6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A teenager teams up with the daughter of young adult horror author R.L. Stine after the writer's imaginary demons are set free on the town of Madison, Delaware.
Starring: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush, Ryan Lee, Amy RyanFamily | 100% |
Fantasy | 83% |
Comedy | 75% |
Adventure | 74% |
Horror | 24% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French (Canada): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Atmos/TrueHD on 2D disc only
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (2 BDs, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words...oh my, the words." Imagine a writer's most vivid, horrifying creations literally coming to life, forming from the very ink on the very pages on which they're described in great, terrible detail. Imagine further, dear readers, that these literary beasts of all form and fear have chosen you as their very special prey. Picture great destruction, see pain and suffering, feel the goosebumps rising from head to toe. From the mind of R.L. Stine and the skillful craftsmen at Sony Pictures comes Goosebumps, a family-friendly Horror/Comedy film that tells the story of the time when they had their time, when the monsters, otherwise tucked away in the musty pages of spine-tingling texts, heretofore avoidable by the simple act of slamming the book shut and securing it with lock and key, are freed of their literary confines and let loose in the real world. Director Rob Letterman's (Monsters vs. Aliens) film blends the real and the fantastical in a movie that recalls Jumanji and Zathura, substituting board games with books but retaining that same imaginative free-flow of ideas and humorous charm that result when man meets amazing.
Goosebumps features a rather vanilla 3D presentation. Depth of field is fine in wider shots of open locations -- the school gymnasium, a hockey rink, the streets of Madison -- but isn't quite as organically spacious as one might expect in closer quarters, like the family kitchen or even Stine's study/writing room. Character and object volume never feels fully developed, at least well beyond the 2D image constraints. A few surprises dot the movie as it toys with extra-dimensional bits that appear to extend out of the screen, but for the most part the transfer relies on basic depth and little more. On the flip side, general attributes remain a strength and aren't all that far removed, if at all, from the 2D-only disc also included in this set. Fine object detail ranges from fair to borderline striking, the latter of which dominates the experience. Colors are noticeably, but in no way severely, dimmer in 3D. Brighter scenes remain the strong point, whether overhead greens to open the movie or a myriad of shades at a brightly lit supermarket. Black levels retain a solid depth and darkness and flesh tones hold a trace excess of warmth.
Goosebumps 3D giveth depth, and it taketh depth away. Whereas the 2D-only disc contains a Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack, the 3D version of the film serves up only a less immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. It's an unfortunate compromise, adding visual depth, as negligible as it may be, and reducing aural depth in return. So there's no definitive extra-dimensional version of Goosebumps, but the good news is that the included 5.1 track is no slouch. While the differences, even between it and the 7.1 track, aren't substantial, they're noticeable. The absence of the rear-middle surround channels creates not an empty vacuum but does lessen the sense of spatial immersion, particularly evident in the enveloping musical details but also in action where little nuances are crucial to fully appreciating the sound design and precise object placement. But in general, definition satisfies. Music spreads nicely across the front, hugs the rear left and right speakers, and offers nicely pronounced clarity. Action effects are adequately robust and dynamically placed. Basic immersion is pleasing, depth of heavy sound satisfying, and clarity of individual sonic signatures good all around. Weighty action scenes thrive within the 5.1 limits; LFE is deep and crashes and crunches hit hard and surround the listener. Dialogue delivery remains clear and detailed in the front.
Goosebumps contains an alternate open, deleted scenes, several featurettes, early actor test footage, and more. A DVD copy of the film and
a
voucher for a UV digital copy are included with purchase. The only 3D-specific extras are 3D trailers for Pixels and Hotel Transylvania 2.
Goosebumps lives and dies by its enthusiasm for the material, which means that, for the most part, it thrives. Hardly a groundbreaking picture in any way, lacking truly interesting characters, and featuring acceptably ho-hum visual effects, the movie has a lot working against it, but that enthusiasm and honest acceptance of its narrative simplicity helps it climb out of a potentially deep and dark hole. Add in the always entertaining Jack Black and a good surrounding roster and Goosebumps manages to entertain for the duration, which is all one can really ask of a movie of this sort. Sony's Blu-ray 3D release delivers bland 3D video, a neutered audio track, and a bit of flimsy but audience-friendly supplemental content. Save a few dollars and buy the 2D version instead.
2015
Includes Goosebumps Book: A Shocker On Shock Street
2015
Includes Ghostbusters Movie Cash + Patch
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