Mune: Guardian of the Moon Blu-ray Review

Mune: Guardian of the Moon’s Blu-ray presentation delivers a competent and visually appealing 1080p transfer in its theatrical 2.40:1 aspect ratio, utilizing the AVC codec. The sharpness stands out, revealing broad landscape textures and intricate character details with precision. Both flat animation and CG renderings retain strong, consistent detail. Colors, while not strikingly vibrant, exhibit controlled and appealing saturation levels without bleeding. Purple backgrounds occasionally show noticeable banding, but this is generally minor. Black levels are exceptionally deep and beautifully maintain shadow detail, particularly in the film's numerous nighttime sequences.

The overall visual experience benefits from nuanced details in environments, elements, and characters. Close-up shots, such as those of the moon, various creatures, and intricate objects within Gilm's house, portray dense and satisfying detail. Although the colors don't leap off the screen with intense vibrancy, their general saturation and depth offer a pleasing visual aesthetic. The sporadic banding along some skies remains the only significant visual distraction, but overall, the image quality handles the film’s diverse visual elements effectively. Universal’s transfer ensures a capable and engaging visual representation of this charming animated film.

The audio presentation of "Mune: Guardian of the Moon" on Blu-Ray is marked by a proficient and frequently engrossing DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, available in both the original French language mix and the English language version. The dialogue, recorded with impeccable clarity, benefits from firm center positioning and effective prioritization over competing elements, even during intense action sequences. Furthermore, there are instances of directional dialogue placement that contribute an added layer of depth to the overall sound design.

The soundtrack deploys regular surround implementation, with discrete effects frequently popping in and effortlessly flowing across the stage. Action scenes are vividly enhanced by this track's capabilities, providing an immersive experience characterized by energized activity and intense sonic accompaniment. The low end is particularly noteworthy, engaging with significant depth and offering stage-saturating power. Bruno Coulais’ unconventional musical score receives comprehensive surround treatment, enhancing its impressiveness. Ambient effects are well-defined and correctly positioned across the fronts and rears, although some may find their usage less nuanced compared to American animated films.

The extras section of the "Mune: Guardian of the Moon" Blu-ray offers a comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at the film's creation along with some concise visual galleries and promotional material. "The Making of Mune" is a detailed and informative documentary featuring insights from directors Benoît Philippon and Alexandre Heboyan, producer Aton Soumache, art director Remi Salmon, and other key members of the production team. The feature delves into the project’s origins, artistic inspirations, character development, thematic undertones, and the blend of animation styles. Additionally, "The Art of Mune" provides a quick yet enriching montage of character and background designs used in the movie. Completing the package, a theatrical trailer is also included. With the addition of a DVD copy and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy, this Blu-ray ensures an engaging and value-packed experience for fans of the film.

Extras included in this disc:

• The Making of Mune: In-depth documentary on the film’s production and creative process.
• The Art of Mune: Auto-advancing image gallery showcasing character and background designs.
• Theatrical Trailer: Promotional trailer for the film.

"Mune: Guardian of the Moon" is a visually captivating animated film that ambitiously seeks to elevate the standard children's genre into a more thoughtful and creative realm. Influenced by the work of Terry Gilliam, the film juxtaposes light and dark, day and night, within an adventure framework populated by whimsical characters. The story centers on Mune (Joshua J. Ballard), an unexpected guardian of the moon, who inadvertently causes chaos by mishandling his duties, leading to the theft of the sun. Alongside him, the confident guardian of the sun Sohone (Rob Lowe) and a resourceful astronomer Glim (Nicole Provost) must restore balance while facing a vengeful antagonist, Leeyoon (Christian Slater), and the malevolent Necros (Davey Grant). While younger audiences will appreciate the cute characters and engaging dialogue, there's more depth for those willing to look beyond this facade.

Technically, "Mune" distinguishes itself through its unique visual style. The movie employs a combination of CG animation and hand-drawn sequences, particularly effective in flashback scenes that illustrate the history of its fantastical world. This innovative artistic approach creates a distinctive universe that sets it apart from polished offerings by giants like Pixar or DreamWorks. Though the tale inevitably succumbs to some genre-staple antics, it redeems itself through original character designs and compelling world-building that subtly address themes of balance and responsibility. Despite the characters being somewhat conventional and their actions predictable, the film's strength lies in its ambitious vision and creative execution.

Voice acting in "Mune: Guardian of the Moon" showcases notable contributions in both its English and French versions, although younger viewers might find the English cast more relatable. Rob Lowe, Nicole Provost, and Joshua J. Ballard deliver engaging performances as Sohone, Glim, and Mune respectively, capturing the youthful energy required for their roles. In contrast, while Omar Sy, Izïa Higelin, and Michaël Grégorio give commendable performances in these roles in French, they come across as more mature. The supporting cast, including Christian Slater as Leeyoon and Davey Grant as Necros, complements the leads effectively with credible performances that anchor this whimsical yet purposeful narrative.

"Mune: Guardian of the Moon" brings a refreshing tonal variation to the animated film genre. Its unique visual design and imaginative world-setting distinguish it from standard American productions. The animation techniques employed are innovative, giving the film a distinct personality and aesthetic appeal. However, the storyline, while fanciful and engaging, leans on some conventional action and adventure elements. The character development is solid, though the personalities themselves may not leave a lasting impression on the audience.

The Blu-ray release by Universal enhances the viewer experience with commendable audio and video quality, despite the absence of the original 3D theatrical presentation. The well-balanced mix elevates the film's rich soundscape, while the visual fidelity ensures that the unique animation style is preserved beautifully in high definition. Additionally, the supplementary materials add significant value to this release. The standout feature is an in-depth making-of documentary, mostly composed of insightful filmmaker interviews that shed light on the creative process behind the film.

In conclusion, "Mune: Guardian of the Moon" combines interesting design work and a distinctive animated world with some familiar storytelling tropes, resulting in an enjoyable but not groundbreaking experience. Universal's Blu-ray package bolsters the production’s strengths, delivering good video and exceptional audio quality, paired with informative supplements. This release is worth considering for animation enthusiasts, particularly those seeking something different from mainstream American animated films.