The Croods: A New Age Blu-ray Review

The Croods: A New Age on 3D Blu-ray is an exceptional visual treat that showcases the full potential of the format. Presented in its original 2.35:1 screen aspect ratio, the movie delivers impressive depth, particularly in expansive scenes featuring open plains and contrastingly confined spaces of the Betterman estate. The 3D effects are skillfully utilized, providing a genuine sense of immersion through well-designed spatial depictions. From the wide stretches of terrain to the cluttered indoor settings, the presentation maintains a believable and engaging sense of space.

The fine detail and vibrant colors from the 1080p Blu-ray are beautifully retained in the 3D version. CGI animation elements such as character models, lush vegetation, and various objects exhibit sharp, intricate details. The color palette remains bold and vibrant, with punchy fruits, lush greens, and intense reds and blues that leap off the screen, enhancing the visual experience. Additionally, low light and black level elements are accurately reproduced, ensuring a top-tier visual presentation free from noticeable source or encoding issues.

In conclusion, The Croods: A New Age delivers a highly immersive and visually stunning experience on 3D Blu-ray. The effective use of multiple planes of depth and impressive color fidelity make this release a standout in the realm of CGI animation on 3D format. This presentation will undoubtedly delight format enthusiasts and might even leave them yearning for more quality content in the market.

The Dolby Atmos audio presentation of "The Croods: A New Age" is a distinguished aspect of the Blu-ray release, mirroring the same track utilized in the companion UHD version. This audio track effortlessly delivers a robust and fully engaging listening experience, wherein clarity remains impeccable even amidst a barrage of diverse sound effects. The soundstage offers a seamless and enveloping harmony with every speaker utilized to its fullest potential. Whether it’s the well-spaced musical elements or the high-octane action sequences, the track delights with dynamism, ensuring an active engagement from side to side, front to back, and top to bottom.

A notable feature of this audio presentation is its selective yet impactful use of discrete overhead sound elements. Despite not being commonplace, these overhead effects are strategically employed to enhance critical scenes, such as the memorable 50-minute mark filled with a monkey stampede. This results in an impressive sense of overhead movement and detail, which maintains its balance and intricacy even during chaotic sequences. Dialogue delivery is clear and precisely center-positioned, ensuring it cuts through the mix effectively. Additionally, the vibrant score composed by Mark Mothersbaugh is given ample space to soar within this richly immersive soundscape, further augmenting the overall auditory experience.

"The Croods: A New Age" Blu-ray extras offer an engaging and comprehensive addendum to the main feature, presenting a blend of entertaining and informative content. Key highlights include a jovial commentary track with the creative team, deep-diving featurettes that cover the film’s creation and character development, and kid-friendly activities such as drawing tutorials and DIY crafts. Additionally, viewers can enjoy animated pranks, short films, gag reels, and recipes inspired by the movie. The 2-D Blu-ray efficiently houses these diverse offerings, although the 3-D disc lacks additional content. Overall, the extras significantly enrich the viewing experience with behind-the-scenes insights and interactive fun for all ages.

Extras included in this disc:

• Dear Diary: World's First Pranks: Classically animated pranks by Eep and Dawn.
• Family Movie Night: Little Red Bronana Bread: Dawn's self-made movie.
• Gag Reel: Humorous takes from the recording studio.
• To: Gerard: Short film about a magical coin.
• Deleted Scenes: Collection with Director Joel Crawford's introductions.
• The Croods' Family Album: Insight into the voice cast and characters.
• The Evolution Of...: Exploration of the film's tone, story, and technical aspects.
• How to Draw: Caveman Style: Drawing tutorials for main characters.
• Famileaf Album: Instructions for a Croods-inspired craft.
• Stone Age Snack Attack: Recipes for Croods-inspired snacks.
• Audio Commentary: Insights from key creators on the film’s technicalities, story, and characters.

"The Croods: A New Age" offers a refreshing sequel to the wildly successful original, blending comedy and adventure in a manner that appeals to both kids and adults. The storyline continues to explore the evolving dynamics within the Crood family, especially focusing on Eep and her boyfriend Guy, whose increasing closeness worries Grug, the protective father. The discovery of a mysterious gate leads the Croods to a new world inhabited by the Bettermans, a more advanced family that represents the next step in human evolution. The clash between the Croods’ primal ways and the Bettermans' modern sensibilities creates an engaging "fish out of water" scenario filled with humor and dramatic tension.

Featuring stellar voice work from Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Nicolas Cage, and newcomers like Peter Dinklage, the film maintains high-quality performances throughout. The first half of the movie is particularly strong as it delves into the familial tensions and social integration themes. However, as the story progresses into its final act, it shifts towards more conventional action sequences, which—while entertaining—might feel somewhat rote compared to the earlier narrative richness.

Visually, the movie is a triumph of CGI animation. The digital artistry showcases an incredibly detailed and textured world, crisp and vibrant on screen. The filmmakers have effectively translated the subtle differences between the Croods and Bettermans through nuanced animation, differentiating their lifestyles in ways that are visually striking. Altogether, "The Croods: A New Age" delivers both substance and style, making it an enjoyable watch for audiences seeking a mix of heartfelt storytelling and top-notch animation.

"The Croods: A New Age" on Blu-ray 3-D delivers an engaging and entertaining viewing experience for audiences of all ages. The sequel adeptly builds on the foundation laid by its predecessor, offering a cohesive narrative that explores the evolution of its characters and their world. While the first half of the film offers substantial themes centered on family and adaptation to new ways of life, the latter half ramps up the action to captivate younger viewers. This careful balancing act ensures that both grown-ups and kids find something to enjoy, cementing its appeal as a solid follow-up to the original.

The high-quality video and audio presentation of the Blu-ray disc is commendable. The visuals are vibrant and sharp, enhancing the already rich and colorful animation. The audio mix complements the visuals well, providing a dynamic and immersive experience. Additionally, the disc comes packed with special features aimed at all age groups, making it an engaging package for families. Featurettes on character drawing, snack creation, and arts and crafts provide timely activities for homebound families, ensuring that the fun extends beyond just viewing.

In conclusion, "The Croods: A New Age" might very well split audiences. Grown-ups will find the first half more satisfying for its themes of family and evolution to a new way of life while younger viewers will probably find the more action-packed second half more pleasing. But both ends have enough on offer to keep everyone more or less happy. It's a solid sequel, built not so much to be bigger and better but to move the world forward in meaningful ways, both within the focal Crood family and in the larger world around them. It's certainly a worthwhile follow-up that fans of the original should find to their liking. Universal's Blu-ray 3-D disc is terrific. Perhaps it will be a bittersweet release; it looks and sounds amazing but it's also a reminder of the lack of content on the format. But at least Universal is keeping hope alive. Recommended.