Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Blu-ray Movie Review

Blu cheese!

Reviewed by Randy Miller III November 13, 2019

Sixteen years after their debut short film A Grand Day Out (1989), the quintessential tag team of Wallace and Gromit finally made their feature film debut with The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Even with only three half-hour adventures and a few other shorts to their name (a number that has grown since 2005), the duo's transition to the big screen proved to be incredibly smooth. Co-directed by series creator Nick Park and Steve Box (key animator on The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave), Were-Rabbit features the same excellent stop-motion animation, clever writing, and terrific sight gags as seen and heard in episodes past...albeit with a larger budget and slightly more complex narrative.

The deceptively simple but fun story -- a fall-friendly mystery with a bit of romance, plenty of suspense, and a generous helping of adventure -- keeps the pace fun and free-wheeling throughout. It's not as tightly compacted as, say, A Close Shave, but still has no problem filling the larger canvas with precise brush strokes. Gags flow freely, the dialogue is distinctly British, there's about a thousand cute little bunnies...and, of course, one huge Were-Rabbit. He terrorizes the locals as their Giant Vegetable Competition approaches, threatening to stop the long-running annual event -- hosted by lovely Lady Tottington (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter) -- dead in its tracks with his voracious, insatiable appetite. Our heroes Wallace (the late, great Peter Sallis) and Gromit represent two of three figures standing in the Were-Rabbit's way, having already come to the town's rescue many times over as skilled pest controllers; the other party is Victor Quartermain (Ralph Fiennes), a gun-loving rabbit hunter with his eyes on "Totty". Not surprisingly, a love triangle quickly develops...and deepens, once we figure out the Were-Rabbit's true identity.

Even if you're brand-new to the franchise, it's not hard to see that The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is a very special film. Infused with the same love and care that made the original W&G adventures so fun and accessible, the skill on display during this 85-minute film puts it on par with the best efforts of Disney and Pixar. It's not often that a truly exceptional kid-friendly movie comes along, but it's a minor miracle when parents, older siblings and grandparents alike can have a blast at the same time. Even in the increasingly narrowing field of stop-motion animation, Aardman's work on Were-Rabbit remains nearly flawless in hindsight: simple enough to inspire future artists, but detailed enough to appreciate every little nook and cranny in the background. There are also few (if any) cheap gags and pop culture references to date the film -- this one's still as fresh as it felt all the way back in 2005. Time will continue to be kind to it.

The Curse of the Were-Rabbit has taken an embarrassingly long time to reach Blu-ray -- a full thirteen years after the format's launch, which not coincidentally happened just four months after the film's home video debut. This means that it was stuck in DVD land for well over a decade, but things could've been worse: Universal put together a decent little package back in February 2006, all things considered, and this new Blu-ray basically represents the same disc with a fresh new coat of paint. The 1080p transfer and lossless audio mix breathe new life into W&G's handmade world, while the returning bonus features offer a nice peek behind the curtain without giving away all of its little secrets.

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

I guess the good team at Universal got this one, because The Curse of the Were-Rabbit looks quite pleasing in its Blu-ray debut. The studio has had a very spotty track record with catalog titles since the format's debut, often utilizing old masters processed with noise reduction, edge enhancement, and compression artifacts that made them feels like a side-step from their DVD counterparts. Not so this time around, as this perfectly acceptable 1080p transfer reveals a lot of fine detail and excellent color saturation with no signs of excess DNR or other tampering. Textures are quite good at almost every turn, as small details like fingerprints and even lint on character models can be easily spotted during close-ups and medium shots. Complex stop-motion animated films, like their hand-drawn and CGI counterparts, are often loaded with neat little background touches and The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is no different, so it's great news that the creative team's outstanding attention to detail gets a little time in the spotlight. Nighttime scenes, including the climactic Vegetable Competition, look exceptionally good with excellent color and shadow detail. Overall, this is just a solid effort that's well-represented by its screenshots, which is why I've uploaded more than usual.

