Monster High: Electrified Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Monster High: Electrified Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 23, 2017

Ah, Monster High: the reviewer's kryptonite, the home theater's bane. It might be popular with its target audience, and its merchandise might be nearly as omnipresent as anything else on the market (Frozen included), but for the Blu-ray reviewer its arrival is a day of dread and a reminder of the sacrifices that must be made in the name of coverage for all audiences. Nothing can really dull the pain, and it wouldn't even be right to say that one could make a pretty great drinking game out it, taking a swig every time a cheesy "monster" pun is used, since the target audience is a ways away from that kind of thing...not to mention that it would bankrupt even the wealthiest of Blu-ray fans, buying all that liquor. Anyway, that's all just filler because something has to go at the front of the review, right? And it gets boring saying "target audience will *heart* this and the non-target audience will not *heart* this." Gotta save that part for the end of the review. Yeah, it's that time of year again, so without further ado, on to a review of Electrified. Where's that whiskey again? Oh, right, none left...

"Monster High," founded by Draculaura and her friends, is a place where monsters of all shapes and sizes and backgrounds come together to live, learn, and have fun in harmony. Frankie, one of her fellow students, is working on a device that will revolutionize the power industry. Phones will only need to be charged once per year, and she's willing to share the technology with "normies," a.k.a. non-monsters, a.k.a human beings. This angers Moanica, who, with her zombie army, takes it upon herself to foil Frankie's plan. Meanwhile, Clawdeen shares her dream of opening up her own salon, also where both monsters and normies can congregate in the name of a great hairstyle. Frankie suggests she open the business at an old, nearby power station. Clawdeen struggles with her creativity under pressure, but a few words of encouragement go a long way. As the monsters prepare to open the shop, Moanica reveals that she has other plans.

Monster High was rebooted in the last Blu-ray release, Welcome to Monster High, which certainly took the show in a new visual direction but didn't drastically alter the show's underlying thematic texturing. Electrified is the first follow-up with the new animation type and it remains a real treat, not necessarily because its any sort of great or groundbreaking but simply because it's an escape from the seriously drab and dreary presentation that, for this reviewer, made the show practically unwatchable. Sure, the show is still grating on the nerves (completely subjectively speaking, of course...countless fans will feel otherwise), but it's at least grown more tolerable with its reboot that ditches the gauzy, smudgy style for a more complimentary one that's richer, brighter, more lively. The film quickly catches viewers up in its first moments, recalling a few of the key moments from Welcome to Monster High for those that might have missed it, and it's off to the races from there.

Despite the fresh visual approach, Electrified is still the same old Monster High at heart. That's great news for fans, bad news for those fatiguing on the franchise or who never understood its appeal to begin with. The show, and Electrified in particular, continues to push the ideas of both individuality and collective harmony, that it's OK to be unique and it's OK to accept others as they are. Electrified pushes the intermingling of monsters and "normies" fairly hard, and it's a point of contention between the heroes and the villains (mainly Moanica) that gives the show its dramatic angle and opportunity for some visual frenzy and excitement. The film certainly has a little more energy than many of it predecessors. That might be the spicier visuals talking, but it seems like it's a bit lighter on its feet, still funny and clinging to its established traits but not quite so forceful in pushing them with practically every line. Electrified enjoys itself, takes its time (even at a relatively short ~70 minute runtime), and explores the characters a bit more deeply and with a bit more sincerity and conviction. It's still, mostly, a one-note sort of show, but Electrified is a little more open to the idea that there's room around the edges to have some fun beyond hammering home the point.

Monster High: Electrified Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

From a visual perspective, at least, Monster High is now an enjoyable review. Gone are the days of the aforementioned messy, crudely defined, and hazy images from the past, replaced with a much more stable, sharper, cleaner, and more vibrant image. Monster High: Electrified generally looks terrific. Sporadic but occasionally heavy banding and occasional but mild aliasing are the problem areas, but it's otherwise good to go. Clarity and detailing are excellent. The 1080p transfer brings out the finest details from the source. Characters can be a little smooth and hairs not well defined at the micro level, but that's on the source. Environments and little doodads around the film offer an impressive bit of raw texturing that satisfies a good, general HD sensation. But it's colors that really impress. Bright pinks, purples, and blues are evident throughout, with splashes of other colors, too -- yellow in particular -- lighting up the screen. There's not a lot of nuance, but the volume of color and saturation are excellent. Blacks are fine, nice and deep and never wavering from a natural presentation.

Monster High: Electrified Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Monster High: Electrified's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is a bit front-heavy, but it stretches when the situation really demands, and the front-side spacing and definition are excellent at all times. The track is certainly energetic, with only a few moments when it seems a little reserved for whatever reason. Musical clarity is very good, even when the low end kicks in and, sometimes, dominates. It all blends together very well, bringing plenty of depth and verve to music. Width is excellent, though in most cases, as suggested above, surrounds are used scarcely or, at least, are drowned out by the powerful front side-to-side presence. Action effects enjoy rich texturing and aggressive posturing. Whether chaotic electric-like swooshing near the end, which also represents the track's most prominent and impressive surround elements, or booming thunder and falling rain, both clarity and engagement are excellent. Lighter ambient effects aren't perfectly immersive, but the track does well to incorporate smaller details to create a bigger picture. Dialogue is clear and precise with natural front-center positioning and faultless prioritization.

Monster High: Electrified Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Monster High: Electrified contains one supplement, an episode of the sister show Ever After High, Epic Winter - 'Snow Day' (1080p, 23:38). A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included with purchase.

Monster High: Electrified Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Thank goodness Rogue One's arrival is imminent to wash the taste of this out. It's always darkest before the dawn, yes? It's also apparently more electric. And it's at least more visually appealing now. Monster High: Electrified doesn't revolutionize the franchise (nor did its predecessor, for that matter), but it's at least a step -- maybe even a modest leap -- in the right direction. The series, despite its reboot and redesign, is still peddling the same tired wares but at least making an effort to spruce up the exterior while also treading a little bit out of the comfort zone interior as well. The story proper in Electrified is fine. There's a nice blend of characters (including some new faces, like the Pokemon-like "Znap"), some cool ideas, and a bit of randomness, but overall it's a fairly tolerable movie within the grand scheme of the Monster High universe. Opinions will vary, of course, so the bottom line is that...drumroll...fans will probably adore it and haters are still gonna hate, but maybe with a little less vitriol. The disc is featureless beyond the Ever After High short, but video and audio are fine. Recommended to franchise fans.