7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
After their cave is destroyed, a caveman family must trek through an unfamiliar fantastical world with the help of an inventive boy.
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Catherine Keener, Cloris LeachmanFamily | 100% |
Animation | 84% |
Adventure | 80% |
Fantasy | 62% |
Comedy | 57% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Polish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Turkish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Greek: Dolby Digital 5.1
Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Icelandic: Dolby Digital 5.1
Romanian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Serbian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Arabic: Dolby Digital 5.1
Urdu: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish, Arabic, Greek, Hindi, Icelandic, Romanian, Serbian
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
It's human nature to fear the unknown, and that's not something that has changed with time. Even in today's ultra fast-paced, always-on, ever-connected, and constantly-evolving world, there's still that uneasiness in the stomach, that hesitation brought on by doubt, that terror of leaving a comfort zone when it comes time to try new things, whether it's riding a bike without training wheels, heading in for the first day on the job, or sitting down to a meal at that exotic restaurant. But there's a difference between nervous excitement and plain old nervousness. A bad day at the office usually won't end in death. A bad day one the rocky, barren landscape of the caveman's world? That's a different story altogether, and sometimes, erring on the side of caution could be the difference between curling up on that favorite rock at the end of the day or winding up splattered on top of it. In The Croods, a family of prehistoric human beings, all of whom lack much living skill beyond talking and moving, is forced to shake up its routine when prophesies of doom and the sight of newfangled things, like fire, interrupts their safety net way of life, which really isn't a "way of life" at all. These are people who live on instinct and fear everything else, even those things they can see with their eyes, touch with their hands, or hear with their ears. It's a film about not just trying new things, but understanding the world and adapting to it, realizing that everything isn't black-and-white, that nothing lasts forever, that safety is sometimes more dangerous than taking a risk. It's a fun and well-constructed, if not slightly trite, movie experience sure to bring a smile to the faces of viewers of all ages.
Learning something new.
Like many other animated films on Blu-ray, The Croods looks incredible. The animation is so good, in fact, and the Blu-ray so strong, that there are a few shots in the movie that nearly pass for photorealistic. This 20th Century Fox/DreamWorks Blu-ray offers dazzling details and represents the animation about as well as the format can. Fine little fur clothing textures, facial scruff, fine lines, dirt terrain, lush vegetation, and general stability and clarity are incredible. There's not a moment in the movie -- not in the brightest scene, not in the darkest corner -- where the detail doesn't positively dazzle, a testament to both the Blu-ray's strength and the animation's muscle and exactness. Colors, too, are just as splendid. Even in the open, where much of the palette is comprised of brown and tan earthen shades, there's an unmistakable brilliance to the image. It opens up considerably once the family begins its journey through a world so colorful it almost looks alien. Sparkling bright reds and greens and blues look fantastic. This is a bold, brilliant transfer that should satisfy the requirements of demo purposes for years to come. There are a couple of very minor instances of banding, but it's so insignificant as to not warrant a markdown in score. Overall, this is a brilliant effort from Fox.
The Croods features a big, well balanced, and sometimes exhilarating DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. Every piece comes through robustly and with faultless definition, from subtle prehistoric ambience to the most aggressive action elements. The film's first big audio extravaganza comes in the early "college football" segment where marching band-inspired music rips through the stage with incredible definition and faultless accuracy. It's aggressive but never overly so, finding a good, realistic tone that captures the spirt of the music but also the basic instrumental variance with ease. The percussion section in particular impresses with potent lows and aggressive footing. The track features some other exciting sounds. The low, heavy blow of a horn carries through the stage with striking naturalism and presence. The Pop song to finish the movie enjoys wide space and unmissable energy and clarity. Supportive sound effects, from falling rain to collapsing rock formations, enjoy the sort of accuracy and heft listeners expect from the best tracks. Rounded into form my seamless, center-focused dialogue, this is a reference grade audio track from beginning to end.
The Croods contains a handful of family-friendly bonus features.
The Croods offers a hugely satisfying animated movie experience, particularly beyond the fairly stale and predictable superficial dynamics. Under the surface is warm, welcoming story, a fun, honest, heartelft tale of discovery, of satisfaction, of accepting new things, of understanding the greater world. It's a very sweet and touching experience amidst all of the humor, most of which hits and none of which falls completely flat. To be sure, there's not much room to reinvent the wheel -- the wheel, in this case, being the modern Pixar/DreamWorks/Sony Animation-style Family animated film -- but there's something to be said for sprucing it up and getting the most out of its capabilities, which The Croods does very well. Fox/DreamWorks' Blu-ray release of The Croods delivers the expectedly awesome picture and sound qualities. A nice array of extras are included. Highly recommended, and the movie is sure to leave audiences of all ages extremely satisfied.
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