Strange World Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Strange World 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 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

It goes without saying that Strange World more or less defies the need for a video review. It's perfect and delivers everything one expects in a modern presentation of a digitally animated source, but for the sake of completeness here's the full review: the 1080p picture is gorgeous, pushing the Blu-ray format to its absolute limit. The image leaves nothing to the imagination: every stroke of digital artistry within the film is presented for practically all they're worth. Viewers will be able to soak in the finest detail on character faces and clothes and most rewardingly all of the various creatures in, and all of the terrain that comprises, Avalonia. It's as clear, sharp, and as highly detailed as any Blu-ray ever has been. The same goes for the colors. While the UHD obviously delivers a more stout, more robust palette, what is here is plenty bright and bold with excellent tonal nuance as necessary and boldness and vividness as the situation warrants, which is very frequently. Black levels are perfect, whites are brilliant, and the entire spectrum just delights in every frame. Add total freedom from compression and source issues and this is one of the top reference Blu-ray discs for not only 2023 but for the entire format's lifespan.

Strange World Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Well, this is a nice treat and a very unexpected surprise. Disney brings Strange World to Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack that is actually pretty stout and pretty good! While not perfect, the track demonstrates some real command and offers some actual body to its elements in the character introduction song. There's some nice depth to the deep baritone voices, too. Bass is not prolific, at all, but it's very satisfactory and on par with about what one might reasonably expect from a soundtrack of this sort. Some elements could use more wallop, sure, but that is true of most soundtracks, be they from Disney or any other studio. But the good news here is that bass is never absent, thin, or flat. That carries over to music, too, which plays with balanced depth as well as the expected high level of surround engagement and side stretch, offering a very pleasing and cinematically enriching experience. More, the track plays at a good volume throughout, with music and effects sufficiently engaged at reference level. Dialogue is commanding and clear and well prioritized, too, with true grounding in the front-center channel.

Strange World Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Strange World includes a handful of extras, including featurettes, outtakes, and deleted scenes. No commentary track is included, though. A DVD copy of the film and 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 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 Blu-ray offers reference video, surprisingly good audio, and a few extras.