6 | / 10 |
Users | 3.9 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
This hilarious animated twist on the classic monster movie is must-see family fun! Determined to prove he can create his own diabolical invention, a mad scientist’s (John Cleese) nice-guy assistant, Igor (John Cusack), creates a female Franken-monster. But his creation, Eva (Molly Shannon), is sweet and sings show tunes! That is, until she falls into the clutches of Dr. Schadenfreude (Eddie Izzard) and his shape-shifting girlfriend (Jennifer Coolidge). Now it’s up to Igor and his sidekicks (Steve Buscemi and Sean Hayes) to save Eva – and their country – from real evildoers, including sneaky Prince Malpert (Jay Leno)!
Starring: John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge, Arsenio HallFamily | 100% |
Animation | 83% |
Comedy | 67% |
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)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
What a menagerie of mayhem-loving monstrosities!
If there is an almost-sure-thing in Hollywood, it's computer-generated animated children's fare.
If it
weren't for the deluge of superhero films, no doubt this first decade of the 21st century would be
remembered cinematically primarily for the influx of popular and spectacular animated fare, with
films like Wall●E, Ice Age, and
Shrek leading the charge. Animated film after animated film from the major players --
Pixar, Disney, DreamWorks, and Fox -- tend to clobber the competition, slowed down, it seems,
by only the next superhero to make the transition to the big screen. Such films also enjoy
tremendous and sustained success on home video (and tend to sparkle on Blu-ray). Like any
good thing and any popular genre, however, there are always the occasional flops, among them
2008's Igor, a dark, jumbled, confused, and too-mature-for-its-audience parody of the
classic monster movies. The young ones are unlikely to appreciate the references to the old
Universal Horror films of yore, may fail to grasp the nuances of the story, and won't even be able
to enjoy what is usually the saving grace of any animated film, namely bright, cheery, animated
characters and locales. Igor is one of the darkest and most obscure animated titles in
memory, and based on its subpar performance at the Box Office, children and parents alike
agreed.
Igor and Eva try to figure out how to beat the animated competition.
Igor arrives on Blu-ray featuring a 1080p high definition transfer, presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The animation is mostly dark, but some of the lighter moments, such as a sequence in chapter three, look most impressive. Both the lighter and darker scenes manage to look nice in their own ways. Igor doesn't feature the best looking animation; it's certainly not of Pixar quality, but what the digital artists have created for this film translates into an overall attractive visual experience. What colors the artists offer, beyond the grim details that make up Malaria, appear vibrant on this Blu-ray disc. Green eye makeup adoring one character, red buttons on mad scientist equipment, or Eva's eyes, for example, all offer excellent color which stands out nicely in contrast to the generally dark locales. The animation doesn't offer much in the way of fine detail like Wall●E does, but the disc reproduces what there is to see nicely. There are plenty of scenes that feature thick fog and smoky interiors, and the disc never exhibits any banding or blocking in such scenes. The only thing holding back Igor, visually, is Igor. It looks very nice for what it is, but it just can't compete with material like Cars and Ratatouille.
Igor electrifies on Blu-ray with a quality DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This is a rather hefty soundtrack; it features plenty of bass, especially during the "mad scientists" moments where lighting strikes, thunder booms, and cackling scientists scream out for their latest inventions to rise. There are plenty of other sound effects that rumble and rattle and roll; a guest beating on a heavy wooden door and the resultant echoing throughout a cavernous mad scientist's lair, for example, sounds terrific, as do some scenes of mayhem (accompanied by a most unlikely tune) during the film's climax. There are some fine directional effects, too. Sound pans across the soundstage as characters move across the screen, and voices and effects are often heard distinctly from numerous corners of the soundstage. Dialogue reproduction is particularly strong; Eva's musical rehearsal at the end of chapter 10 is impressive, room filling, and offering pitch-perfect fidelity. Surround speakers enjoy plenty of action, too. Igor sports impressive sound design that translates very well to Blu-ray.
Igor won't spark much interest with its dull supplemental section. Headlining the package is a commentary track with Director Tony Leondis, Writer Chris McKenna, and Producer Max Howard. The track is lively and full of energy; the participants are excited to be sharing their thoughts on the film, from the struggle to find the right opening to the film to the design of the characters. The track is fine, though only the most ardent of animation fans will want to devote the entire 86 minutes to it. Concluding the supplements is a series of Conceptual Art galleries -- Characters, Set & Production Design, Storyboards, and Posters -- as well as an alternate opening scene (1080p, 3:18).
Igor is a rare animated project that completely fails to win over audiences. While some animated films are more successful than others, this one's dark themes and characters, references to decades-old material that its target audience won't understand or appreciate, and bleak, lifeless animation all add up to a paltry Box Office take, and indeed, Igor managed to net less than $20 million in theaters, nothing short of a disaster for an animated film (for comparison's sake, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, released only weeks after Igor, took home almost 9x the revenue). Nevertheless, Igor isn't a terrible experience, it's just misplaced as a children's movie. It may have made a good and dark animated tale for adults with some changes here and there, but as it stands, the film just doesn't hit the right notes as-is. MGM's Blu-ray release of Igor is about as expected. The disc offers quality picture and sound, and only a few minor supplements. Igor is worth a rental for anyone with a desire to see it.
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