Futurama: Bender's Game Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "Futurama: Bender's Game" on Blu-ray is delivered through an AVC encoded 1080p resolution, fittingly presented in a full-screen aspect ratio of 1.78:1. This aspect ratio maintains the familiar viewing experience associated with the series, choosing continuity over the grandiosity of wider cinematic formats. The film's animation style is enhanced by high-definition rendering, providing viewers with crisp, clean imagery that holds up under scrutiny. Characters and line art are meticulously delineated, showing no apparent edge enhancement, and the technical transfer is largely free of common artifacts such as compression issues or source noise. Though minor banding appears sporadically, it fails to detract significantly from the overall viewing experience.

Colors in "Bender's Game" are solid and vibrant, with bold fills and excellent visual depth, even in varied palettes—from the drab tones of dystopian settings to the lush, imaginative hues of Cornwood. Black levels are stable and deeply inky, supporting rich shadow detail that contrasts commendably with bright, clear whites. Notably, the black tones do not fall into muddy or overly gray territories, maintaining an appreciable and balanced depth throughout different scenes. However, there exists occasional softness within certain materials' textures and slight variations attributable to the animation's two-dimensional nature.

Despite these minor issues, the digital production provides a remarkably sharp fine detail that will please discerning fans. Breakout scenes reveal little to no frame rate inconsistencies, allowing Groening enthusiasts to find high-quality picture fidelity at every pause. The transition from standard DVD to Blu-ray stands out prominently, affirming the release's superior high-definition presentation tailored for animation enthusiasts seeking pristine visual quality.

The audio presentation of "Futurama: Bender's Game" on Blu-ray is anchored by a robust English DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Although some may initially question the necessity of a high-definition audio track for an animated feature, it becomes quickly evident that this mix is superbly crafted. From the outset, listeners will find the soundscape to be exceptionally resonant. The mix does a commendable job of allocating dynamic range across dialogue, sound effects, and music, providing an immersive auditory experience. Dialogue, which is a crucial element in a film laced with rapid-fire humor, is rendered with remarkable clarity and consistently placed at the center of the soundfield.

The surround sound elements are impressively articulated, with rear channels effectively utilized to add depth and environmental details, creating an enveloping experience. The LFE channel exhibits punchy, albeit occasionally uneven bass, lending weight to action sequences and the iconic whooshes of spacecraft. The results are room-filling and demonstrative, dynamically enhancing the listening experience. The track navigates through sequences with varied audio demands—such as dialogue-heavy scenes and those rich in special effects—with aplomb, maintaining a high level of detail and balance throughout.

In summary, while this DTS-HD MA 5.1 track isn't on par with reference discs used to showcase more complex live-action soundscapes, it excels within its category. Particularly notable are the precise integration of rear-channel effects and the resonance of low-end frequencies during action scenes. The overall sound design significantly boosts the viewer's immersion into Planet Express' comic exploits, providing a vibrant and immersive soundscape that surpasses typical expectations for an animated television adaptation turned Blu-ray feature.

The Blu-ray release of "Futurama: Bender's Game" boasts a variety of extra features, catering to both casual viewers and devoted fans. The commentary track is particularly noteworthy, featuring Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, Billy West, and others, blending humor with intriguing production insights. Although the extras are a mixed bag, the high-definition production featurettes like "Dungeons & Dragons & Futurama," "How to Draw Futurama in 83 Easy Steps," and "3D Models with Animator Discussion" stand out. The "Storyboard Animatic" offers a unique but less compelling look into the early stages of animation, while interactive elements like the "Futurama Genetics Lab" provide brief entertainment. Additional content includes a cleverly executed anti-piracy warning and teasers for future releases.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary: Featuring Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, and key cast members.
• Storyboard Animatic: Bender's Game Part One.
• Futurama Genetics Lab: Cross-breed your favorite characters.
• D&D&F (Dungeons & Dragons & Futurama): Role-playing influences on the series.
• How to Draw Futurama in 83 Easy Steps: Step-by-step guide with the rough draft crew.
• 3D Models with Animator Discussion: Insights into CG elements.
• Deleted Scene: Cup or Nozzle.
• Blooperama 2: Outtakes from Bender's Game.
• Bender's Anti-Piracy Warning: Parody of piracy ads.
• Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder: Sneak peek trailer.

"Futurama: Bender's Game," the third installment in the series' revival as direct-to-video features, is a mixed bag of fantastical adventure and social parody. The plot, driven by a dark matter fuel shortage paralleling real-world energy crises, sets the stage for an exciting foray into a medieval fantasy realm rife with dragons, sorcery, and humorous RPG references. While this setting provides ample material for clever satire and laugh-out-loud moments, the film’s structure as a patchwork of subplots reminiscent of its episodic roots can lead to a somewhat disjointed viewing experience.

The film divides its focus between multiple narrative arcs, including Leela's struggles with anger management, Professor Farnsworth’s vendetta against the villainous corporate mogul Mom, and Bender’s descent into RPG-induced insanity. These threads converge around the central theme of thwarting Mom's dark matter monopoly but not without some narrative meandering. The fantastical elements kick in when Bender’s overactive imagination propels the crew into an alternate dimension. The meta-fantasy world mimics "The Lord of the Rings" in a quintessentially Futurama fashion, offering familiar characters in drastically humorous roles such as Titanius Anglesmith and Frydo.

Despite its sprawling storylines and a few overly prolonged gags, "Bender's Game" maintains the series’ trademark clever dialogue and situational comedy. The film offers significant amusement through its parody of not just medieval fantasy but also contemporary issues like corporate monopolies and environmental concerns. Dedicated fans of "Futurama" will appreciate the film's allegiance to its geek-centric humor and narrative complexity. However, for casual viewers or those unfamiliar with the intricacies of the series, the movie's episodic nature might result in a sporadic and less coherent experience. Nonetheless, "Bender's Game" captures enough of the original series' charm and wit to make it an engaging and entertaining watch overall.

"Futurama: Bender's Game" delivers a mixed yet entertaining experience, capturing the essence of the series while stumbling occasionally. The Blu-ray release boasts a clean and visually appealing high-definition transfer that enhances the simplistic, yet charming, character design. The impressive lossless DTS HD Master Audio track ensures an immersive auditory experience, bringing Planet Express's antics to life with clarity and depth. Despite some narrative unevenness influenced by the demands of TV format versus film pacing, "Bender's Game" remains a highly enjoyable view, especially for longtime fans of the series.

The supplementary materials, ranging from a collection of extras to exclusive Bonus View video commentary, are decent but somewhat underwhelming. Given Blu-ray's superior storage capacity, more comprehensive extras could have been included to maximize the disc’s potential. Nonetheless, the film itself is exceptionally well-represented both visually and sonically. For fans of the series, this release is a valuable addition to their collection, despite the relatively sparse extra features.

In conclusion, while not everything in "Futurama: Bender's Game" hits the mark, its high-definition presentation and audio quality shine through. The minor disappointments in the extras do not overshadow the enjoyment of the film itself. Given a choice, a film that entertains and engages in high-quality format is always preferable, even if the additional content leaves something to be desired. Fans and newcomers may find different points of humor, but the overall package is well worth the watch, with potential re-watch value specifically for the film rather than the extras.