The Addams Family Blu-ray Review

"The Addams Family" Blu-ray boasts an impressive 1080p AVC-encoded transfer with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, delivering a visually rich experience that aligns well with the original animation. The textural details are outstanding, showcasing the eerie crevices of the haunted house and the distinctly detailed character models. While some sporadic banding and noisy edges can be observed, they rarely detract from the overall presentation. Colors range from the muted, macabre palette of the Addams' home to the vibrant and bright hues of the new town, Assimilation. This stark contrast is handled with excellent tonal fidelity, offering both subtle delineation and vivid splashes of color without appearing overly saturated.

Shadow details are impressive, revealing deep blacks and excellent contrast levels that emphasize the dark, haunted setting of the Addams estate while providing dynamic range in brighter scenes. The high definition allows for pristine clarity, sharpness, and immaculate resolution, especially notable in facial features that convey a wide range of lifelike emotions. However, brief instances of compression artifacts and loss of clean edges do occur, although these are minor and infrequent.

Ultimately, "The Addams Family" on Blu-ray is a near-perfect visual experience. The overall image quality is exceptional with excellent saturation, dynamic black levels, and a natural depth of field that enhances separation between characters and environment. Despite minor technical flaws, this CG animated feature retains consistency in its meticulous attention to detail, making it an engaging watch for fans and animation enthusiasts alike.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track featured on the Blu-ray release of "The Addams Family" provides a highly immersive and dynamic listening experience. While the opening scene does require a slight volume boost due to softer dialogue, the track balances impeccably thereafter. Dialogue is consistently clean and clear, with firm front-center placement and excellent prioritization, even amidst chaotic scenes. The mansion's haunted acoustics, including the powerful guttural “Get out!!!” proclamations, shake the sound stage with remarkable depth and ferocity, providing a spine-tingling experience. Pugsley's rocket ride and Wednesday's school hallway din are just a few examples of how the mix utilizes all seven channels to create an engaging sound field. The subwoofer delivers a palpably rich bass response without overwhelming the other audio elements.

The soundtrack not only features high-level detail but also integrates ambient sounds seamlessly, from the subtle chirping of beetles to the creaking mansion and reanimated frogs. The musical score by Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna enhances the playful energy of the film, delivering top-notch musical fidelity with well-spaced orchestration and rich, flavorful themes. The surround sound presentation ensures that atmospheric elements add dimension to the settings, with discrete effects and atmospherics utilizing the entire 360-degree soundstage. While this release does forgo the Dolby Atmos mix available in some theatrical presentations, the DTS-HD MA 7.1 mix included provides an exceptionally active and immersive audio experience that complements the film's eccentric narrative and visual style.

The extras included with "The Addams Family" Blu-ray release offer a variety of content, although they are relatively brief in duration. The disc features four deleted and extended scenes presented in pre-visualization format, a featurette on the making of the film, insights into the animation process through a detailed scene breakdown, and an interactive segment where the hand character, Thing, plays charades with the cast. Additional materials include a retrospective on Charles Addams' original work, and two lyric videos featuring songs from the film's soundtrack. These extras provide an informative yet concise look into the film’s creation and homage to its origins.

Extras included in this disc:

• Deleted and Extended Scenes: Four pre-vis conceptual scenes.
• Welcome to the Family: Making of/character profiles with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
• Life of a Scene: Detailed breakdown of an animated scene.
• Charades with Thing: Interactive charades game with the film's hand character.
• Addams Family Throwback: Retrospective on Charles Addams’ original material.
• Haunted Heart Lyric Video: Performed by Christina Aguilera.
• My Family Lyric Video: Performed by Migos, Karol G, Rock Mafia, and Snoop Dogg.

The latest animated rendition of "The Addams Family," directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon, strikes a delicate balance between nostalgia and modern-day relevance. Leveraging the original stylings of Charles Addams' cartoons while infusing fresh, digitally animated life, the film effectively captures the charm and wit that hallmark the Addams legacy. Oscar Isaac as Gomez, Charlize Theron as Morticia, and Chloe Grace Moretz as Wednesday deliver standout voice performances, adding depth and whimsy to their characters. The storyline revisits classic themes of acceptance and individuality while humorously detailing the Addams' relocation to New Jersey due to societal ostracism.

However, the narrative falters somewhat when it pivots to the conflict with Margaux Needler (Allison Janney), a reality-TV host bent on driving out the eccentric Addams to maintain her show's facade. While this subplot initially aligns well with the family's outsider theme, its overtly didactic message on conformity diminishes the film's overall tonal sharpness. Consequently, the film's humor shifts from predominantly dark and clever to more simplistic and kid-friendly, which may dilute its appeal to adult viewers who revere the franchise's macabre spirit.

Despite these hiccups, the animation quality and the artistic design stay true to the essence of the original comic strips. The detailed rendering of the Addams' mansion and its creepy-cute ambiance cultivates a visually engaging experience. While the plot may not linger in one’s mind, the film offers a moderately enjoyable experience for both new audiences and long-time fans. The excellent voice cast and adept animation elevate "The Addams Family" to a respectable level, making it a fun, albeit ephemeral, family viewing experience.

The Blu-ray release of "The Addams Family" signifies a successful foray into digital animation, offering a fresh yet familiar environment for the beloved characters. The animated medium allows for creative liberty that bolsters the macabre and whimsical tone, striking a balance between a nightmarish Burton-esque style and lighter, family-friendly entertainment. Universal delivers a top-tier technical presentation, with a pristine 1.85:1 AVC encoded video transfer and an immersive DTS-HD MA 7.1 audio track. The Spanish DTS-HD HR 7.1 and French DTS 5.1 audio tracks along with English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles enhance accessibility. The consistently vibrant visuals and dynamic sound mix provide an engaging viewing experience.

While it may not be the quintessential reintroduction fans of the original series and '90s adaptations hoped for, the film succeeds in entertaining younger audiences while offering enough winks to keep older viewers amused. The vibrant and colorful animation pays homage to the original comic strip, maintaining the quirky spirit that defines the Addams family legacy. Bonus features included in the Blu-ray are modest but serve their purpose, particularly appealing to younger viewers. Despite a thin selection of extras, the overall high-quality presentation makes it a worthy addition to family movie collections.

Conclusion: "The Addams Family" did surprise me a bit, and I’m glad it did. I’m always happy to eat crow and change my tune on something for the positive if I possibly can, and after the silly trailer that Universal released months ago I was fully expecting the worst. Needless to say, the movie is charming, fun, and light enough to be enjoyed by the whole family (there’s definitely a few winking and nodding adult jokes that slide through as well). The Blu-ray is magnificent in its technical specs, and the disc even holds a moderate amount of extras as well. Definitely worth a watch in my humble opinion.

Recommendation: Check It Out