Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 29, 2017

Remember when Jim Carrey was a box office powerhouse, a sure-fire, can't-miss superstar whose name alone all but guaranteed a humongous box office and plenty of laughs? He was right up there in the Julia Roberts stratosphere and, indeed, he's starred in some of the funniest (and best) movies of his heyday. Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas isn't one of them. Even paired with Ron Howard, the widely acclaimed filmmaker whose credits include dramatic hits such as Apollo 13 and The Da Vinci Code and more fantastical films including Cocoon and Willow, the film fails to take off, capturing a core spirit of frivolity and Seuss-like oddity but struggling to build, never mind maintain, an agreeable pace or grasp onto anything of compelling narrative interest.

If the movie is anything, it's lively and visually attuned to its whimsical world of the Who. Howard’s direction is cockeyed and crooked, reflecting the playful nature, odd world, and fantastical narrative that makes the story. If one were going to make a live-action Seuss adaptation, it would have to look something like this. The film always has something visually interesting, if not arresting, on display, so even when the storyline feels too far extended and the characters bore, there's ample opportunity for visual exploration. But that's also a problem. The film seems made for "event" status, to wrench a whimsical and weird place and story into the live-action realm, and Howard has chosen to emphasize style over substance. The film runs too long and its design can't prop up its almost always fledgeling and overextended story. It's fun at first but the curvy cues, disproportionately designed elements, and hard cinematic angles grow tiresome as the film progresses, as it becomes clear that style towers over substance. Even Carrey's performance gets lost in the mix; the title character rarely ascends above the costume, environments, and Howard's construction. Carrey may vocalize and move about well enough, but under the fur and through the movie's fluff there's little room for him to shine, never mind really give the character a tangible personality.

For more thoughts on the film, please see the Blu-ray.com review for the original 2009 release here.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.

As it was put together, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas will never offer a sheerly brilliant image, the sort of bountiful UHD presentation audiences have come to expect from the format. The movie is pervasively dark, not lacking color but at the same time never really accentuating it, never allowing it to thrive. Christmas reds and greens, with Universal's HDR-enhanced palette, find more raw depth and a little added punch over the Blu-ray, allowing Grinch green and various holiday-themed decorations to dazzle about as much as Cinematographer Donald Peterman's lighting allows. On the flip side, the 2160p resolution offers a satisfying boost in general detailing, but as was the case with the companion release and recently remastered Blu-ray, there remains a flatness to parts of the image, a struggle to achieve the sort of natural filmic depth and consistent detail of the best images. When the image is on, it's quite nice. Grain is even and accentuating, but there are many dull, pasty shots as well. Textural bounties are to be found, but so too are textural duds. For a movie so completely built around its production design, there's not a consistent opportunity for the material to sparkle. The UHD is certainly a step above the Blu-ray, and more often than not the film looks very good on the format, just never great.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas' UHD presentation earns a DTS:X soundtrack whereas the companion Blu-ray features only a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 presentation. The added channels -- rear and upward -- allow the material to open up, noticeably, right from the get-go. The additional spacial awareness allows for greater immersion into the film and enhanced dynamics, particularly at the micro level, as there's ample room for maneuvering and precision. It is not significantly more potent or dynamic, however. The spacial improvements are modest in the big picture but significant in building a more stable and believable listening experience. Whether intensive action where sounds zip and zoom all over the stage or as dialogue reverberates halfway through, Universal's sound presentation is always on the move and capable of finding the right balance between direct sound delivery and more open and detailed immersion. Music is rich and wide, bass is hefty as necessary, and dialogue is clear and well positioned and prioritized.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas contains no new extras on UHD, Burt it does carry over the Ron Howard commentary track. All extras can be found on the bundled Blu-ray which contains the same supplemental content as that found on the 2009 release. For full supplemental reviews, please click here. For convenience, below is a basic list of what's included. A voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy is included with purchase.

• Spotlight on Location
• Deleted Scenes
• Outtakes
• Who School
• Makeup Application and Design
• Visual Effects
• Music Video: "Where Are You Christmas?" by Faith Hill
• Theatrical Trailer
• Audio Commentary: Director Ron Howard

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a mouthful of a title and the movie is an eyeful of playful odds and ends that overwhelm the core story and the lead performance. Howard's picture lacks charm, struggles to find and maintain rhythm, and generally relies on style over substance, but once the style has been established, it, too, seems to just get in the way. The movie is in serious need of trimming, reorganization, and getting back to basics; as it is it's an interesting footnote to the classic story and the beloved animated short. Universal's UHD offers a step up from the Blu-ray, but the 4K presentation does not rank amongst the format's greats. The DTS:X soundtrack is enjoyable, active, and spacious. No new extras are included. UHD-capable fans will want to choose this version over the companion 1080p Blu-ray and certainly upgrade from the 2009 release.