Jetsons: The Movie Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.0

Jetsons: The Movie Blu-ray Movie Review

A trip to the future. Meet The Jetsons.

Jetsons: The Movie is an irresistible return to the world of the animated series. The feature-film continues the iconic series from original series creators Joseph Barbera and William Hanna (The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo: Where Are You!), who are back to the well, and there is something remarkable about their return to the future. The Jetsons: The Movie brings pure joy: an exciting animated family film that is fun for the entire family. Don't miss it.

Meet George Jetson (George O'Hanlon). His boy Elroy (Patric Zimmerman). Jane (Penny Singleton), his wife. Daughter Judy (Tiffany). The Jetsons are back in action – in this beloved sci-fi animated classic that is full of nostalgia and entertaining action-adventure. Not only do The Jetsons return (promoted to the big screen, no less!) but family-dog Astro (Don Messick), Rosie the Robot (Jean Vander Pyl), and grumpy Mr. Spacely (Mel Blanc) are along for the ride. A trip to space that no one will want to miss.

George Jetson faces a new promotion at work. Pushing George to his limits, the job tests him on a variety of levels. One of the issues (at the top of the list) is the interference the location causes to peaceful creatures known as Grungees. The factory endangers their well-being as it is run and it becomes Jetson's task to save the kind-hearted creatures from destruction. Can George save the civilization? And while that's going on, Judy meets a new friend: a rock-star. All this (and more!) awaits.

The return to The Jetsons is a joy-ride that is sure to please long-time fans of the series. With original voice actors returning to their respective-roles (for George and Jane Jetson), the theatrical adaptation brings back some of that classic series magic. The voice-performances are stellar and fit the characters like a glove. Even the great Mel Blanc (Bugs Bunny) makes a splash in the feature-film version. Truly a great effort from all involved.

A space-age family.

The animation, under the direct production of Joseph Barbera and William Hanna, is fantastic. With the original series creators involved, the efforts are more impressive than many other reboots or sequels. Jetsons: The Movie even mixes in cutting-edge CG imagery that was ahead of the game for its time. The background art work is expansive and the character designs are true to the originals. It is clear that the animators put forth a great amount of effort in to the production. The art style is charming and unique.

Another fantastic element of The Jetsons feature-film is the music score composed by John Debney (The Jungle Book, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water). There is something charming in Debney's well-crafted confection of tunes. The music adds a nice layer of excitement and charm. There's even a sense of mystery with the Grungees and the theme-music crafted for them was a undeniably impressive addition.

Featuring a screenplay by Dennis Marks (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends), Jetsons: The Movie pays tribute to the original animated series while paving some brand new ground at the same time. Though the film will play well for viewers unaccustomed to the original series (making it fine to share with younger family-members), long-time fans will enjoy it the most. A jubilant film full of energy, The Jetsons: The Movie has a fun script that takes the characters on an entertaining journey.

Under the direction of original creators Joseph Barbera and William Hanna, Jetsons: The Movie remains a favorite from the era. The original series remains one of my favorite animated series and returning to the characters again is truly special. The Jetsons are great characters – and it is always thrilling to look to the future. A must-see classic gem.

Jetsons: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Jetsons: The Movie is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. While it is a joy seeing the release of the animated classic on Blu-ray in North America (at last!), the print used is decidedly average. The scan is of an old and dated master: lacking in fine detail and showing a considerable amount of wear to the master. The film grain inherent on the image is impressive (showcasing the animation with a good degree of detail), but the print has some damage and dirt (distracting on occasion). A serviceable but imperfect presentation.

Jetsons: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of audio options: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The release sounds a bit more impressive in comparison to the video-presentation but throughout the feature-film it still showcases some age. The fidelity is average-at-best and never exceptionally crisp or dynamic. The film could have used a more thorough restoration effort here. Dialogue remains clear and easy to understand but the track simply lacks the finesse the format has made possible with the best presentations on the market.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Jetsons: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Author/Film Historian Lee Gambin

Audio Interview with Voice Actor Jeff Bergman (George Jetson / Mr. Spacely / Board Member) (54:13)

Jetsons: The Movie Theatrical Trailer (SD, 1:27)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Thunderbirds Are Go (SD, 1:26) and Thunderbird 6 (SD, 1:58).

Jetsons: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's nice to go back... to the future. The Jetsons remain iconic and the feature-film adaptation is a blast from start to finish. There is something great about George Jetson and his lovable family (including Astro, the dog). With original creators Joseph Barbera and William Hanna at the helm, Jetsons: The Movie is a must-see gem that rekindles the magic of the original. The Blu-ray features a decent (if also dated) video-audio presentation and a selection of supplemental features. Recommended.