The Angry Birds Movie Blu-ray Review

The Angry Birds Movie Blu-ray absolutely shines with its resplendent, eye-popping color palette that enthralls from start to finish. Presented in a stunning 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode, the tropical greens, blues, and multihued birds display colors with dominating vibrancy. The reds, yellows, and teals leap off the screen, while the pigs’ neon-green hue is depicted with remarkable accuracy. Detailing is superb; every surface and object is presented with near-tangible clarity and intricate texturing. Much of this is most evident in the individually flowing feathers of the birds, making characters like Red and Terence particularly lively. Even smaller details in the pigs' pirate ship and the island’s foliage are rendered with precision. Black levels are rich and deep, maintaining excellent visual integrity without crushing, adding depth to Bomb’s feathers and ensuring an overall three-dimensional quality.

The original 1.85:1 aspect ratio presentation also maintains exceptional sharpness from beginning to end. The Blu-ray's high-definition picture uses strong contrast to offer brilliant whites and opulent blacks. The vivid secondary hues accentuate the nuanced tones of each character, such as Matilda’s subtle rosy cheeks and Judge Peckinpah's purplish feathers. The clarity continues down to the smallest detail—each feather is distinctly visible and moves realistically in the wind. Additionally, textures within the settings, including tree bark, grass blades, and even blemishes on walls, are meticulously rendered, enriching the immersive experience. Despite its origins as a film designed for 3D viewing, the Blu-ray version impressively conveys depth and spacing in its 2D form, particularly noticeable during the dynamic slingshot sequences. Featuring an efficient compression that avoids any noticeable artifacts or source flaws, this video presentation stands out as one of the year's finest high-definition releases.

The audio presentation of "The Angry Birds Movie" on Blu-ray is nothing short of exemplary, featuring a dynamic and immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. The sound design meticulously balances various musical styles, including hard rock, pop songs, operatic scores, and an engaging original score. These musical elements are delivered with impeccable clarity, seamless front-end spacing, and a robust and natural low-end accompaniment. The surround sound adds depth, particularly during action-packed scenes where sounds swirl around the listener, creating a potent 360-degree experience. Notably, scenes like the pigs' arrival and the birds' invasion showcase explosive audio dynamics, ensuring that viewers feel enveloped in the chaos and action.

Throughout the film, the soundstage remains broad and expansive, finely balancing off-screen effects and superb channel separation. The front soundstage hosts most of the action, allowing music and songs ample breathing room while instruments are heard with exceptional acoustics and distinction. Rear and side channels effectively enhance atmospherics and action sequences, making them vividly come to life with debris, vehicles, and character movements panning seamlessly across the listening area. Low-frequency effects are deep and resonant, particularly during explosive scenes, delivering palpable and responsive weight to every crash and rumble. Dialogues are pristinely clear and consistently prioritized in the mix, maintaining sharp detail even during the film's loudest segments.

The audio track maintains its composition with a diverse offering that includes languages such as Cantonese, Mandarin (in multiple localizations), French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese. While the absence of a Dolby Atmos track present on the 4K disc is noted, the 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix compensates by fully utilizing all channels to create a rich auditory landscape. Foley work is distinct and intricately woven into the mix, ensuring an engaging listening experience throughout. This soundtrack provides an excellent acoustic journey that is sure to impress audiophiles and casual listeners alike.

The bonus content for "The Angry Birds Movie" Blu-ray delivers a diverse range of entertaining and insightful features, primarily aimed at younger audiences but also offering some engaging behind-the-scenes content for all ages. The highlight is undoubtedly the collection of Hatchlings shorts, which extends the fun and appeal of the movie. Additionally, the assortment includes amusing dance tutorials, crafty DIY segments, and intriguing looks into the film's score creation. However, there's a notable emphasis on promotional content, such as the "Angry Birds Action!" game tutorial. The making-of featurettes provide adequate insight into the filmmaking process, bridging the video game's transformation into an animated film. Although some extras may seem slightly superficial, the overall package adds substantial value to the Blu-ray release.

