Trolls Blu-ray Review

The Blu-Ray presentation of "Trolls" exemplifies pure reference quality with its lush and vibrant color palette that immediately captures the viewer's attention. The 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode offers an explosion of primary and secondary hues, from sparkling glitter to exuberant neons, maintaining their brilliance through even the film's more somber moments. The film’s 2.35:1 aspect ratio ensures a razor-sharp definition and resolution, making the tiniest details in textures, such as troll hair and felt fabrics, remarkably lifelike and vividly distinct. This exceptional attention to detail, coupled with pitch-perfect whites and luxurious blacks, delivers an engaging and almost three-dimensional visual experience.

Moreover, the Blu-ray's image clarity showcases superior attention to detail on both near and distant elements, significantly enhancing the overall viewing pleasure. Despite a minor presence of aliasing, which keen-eyed videophiles may notice but is negligible for the target audience, the transfer’s dynamic contrast lavishes each frame with depth and a visually stunning appeal. Richly-saturated pastels and flamboyant neon colors give life to each scene, ensuring an energetic ambiance throughout the film. This impeccable digital transfer makes every moment a captivating feast for the eyes, solidifying "Trolls" as an impressive display of visual splendor in high definition.

The "Trolls" Blu-ray DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack presents a commendable audio experience, though it falls short of the extensive auditory possibilities available in its UHD counterpart. The soundstage displays notable width and depth, enveloping the listener with excellent spacing, vivid surround envelopment, and pronounced low-end depth. Bass performance in the Blu-ray edition remains substantial, underpinning both musical sequences and action scenes with impactful resonance. Particularly during the more intense interactions between Trolls and Bergens, the bass translation is impressive and significant. Dialogues are crystal clear, precisely prioritized from the front-center channel, ensuring they remain distinct amidst the vibrant soundscape.

However, despite these strong points, the soundtrack doesn't fully exploit the potential of a surround design. The rear channels often lie dormant, only occasionally jumping into action during select sequences, typically incorporating light atmospherics or discrete noises that enhance the soundfield modestly. This front-heavy mix delivers incredible mid-range detailing and fidelity, saturating the screen with ambient effects that balance seamlessly across all three front channels. When it comes to musical numbers, the vocals cut through with room-penetrating clarity and distinct precision, ensuring each instrument and note is easily discernible. The soundtrack does exhibit an admirably robust low-end, at times delving below 20Hz, adding a weighty dimension that amplifies the dynamic musical experience of this engaging animated feature.

The Blu-ray extras for "Trolls" offer a well-rounded mix of entertainment and technical insights, appealing to both kids and animation enthusiasts. Highlights include an interactive Party Mode with sing-alongs and surprises, several informative behind-the-scenes features, and a selection of deleted scenes introduced by the directors. The Cloud Guy's engaging tours and the detailed looks at stop-motion animation and the creation of Troll magic provide a deeper appreciation of the film’s visual style and production techniques. A bonus DVD and iTunes digital copy make this a comprehensive package.

Extras included in this disc:

• Travel Through Troll Village: Cloud Guy hosts a tour of Troll Village, introducing key characters.
• The Potion for Stop-Motion: A look into the materials and process used in creating stop-motion Trolls.
• Creating Troll Magic: Detailed exploration of the Trolls’ visual development and storyboarding.
• Inside the Bunker: Cloud Guy explores Branch's doomsday bunker.
• Deleted Scenes: A selection of cut scenes with introductory commentary from the directors.
• Troll 2 Troll: Poppy and Branch debate various fun topics.
• Theatrical Trailer
• The World of DreamWorks Animation: Music videos and more from various DreamWorks films.

"Trolls," an animated spectacle by DreamWorks, breathes life into the vibrant world of the iconic, big-haired toy figures from the 90s. The film is a kaleidoscope of eye-popping hues and irresistibly catchy pop tunes, primarily produced by Justin Timberlake. It features a bubbly narrative centered around Princess Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick) and the cautious Branch (voiced by Timberlake). Bereft of novel storytelling, it adheres to tried-and-true themes of self-discovery, happiness, and communal harmony. The primary conflict pits the jubilant Trolls against the gloomy Bergens who believe devouring Trolls is their only route to happiness, setting off a familiar yet endearing rescue mission.

Technical craftsmanship in "Trolls" is praiseworthy with its unique felt-like textures, even though it doesn’t push boundaries. The characters, while endearing, traverse a predictable arc filled with high-energy music sequences and whimsical humor suited for young viewers but might fall flat for adult audiences seeking deeper narrative complexity. The environments and character designs hover around the conventional, drawing parallels to DreamWorks' "Shrek" universe but lacking its imaginative flair.

Despite its forecastable journey, "Trolls" manages to inject moments of heartfelt connection and moral lessons on internal happiness and cautious optimism. The subplot involving Bridget (voiced by Zooey Deschanel) and Prince Gristle (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) introduces additional charm and reinforces the central theme that true happiness emanates from within rather than from external sources or material pursuits. The result is a visually arresting, music-driven romp that enchants kids while offering meaningful, albeit clichéd, messages for their parents.

"Trolls," the animated adaptation of the classic toy line, offers an unexpectedly cheery and infectiously funny adventure brimming with vibrant colors and catchy tunes. The film stars an impressive ensemble that includes Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, and Christine Baranski, delivering performances that are as energetic as the film's exuberant visual style. While the movie's themes and story construction may come off as somewhat simplistic and lacking in imagination, it nevertheless manages to captivate younger audiences and keep them entertained throughout.

The Blu-ray release from 20th Century Fox/DreamWorks provides a reference-quality visual presentation, showcasing an array of bright, eye-catching colors that pop with clarity and vibrancy. The lossless audio track, although missing the highly desired Dolby Atmos option available on the UHD version, still delivers a solid auditory experience with crisp and immersive sound. The supplemental materials are relatively sparse but are thoughtfully designed to appeal to both technical enthusiasts and children alike. Notably, the innovative Party Mode feature injects an extra dose of interactive fun into the experience.

In conclusion, while "Trolls" may not offer the depth or sophistication that older viewers might seek, it remains a delightful and visually stunning film teeming with upbeat music and cheerful characters. The Blu-ray edition's top-notch video and audio quality, combined with engaging extra features, make it a recommended purchase for families. Parents might find the film's charm less enduring than younger viewers, however, pairing it with a more compelling follow-up from Pixar could create a more satisfying viewing experience for all.