5.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
E.B., the Easter Bunny's teenage son, heads to Hollywood, determined to become a drummer in a rock 'n' roll band. In Los Angeles, he is taken in by Fred after the out-of-work slacker hits E.B. with his car.
Starring: James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cuoco, Hank Azaria, Gary ColeFamily | 100% |
Comedy | 75% |
Animation | 75% |
Imaginary | 4% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: DTS 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: DTS 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
BD-Live
D-Box
Mobile features
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
"From the creators of Despicable Me comes an all-new comedy about candy, chicks and rock 'n' roll!" Let's take a quick look at that one. It is on the back of Hop's case, after all, just begging for someone to point out the obvious. While the critically crucified family film certainly hails from Illumination Entertainment, the delightfully eeeeevil masterminds behind Despicable Me, it's neither "all-new" nor a "comedy," at least not in the sense that it's funny, which it most definitely is not. (More on that in a bit.) Released in theaters almost a full year ago (a veritable eon in the world of theatrical-to-home-video release windows), Hop is finally bounding into stores, primed and packaged to, ahem... celebrate the upcoming Easter holiday. Realistically, though, the eleven month delay is as shrewd as it is transparent. The image of an Easter bunny and a pair of cute-n-cuddly yellow chicks would get lost in August or November. But in March or April? With Easter fast approaching? You don't have to be marketing whiz to know parents will see Hop sitting on the shelf at Target and say, "oh, what a cute cover! It'll be just perfect for Jamie's Easter basket!" As opposed to, "wait a minute. Isn't this the flick everyone hated last year? I'll just go with something from Dreamworks or Disney to stuff in Jamie's Christmas stocking." The reason behind Hop's year-long hiatus is simple: it isn't a good film, by any means. Critics got it right, audiences eventually copped to it (after forking over $108 million, that is), and Universal knows it. The only thing the flick has going for it are the words "Despicable" and "Me," and, once they realize what they've subjected themselves to, parents will hopefully think twice before succumbing to another cheap holiday ploy.
When Easter plays go wrong...
Hop's 1080p/VC-1 transfer struggles with noise and other largely inherited issues, most of which hinder scenes in which CG elements have been combined with live-action photography. More often than not, the noise amounts to a mild but uneven grain field. But every now and then, it gets a bit thick and blocky, doing more harm than filmic good. Fortunately, it isn't a debilitating problem, just a slight, intermittent distraction. Colors are bright and bubbly (albeit a tad washed out in sunny Hollywood), black levels are reasonably well-resolved, and skintones are natural, without any serious saturation mishaps to point to other than a few faux-tan faces. Contrast is commendable too, as is fine detail in many of the film's closeups. Hair, fur and feathers are relatively refined (again, when the camera pulls in close), edges are sharp and free of pesky halos, and delicate decorations, jelly beans, sprinkles of sugar and specks of magic dust survive the film's grainy disposition. That said, depth and detail fluctuate on the whole, with soft scenes, flat shots and less-than-spectacular textures lurking around every corner. There are also a few instances of artifacting and banding; some attributable to the source, some attributable to minor compression inadequacies. To be clear, Hop doesn't look bad at all, but it isn't quite as exacting or exciting as it should be. I suspect most will give the transfer a 4.0. My eyebrow was raised one too many times, though.
Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is better, although that doesn't mean it's the be-all, end-all of lively lossless mixes. Dialogue is clean, clear and intelligible throughout, and prioritization never drifts into troubling territory. Brand, Laurie and Azaria's voices occasionally struck me as detached from the rest of the soundscape, particularly when their animated characters were interacting with Marsden in the real world, but it's never too jarring. Elsewhere, the LFE channel earns its stripes, throwing its support behind every whirring candy machine, flying sleigh engine, pounding bass drum, and rock 'n' roll beat. Rear speaker activity and precision doesn't disappoint either, even if directional effects aren't always as convincing or whiplash-ingly aggressive as the hyperactive visuals sometimes suggest. It's the music that rules the soundfield, and the music that's responsible for the film's most stirring sonic fireworks. All in all, I doubt Hop's lossless track could do much more. Its original sound design could have used some additional fine-tuning, but Universal's efforts are sound.
Hop is the hollow chocolate bunny in Illumination Entertainment's Easter basket. It looks tasty at first glance, but there's nothing beneath its sugary, milk-chocolaty shell. As uninspired as it is unfunny, it will leave kids giggling but leave parents groaning and wishing they had exercised better judgment. Universal's Blu-ray release is less underwhelming, but its somewhat hit-or-miss video transfer and superficial supplemental package prevent it from hopping as many hurdles as its DTS-HD Master Audio track. Don't be fooled by Hop's holiday trappings, it's the same mediocre family film critics shunned and audiences yawned through last year.
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2011
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2011
+ Minions Fandango Cash
2011
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w/ Bunny Ears
2011
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