Extras included in this disc:

• Hatchlings!: Several shorts featuring baby birds.
• Angry Birds Action! How to Sync: Instructions to sync a game with the film.
• Deleted Scenes: Various omitted scenes from the movie.
• Dance Along Birds and Pigs: Dance tutorial inspired by the film.
• Crafty Birds: DIY guide for creating an Angry Birds game.
• Creating the Real World of Angry Birds: Behind-the-scenes look at adapting the game into a film.
• Bubbles and Hal: Animated short with characters Bubbles and Hal.
• Meet the Birds: Introduction and interviews with primary avian characters.
• Meet the Pigs: Character studies focusing on the antagonistic pigs.
• Music Video: "Friends" by Blake Shelton.
• Making Music with Composer Heitor Pereira: Detailed discussion on the film’s musical themes.
• Photo Gallery: Image galleries featuring characters and locations.
• In-Theater Policy Trailers: Humorous policy trailers featuring movie characters.
• Symphony Mode: Watch the movie with an isolated score.

"The Angry Birds Movie" translates the beloved mobile game into a feature-length animated adventure that is high on entertainment value. Directors Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly skillfully transition the simplistic mechanics of the game into a robust storyline that serves as both a standalone film and a detailed origin story for fans of the franchise. The plot centers on Red (voiced by Jason Sudeikis), a bird with anger management issues who discovers an impending pig invasion and rallies his fellow outcast birds to save their island. The voice acting ensemble, including Josh Gad, Danny McBride, and Bill Hader, elevates the film's humor and charm, providing a delightful experience for both children and adults.

The movie shines in its technical execution. Every frame is richly detailed, from the vibrant feathers of the birds to the elaborate environments of Bird Island and Piggy Island. The animation is polished and visually appealing, reflecting the high standards expected of a 2016 digital feature. The voice performances are competent and enhance the characters' relatability and personality traits initially established by the game. However, the film isn't without flaws. Pacing issues arise in the early stages, where character backstories tend to drag. Additionally, the climactic conflict with the pigs feels somewhat rushed and lacks dramatic weight, which slightly undermines the overall narrative impact.

Nonetheless, "The Angry Birds Movie" effectively integrates elements from the mobile game without feeling forced or contrived. Key moments of gameplay mechanics are woven seamlessly into the story, providing an authentic connection to its source material. While it may not reach the depth or innovation of Pixar's best works, the film's colorful aesthetics and clever humour make it a joy to watch. For families and fans of the game, it's a satisfactory cinematic experience that remains entertaining from start to finish.

"The Angry Birds Movie" Blu-ray release offers an enjoyable and visually appealing adaptation of the popular smartphone app. Anchored by Jon Vitti's engaging script and a strong ensemble of voice actors, the film transports viewers to an island inhabited by flightless birds. Here, anger becomes a resourceful tool as the birds rally to protect their eggs from marauding pigs. The film succeeds in balancing humor, action, and adventure within a safe and vibrant presentation that is sure to captivate younger audiences while sparking nostalgia in fans of the game.

Technically, the Blu-ray release excels with a flawless 1080p video transfer that delivers bright, colorful visuals that are both clear and precise. The audio presentation is equally impressive, providing a dynamic and immersive experience that perfectly complements the lively on-screen action. While the supplemental content may not delve deeply into the making of the film, it offers a commendable variety of bonus features that will keep both young viewers and adult fans entertained long after the credits roll.

In conclusion, "The Angry Birds Movie" boasts all the key elements of an engrossing animated film: humor, color, action, and family-friendly adventure. Although it may lack the narrative depth of studio powerhouses like Pixar, it stands as a delightful diversion for both new audiences and long-time fans of the game. Sony's Blu-ray release elevates the viewing experience with exceptional video and audio quality, making it a recommended addition to any animation enthusiast's collection.