Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Strange World 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 30, 2023

Strange World doesn't just follow in well-trodden footsteps. It's a film that ventures to the unusual and ultimately the surreal for what is a fairly novel and satisfying animation venture that actually takes its time to build on (and in, as the case may also be) new ideas. Sure, in retrospect, armed with an understanding of where the film goes one can see little bits of influence from other projects through time, but for the most part the film takes a pretty unique idea and runs with it, building in plenty of hints and subtle qualities and characteristics that portend the truth without revealing it. The film is just as rewarding on a second watch and looking for all of those clues as it is on a first where the scope of story and animation greatness cannot help but to delight.

The Clade family is a family of adventurers, and their latest adventure is taking them to Avalonia and into the heart of the previously impenetrable world beyond an impassable mountain range. Family patriarch Jaeger (voiced by Dennis Quaid) is lost during the expedition. A quarter-century later, his son Searcher (voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal) lives a quiet life on a farm with his wife Meridian (voiced by Gabrielle Union) and his teenage son Ethan (voiced by Jaboukie Young-White). Searcher's discovery of a particular form of plant life while on the Avalonia expedition, known as "Pando," has revolutionized the world for its unique energy properties. One day, the family is visited by Avalonian Callisto Mal (voiced by Lucy Liu) who warns that Pando is dying in Avalonia and is soon to die off everywhere. Now, the family must make a return trip to Avalonia and discover the source of the problem, and maybe more along the way.

It's almost impossible to break the story down without revealing the end, so something a little more broadly external rather than intimately internal is in order. The film's story proves, ultimately, very satisfying for the challenges of not just building it but also maneuvering through it and digitally designing it with so much care and concern for accuracy but at the same time veiling its true destination so as to keep things interesting. The visuals are a delight and bring a real sense of scope and place to the film, both in the moment and within the greater context of what is happening and why. Here's a hint: the film is ultimately as much a Sci-Fi epic as it is an action/adventure film, and for the most part it well lives up to the potential for the merging of both elements. The story and the visuals, then, go hand-in-hand as complimentary, and seamlessly so, partners in building the large narrative and spectacle, both of which are equally agreeable.

The superficial qualities are a treat, too. The voice cast is wonderful; every character is well cast and imbued with a tangible sense of person and purpose. Quaid, who is well cast for more than one reason (a second hint: part of Strange World's surprise could be seen to in a way tie back to a classic Quaid film in terms of direction and reality), gives Jaeger a necessary balance between gruff and bold and tender and loving. Quaid is always on track with the character and relates very well to his family each of whom are also performed with balanced gusto and engagement. The character design themselves find a nice balance between larger-than-life and capably grounded in reality. The vocal personalities tend to mesh very well with the on-screen personas to help draw the audience not only into the larger world, but the close circle of people inhabiting it and moving through it. The world design is first-rate, too, with pulp-y visual cues that date back many decades but here given a modern fluidity and elegance. It's a beautiful design and the film is worth watching in order to simply soak it all in, but there's good balance here between visual depth and narrative and character engagement.

Strange World 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Disney's 2160p/HDR UHD release of Strange World offers enhanced color depth over the companion and concurrently released Blu-ray. The palette is more luxurious, with more stability in accuracy and overall greater vividness. The image is brighter on the Blu-ray, but the colors demonstrate less command and total saturation. The UHD offers a compelling spectrum of hues throughout Avalonia, especially in the abundance of reds and pinks, while outside abundant natural greens sparkle with a sense of liveliness and realism beyond the capabilities of the Blu-ray. Black and white levels are both improved here, the former deeper, the latter brighter and more natural. There is less of a dramatic change in terms of detail. The 1080p Blu-ray proves perfectly sufficient in delivering the core textural niceties and the finest intimate supports. The UHD simply offers very little in terms of obvious upgrades, boasting a little more overall screen clarity but never bringing out radically superior detail on fine animation textures, including facial hair and freckles. There are slight gains in sharpness, sure, but the differences are not night-and-day. Rather, this is an upgrade that is best thought of in terms of incremental degrees rather than large leaps. Still, the HDR color spectrum alone makes this the finest home presentation for the film that is currently available.

Strange World 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Disney's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack on the Blu-ray represented a major step up from the studio's typical audio output, and this Dolby Atmos track, exclusive to the UHD release, follows suit. It didn't come across as quite so rich and deep as the 7.1 track, but this is still the best Atmos track Disney has put on the market in some time. Bass is never thunderous, but it is pleasantly defined and engaged from beginning to end. The bellowing song to start the movie enjoys fuller body than expected, while various effects and music both present with healthier depth than expected. It's not as rich as the 7.1 track, but...baby steps. The track offers everything else in good order, including excellent surround extension to offer discrete effects with effective range and various examples of seamless stage traversal as well. Musical clarity is perfect and soundstage engagement never disappoints. The overhead channels are not used to offer any real obvious discrete effects, but there are plenty of obvious examples of top end fill in support of the main elements. Dialogue is clear and center focused for the duration.

Strange World 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of Strange World includes no extras on the UHD disc itself, but the bundled Blu-ray houses a handful of extras, including featurettes, outtakes, and deleted scenes. No commentary track is included, though. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase.

• Anatomy of a Scene (1080p, 23:20): A fascinating and comprehensive exploration of making one of the key, and most visually challenging, sequences in the film, which in turn reveals the arduous but rewarding process of building modern digital animation.
• Strange Science (1080p, 13:43): Actor Jaboukie Young-White hosts a discussion of biology and how that branch of science is presented in the film. Note that this supplement contains major spoilers for the film.
• Creature Feature (1080p, 6:14): A look at some of the creatures found in the film, presented as if in the style of a retro nature documentary.
• The Hidden Secrets of Strange World (1080p, 5:24): A fun and fast look at some of the surprises, secrets, and winks and nods hidden throughout the film.
• Outtakes (1080p, 2:03): Humorous moments from the recording booth.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 11:41 total runtime): Included are The Ballad of Jaeger Clade, Lightning Lynx, Funerals and Promises, and Searcher and Ethan. With introductions from Heads of Story Lissa Treiman and David G. Derrick Jr.

Strange World 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Strange World tells a good story with an interesting twist supported by great world design and solid character vocalizations. The film might not bear much replay value after a second watch to discover as many hints as possible, but many fans should be pleased with the overall experience a first and second time. Disney's UHD offers reference excellent video, especially for the HDR color properties; a good Atmos soundtrack; and a few extras.