6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.4 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
A boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
Starring: Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Betty WhiteFamily | 100% |
Animation | 83% |
Fantasy | 61% |
Musical | 25% |
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
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (2 BDs, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
BD-Live
Blu-ray 3D
Mobile features
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Not to overstate things, but "The Lorax," Dr. Seuss' none too subtle illustrated children's book, remains one of the most succinct, poignant and timely environmental cautionary tales ever penned for a young audience. The story itself is startlingly simple: a little boy visits a remorseful hermit called the Once-ler and learns how the creature's greed, carelessness and ambition led to the destruction of the once-beautiful and thriving Truffula forest. Forty years ago, it was ahead of its time; so much so that its message was dismissed in many circles as a hyperactive doomsayer's parable. Today, the 1972 book is frighteningly relevant; so much so that Seuss' doomsaying is inching ever closer to soothsaying. In expanding Seuss' simple story into a feature length animated film, though, directors Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda have, in some ways, missed -- or perhaps just muddled -- the point, giving life to a bloated Seussian hybrid.
It's new! It's... uh... new!
The Lorax is a bit more fun in 3D thanks to a wild ride of a 1080p/MVC-encoded video presentation which is, by my estimation, flawless. Thneedville rises up and wraps around its citizenry and whoever might be lucky enough to be wearing a pair of 3D glasses. The Once-ler hurtles down an all-too-deadly river with dizzying speed. Axes swing across the foreground, the Lorax's furry fingers stretch out of the screen, uni-scooters screech to a halt beyond the bounds of the display, factories loom in the distance, a citywide car chase is as dazzling as it is invigorating... the 3D is as enveloping as it is deftly employed. There also isn't a hint of aliasing or any other issue exclusive to the 3D presentation, and even those whose displays are prone to crosstalk will be pleased with the remarkable dimensionality and precision of the 3D image. Those whose displays aren't prone to crosstalk are in for an even greater treat: a 3D experience that takes full advantage of its potential and doesn't falter.
Both the 3D and AVC-encoded 2D presentations exhibit slight instances of banding, infrequent and intermittent though it all may be, but that's the only thing that holds either one back from perfection. Even then, each brief blip is so minor that I'm not entirely sure its video score should by deducted half a point. But what's done is done. Colors range from rich to decadent, with everything from vibrant to lush to splashy to vivid in between. The Truffula Valley is awash with stunning summery hues, primaries bristle with energy, black levels are deep and inky, and contrast is dialed in beautifully. Even the scenes in the desolate Truffula wasteland have trouble suppressing the film's palette, which always seems to be fighting to push back the darkness and flood the screen. Detail is flawless too. If the animators thought to add it, you'll find it showcased in all its high definition glory. Edges are crisp and clean (without any aliasing or ringing), the image is pristine, and very little appears out of sorts. In fact, without any artifacting, noise or other anomalies, The Lorax doesn't leave much room for criticism which, believe it or not, makes us just as happy as it makes all of you.
Note: the screenshots accompanying this review are of the film's 1080p/AVC-encoded 2D presentation.
Not even the slightest hesitation here. Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is a fun, fulfilling and wholly enveloping blast from sing-songy beginning to sweet, redemptive end. Voices are bright, clear and perfectly intelligible, and prioritization is spot on. Chaos erupts (as chaos tends to do) with boisterous bombast, trees fall with neck-twisting believability, chase scenes crescendo in a carefully controlled delirious dervish, and The Lorax's music fills the soundfield and immerses the listener in the sonic wit, wiles and wonders of a Dr. Seuss world. LFE output isn't unruly but it isn't reserved either, throwing its bouncing, bounding weight behind every boom, thoom and throom. The rear speakers are bubbling with activity too, deploying some truly convincing pans and eerily successful directional effects to amazing ends. The trunk of a soon-to-be-toppled tree creaks and splinters in the front right speaker, slides across the side of the room as the doomed Truffula falls, and lands with a fluffy thud in the rears. To describe it seems redundant; of course a falling tree would sound like that. But to hear it as presented is to realize how inadequate some mixes really are. And that's just one example. Ax chops sound off like cannon fire. Pop-up houses and trailers unfurl with heavy flaps and flitters. Bar-ba-loots waddle from speaker to speaker, leaping across the soundfield to snatch a marshmallow out of the air. Water splashes and sloshes, and then surges and roars when the Lorax accidentally dumps the Once-ler's bed in a river. No matter the scene, no matter the story, no matter how trivial or important an effect may be, Universal's lossless track is a terrific one, regardless of how much or how little you enjoy the film itself.
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it's not." Family films are an easy sell. They don't have to be great, just good enough to make the kids laugh, the parents pleased that the kids are laughing and... that's about it. Dr. Seuss' beloved, environmentally prescient children's book deserves more than The Lorax, though, decent as it may be. As an adaptation, it underwhelms. As a Seuss adaptation it under-delivers. As a family film, it does what it needs to do. As a 3D experience, though, it's a blast. In fact, Universal's 3D Blu-ray release is better than its 2D counterpart. It may share the same striking 2D video encode and absorbing DTS-HD Master Audio track, but its 3D presentation pushes it over the top (even if its supplemental package still only has a single notable extra in Renaud and Balda's audio commentary). Alas, in the end, 3D or 2D, The Lorax isn't all it could be. Its AV presentation and 3D experience certainly is, but that only gets the film so far.
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
2012
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax / with Plush Toy
2012
2012
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
2012
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax / + Minions Fandango Cash
2012
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax / + Minions Fandango Cash
2012
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
2012
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
2012
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
2012
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
2012
2012
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
2012
PIXAR
2015
Deluxe Edition
1972
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2019
2011
1999
1937
2013
2013
2012
2016
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2009
2013
2015
1998
25th Anniversary Edition | The Signature Collection
1991
Diamond Edition
1950
2012
25th Anniversary Edition
1993
2011
Rental Copy
1940