Although I am unsure if a new master was used or if this is the same one from 2006, it's clearly been treated with care and suffers from none of the problems inherent in Universal's typical Blu-ray (and HD DVD!) titles from that era. While The Curse of the Were-Rabbit doesn't carry the same razor-sharp appearance as more traditional animated films, that's largely due to its purposefully "soft" production design and cinematography (or is it photography?).

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the default DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio represents a solid step up from its Dolby Digital counterpart, as The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is a deceptively strong-sounding film more often than not. Hans Zimmer's excellent original score -- which obviously incorporates a number of cues from the original short films -- is a standout with excellent dynamic range and a hefty presence, while the overall mix sounds powerful without drowning out dialogue and background effects. Channel separation, panning effects, and rear channel activity are all put to work at one time or another (and sometimes simultaneously), from the slow-motion swing of Gromit's pipe wrench -- which shatters Wallace's "Mind Manipulation-O-Matic" helmet -- to the final act dogfight and, of course, any and all weather-related events and the Were-Rabbit's thunderous rampage through local veggie gardens. Plenty of clever little atmospheric touches dot the landscape as well, and there were no obvious sync issues or other defects along the way.

Optional English (SDH), French, and Spanish subtitles have been included during the main feature and all applicable supplements; these are formatted perfectly and fit well within the 1.85:1 frame.

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Curse of the Were-Rabbit debuts on Blu-ray as a one-disc release with a Digital Copy redemption slip -- no DVD option here, unless you still have your old one. Aside from the bland cover art and menu design, it's all good news: all of the old DVD's excellent bonus features have made the cut, minus a few odds and ends (see below).

• Cracking Commentary - This feature-length audio track features co-writers/co-directors Steve Box and Nick Park, who do a great job keeping things moving with lots of creative insight and personal stories from their long partnership. As expected, it's a very laid-back but informative session with very few lapses into silence.

• Deleted Scenes (19 clips, 13:11 total) - This assortment of short scenes is presented in various stages of completion, from storyboards to near-finished animation. Nothing worth getting excited about, but there are a few nice moments here and there. Optional audio commentary by Nick Park and Steve Box is also included.

• How Wallace & Gromit Went to Hollywood (20:22) - An enjoyable featurette about the dynamic duo's rich and interesting history, beginning with the slow but steady development of A Grand Day Out during Nick Park's early years in animation. It's obviously incomplete in hindsight but new fans will learn a thing or two.

• Behind the Scenes (13:01) - Key cast and crew members contribute to this EPK-style production.

• A Day in the Life at Aardman (8:24) - A much looser and more creative effort than the previous piece, this short featurette offers a whirlwind tour of the Aardman studios and a few of its lucky employees.

• How to Build a Bunny (3:30) - Want to create your own Plasticine rabbit? Boy, are you in luck!

• Stage Fright (11:07) - A creepy but entertaining 1997 short film by co-writer/co-director Steve Box involving a Vaudeville-era juggler looking to update his act. Optional audio commentary by the director is also included.

NOTE: A few image galleries (dubbed "The Family Album"), as well as a couple of disc-based games and three Cracking Contraptions animated shorts, have not been included. The latter -- along with seven more shorts -- are still available as part of The Complete Collection -- yet another reason to pick up that Blu-ray if you haven't already.

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Though anyone new to the world of Wallace and Gromit might be better off starting with their Holy Trinity of short adventures first (which include A Grand Day Out, The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave, already on Blu-ray), anyone with a soft spot for animation and great comedy should have no trouble enjoying The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. It's an infectiously fun and free-wheeling adventure that plays well on a crisp fall evening...or whenever you're up for a laugh, really. Universal's belated Blu-ray basically offers a welcome A/V upgrade to go along with their old DVD-era bonus features, which is fine by me. It's highly recommended for die-hard fans and curious newcomers alike.