6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
When a radio falls from the sky into the hands of a wide-eyed Tibetan Mastiff, he leaves home to fulfill his dream of becoming a musician, setting into motion a series of completely unexpected events.
Starring: Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, J.K. Simmons, Lewis Black, Kenan ThompsonAnimation | 100% |
Family | 96% |
Comedy | 73% |
Music | 3% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Was there really any doubt that dancing and good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll were going to return to Bomont by the end of Footloose? Of course not, and like so many other films where the plot arc is pretty predictable, the film’s pleasures were derived not so much in the (expected) destination as in the journey toward getting there. Rock Dog is an affable if generally unambitious animated film that has a rather interesting voice cast but which suffers from a totally rote story (despite a few exotic elements) that, like Footloose, posits a society where music has been forbidden and where it’s simply a given that music will ultimately end up saving the day. The film has rather interestingly been subject to some scuttlebutt involving its perhaps surprisingly paltry box office returns in China, one of the film’s production countries, something that has been suggested is due to some scheming on the part of one of China’s largest theater chains, which kept Rock Dog from being screened in wide release. That may be a convenient excuse, however, for some curmudgeons might suggest that the film’s failure to connect with audiences (and not just in China) is due at least as much to a cliché ridden story that tries awfully hard to entertain (perhaps too hard, some might suggest) while simply not offering much if anything innovative that would have helped pique the interest of anyone over the age of, say, six or seven. The film is brightly (if again fairly unambitiously) animated, and as mentioned above it has some interesting voice talent, but this is one rock dog that could have used a few more music lessons.
Rock Dog is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer (mostly) in 1.78:1 (as can be seen in a few of the screenshots accompanying this review, there's a sequence featuring what looks like more traditional cel animation that is in 2.00:1). Director Ash Brannon mentions budget limitations in one of the supplements included on this disc, something that in his words led to his decision to simplify character design, but I have to say while there's nothing revolutionary here, the rendering is often quite well done, especially in close-ups where textures look excellent and individual elements like hair (and/or fur as the case may be) has a really tactile quality. Overall detail levels are sometimes hampered by the perhaps odd decision to have so much of the film play out in dimly lit or downright dark environments. Backgrounds are a little less detailed at times, but the palette is generally very vivid throughout the presentation. There are some momentary instances of noticeable banding, but otherwise this is a problem free presentation.
Rock Dog features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, one which derives sufficient energy from the so-so score to lots of effects in action sequences, especially those involving the wolves. Dialogue is well rendered and prioritized throughout, and the film's signature song "Glorious" gets a number of treatments throughout that often spread the sonics nicely through the surround channels.
Rock Dog turns out to be a kind of middling effort that may well delight (or at least momentarily distract) younger kids while leaving adolescents and adults pretty underwhelmed. The story is pretty resolutely predictable from the get go, despite its supposedly exotic setting, and as director Ash Brannon admits, budget constraints may have kept the animators from really stretching their limits. Technical merits are generally strong for those considering a purchase.
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