Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Sausage Party Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 11, 2016

If one were to hear about the core concepts behind Sausage Party and play a guessing game about which current Hollywood celebrities would be the creative minds behind it, Seth Rogen's and Even Goldberg's names would be near the top of a fairly short list, along with Matt Parker and Trey Stone. The film, conceived in part by Rogen and Goldberg and Directed by the tandem of Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan, is a hard-R-rated adventure of food, the afterlife, truths, lies, sex, vulgarity, everything, basically, one would expect from a movie from the minds of Rogen and Goldberg, but with animated foods and all of the innuendoes, puns, and jokes one can imagine, and maybe even a few more they don't (the movie surprisingly doesn't delve all that deeply into human digestion and waste). Still, it's an interesting concept and executed fairly well at its most fundamentally crude level, assuming the audience can break through the movie's unflinching coarseness and go with the flow.

Frank (voiced by Seth Rogen) is a supermarket hot dog living in a pack with seven of his closest -- literally and figuratively -- friends. He's in love with a bun named Brenda (voiced by Kristen Wiig) and the two dream of one day escaping their packages and coming together as only a wiener and a bun can. And they believe that day is tomorrow. It's the annual "red, white, and blue" day when their kind is always plucked from the shelf, or "chosen" to go to "the great beyond," the brightly-lit paradise that they've been told exists beyond the supermarket's walls. They, and all of their food friends, live for the day, but when a Honey Mustard is returned to the store, it shares a tale of great horror about what really lies beyond. Most of the food shrugs it off, but when HM kills himself on the way out of the store, the food begin to worry and fall into a panic. Frank and Brenda escape in the chaos, but most of their friends are not so lucky. As Frank and Brenda navigate the store and the truth, their relationship threatens to crumble as all of the food comes to realize the reality of what fate holds for them.

Though the movie cherishes every opportunity to play with sexual innuendo -- overtly and covertly, but never shyly -- it's in its core themes that it finds its most interesting story drivers and concepts. At the center of the movie is a commentary on faith, a belief in the unknown, the hope that there's a better life out there beyond the confines of what is presented in the world. For the foods, their life is one of anticipation, eagerly awaiting exit from the limits of the store and the greater freedoms and happiness that await them in "the great beyond," which is whatever exists beyond the four walls and roof of the supermarket. Of course, they come to realize that being selected isn't all that, that pain and punishment and ugly, hideous death and torture await on the other side. Essentially, there is no "heaven," only "hell," or, at the very least, "heaven" is only what they have and can create for themselves (i.e. sex and orgies). The film also plays with a few other interesting concepts -- the clarity narcotics provide for one, though describing a couple others would be to spoil some of the movie's surprises -- but it's in its challenge of faith that plays central to the story.

Thematically and story-wise, there's simply not going to be much of a middle ground for Sausage Party. The love-or-hate response is going to drive reaction to the film more than most others. But looking at it beyond its superficialities, from a more critical rather than straight entertainment perspective does yield something of a mixed bag. On the plus side, there's no denying the movie's, um, cajones. It's confident, unafraid, and willing to always go the extra mile to make the most of every joke and scenario. The voice cast is endlessly enthusiastic from the top-down. No question that they get it, from the base humor to the wider-scope details around it. But that's where the movie falls apart. It works as sheer vulgar entertainment, and it most certainly works because it's new and interesting -- which is always welcome in whatever form or fashion it arrives -- but not because it has much to say. Sure it plays heavily on exploring religion in its own way, but it never has all that much substance at its disposal. The movie smartly works in that overreaching theme to hold it together, to prevent it from being more than an overextended short film concept experience, but thematically it's rather empty beyond that one-note force behind it. That said, it's well paced and engaging for its novelty and enthusiasm. It's no Pixar film in terms of depth, but for the most part it hits its notes with gusto.

Sausage Party Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sausage Party's 1080p transfer is fine. The source material is fine, too, but not quite up to the sheer level of complexity in the finest from Pixar or even DreamWorks. Animation detail and clarity are good, with finer point details on the hot dogs -- "freckles" and creases at the tops -- as well as buns, corn, and other products, both wrapped and unwrapped, commendably presented. They're not super dense with detail to begin with, but lettering and text are clear (watch for some outrageous calories-per-serving numbers on wrappers, for example) both on products and around the supermarket. Colors present with enough pop and punch to please. Color nuance usually gives way to bolder stroke shades on labels and decorations. Backgrounds tend to present more softly, and parts of the image appear a touch diffuse. Back levels hold fairly deep. A few errant compression artifacts appear in a shot or two, but nothing of serious concern.

Sausage Party Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sausage Party is another Sony new release that's coming out on 1080p Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack alongside a 4K UHD counterpart that features a Dolby Atmos track; fans who want to hear the best possible track will have to pony up for the pricer model, and be able to play its higher end video presentation, too. Fortunately, this 5.1 track isn't bad at all, and there's not a significant gain with the Atmos upgrade, anyway. This track handles all of the material thrown its way with efficiency and clarity, whether subtle effects or hard-charging party music. Music is widely spaced with seamless presentation along the front, a healthy wrap through the back, and plenty of low end infrastructure, particularly as heard around the 23:00 mark. Moments before that, "jungle" atmospherics enrich the scene and spill into the stage with terrific detail and clarity. A drugged-out stoner finds himself able to see the foods for what they really are partway through the movie, and as he does so sounds swirl about the stage with a psychotic precision. General clatter and chatter around the supermarket plays with commendably solid and natural details. Dialogue is clear and detailed with natural front-center positioning and flawless prioritization, even over louder musical beats.

Sausage Party Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Sausage Party contains a gag reel, alternate lines, and a few featurettes. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Good Food Gag Reel (1080p, 7:29).
• Shock and Awe: How Did This Get Made? (1080p, 5:11): A discussion of project origins, the challenges of getting the project green-lit, the journey to the finished picture, and food puns.
• The Booth (1080p, 9:28): A closer look at the process of recording dialogue for the film.
• Line-O-Rama (1080p, 4:57): Alternate lines from various scenes.
• The Great Beyond (1080p, 4:01): A quick look at Alan Menken's music for the film.
• The Pitch (1080p, 2:33): A "retro"-styled discussion of how to sell a movie.
• Seth Rogen's Animation Imaginatorium (1080p, 1:05): A vintage Disney-inspired preview for the film.

Sausage Party Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sausage Party isn't a "middle America" movie. It's crude and vulgar and shapes an opinion that challenges the fundamental concepts of faith and fate. It's well done, though. It's certainly entertaining in its own right, given that the audience can accept it on its face rather than challenge its viewpoints. Nicely animated, clever in its construction, well voiced, and hitting most of its jokes, it's very good at what it does, but as with pretty much everything else these days, opinions are bound to be sharply divided. Sony's Blu-ray release features good video and lossless audio. Supplements are a bit thinner than one would anticipate, but the content that's here is fine. Fans can buy with confidence, while those who believe they'd be offended by it would be well served to follow their instincts and stay away.