, and every frame is as polished and pristine as the last. Mac Guff's slick animation isn't exactly teeming with textures, but overall clarity is impeccable, edge definition is razor sharp, and every single detail, no matter how small, has been rendered directly from the digital tap. Watch as Gru hurtles down the street in his rocket car, as dozens of missiles loom above his head, as hundreds of Minions work themselves into a frenzy, as Vector unleashes his most deadly toys, as our once-despicable villain takes Margo and her sisters to a crowded amusement park... not a scene goes by without leaving an impression. Yes, some softness creeps into the image from time to time, particularly when Gru and Vector square off above the sun-streaked clouds during their climactic battle, but each and every instance is the result of the animators' intentions and nothing more. And the technical encode? Artifacting, noise and other compression anomalies never invade the proceedings, and the negligible bursts of banding and aliasing that do appear are brief, inconspicuous, and easy to miss altogether. (They certainly aren't pervasive or distracting enough to warrant any reduction in score.) Despicable Me looks fantastic from beginning to end, and nothing about Universal's presentation leaves any room for complaint. Enjoy!
Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track arrives in force and obliterates anyone who dares stand in its way. The LFE channel establishes its dominance early and often, embracing every roaring explosion, blazing fireball, window-rattling impact, devastating armament, and throaty engine the film has to offer. The rear speakers are lively and engaging as well, filling the stage with all the hustle and bustle you'd expect from an amusement park, a crowd of stunned bystanders or a Minion pep rally. All the while, missiles rocket from channel to channel with deadly accuracy, directional effects are playful and convincing, and Heitor Pereira and Pharrell Williams' music takes advantage of the entire soundfield. Loud and rowdy as it can be though, the mix is just as perfectly suited to quieter scenes between Gru and his girls. Dialogue is crisp, clear and perfectly grounded in the world Renaud and Coffin have created, and lines are never lost, no matter how subdued or outlandish the soundscape becomes. Like its video presentation, Despicable Me's lossless monster is marvelous. I can't imagine anyone will be dissatisfied with the results.
The Blu-ray edition of Despicable Me teases filmfans of all ages with a lengthy list of special features, but fails to deliver a truly satisfying experience. The film's Picture-in-Picture track amounts to a 96-minute gimmick; its audio commentary is far too dry for kids, yet panders to a younger audience every time the Minions pay the filmmakers a visit; and its remaining goodies are limited to three admittedly amusing animated shorts, two decent EPKs and a string of hit-or-miss bonuses. Appreciated? Absolutely. The stuff of supplemental legend? Hardly.
Despicable Me may not stand shoulder to shoulder with the year's best animated films, but it is a strong showing from newcomer Illumination Entertainment. Fast, funny and full of life, it does what Megamind couldn't: make animation fans of all ages care about its lovable villain and his plight. Universal's Blu-ray release is even better. Granted, its supplemental package isn't everything it could be, but its video encode and DTS-HD Master Audio track are, each one delivering the top-tier goods animation junkies have come to expect on Blu-ray. If you have kids, picking up Despicable Me is a no-brainer. If not, well... picking up Despicable Me is a no-brainer. Here's hoping Illumination Entertainment does for Dr. Seuss what it did for supervillains.
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