Peter Rabbit Blu-ray Review

The "Peter Rabbit" Blu-ray handles its 1080p transfer with impressive precision and clarity. The disc exhibits exceptional detail, especially in the digital constructs of the rabbits. Their fur showcases individual strand complexity and the vibrantly detailed jackets highlight fabric and stitching, bringing a sense of realism to the animated characters. The blend of digital and real-world elements, from gravel and leaves to vegetables caked with dirt, resonates with amazing sharpness and texture. Human characters are depicted with equal attention to detail, revealing the subtleties in skin tones and clothing, such as the texture of a burlap sack used within the film.

Presented in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, the colors throughout “Peter Rabbit” are lively and true-to-life, enhancing the visuals with vivid primary colors and robust blacks. The natural greens, bright sport coats, and varied hues of both digital and real-life elements ensure a visually dynamic experience. While the transfer occasionally softens in darker scenes and during a minor smoke explosion towards the movie's climax, these moments are outliers in an otherwise impressive presentation. The overall high-definition quality, with its excellent balance of clarity, accurate skin tones, and superior color fidelity, makes this Blu-ray a standout example within its resolution class with no significant compression artifacts to detract from its quality.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on "Peter Rabbit" delivers an engaging and technically proficient sound experience, though it lacks the added immersion offered by the film’s Dolby Atmos track available on the UHD release. The sound engineering is particularly playful, as evidenced by the opening scene where Peter navigates through different environments. For instance, when he runs through the hollowed-out base of a tree, the soundtrack takes on a hollow, tinny quality to reflect his surroundings, then seamlessly transitions to a fuller sound as he emerges back into the open world. This kind of thoughtful audio design enhances the film’s lively and dynamic atmosphere.

Throughout the movie, surround sound activity is effectively employed, especially during action scenes like Thomas's arrival at his uncle’s house in Chapter Five. These moments are marked by robust audio effects that bring the subwoofer into play with satisfying, well-balanced bass. Ambient sounds—be it chirping birds or household noises—remain clear and vibrant without overshadowing the main action. The engaging score adds to the film’s whimsical and comedic tone without becoming intrusive, maintaining a well-balanced mix that complements rather than competes with spoken dialogue. Speaking of dialogue, it is consistently clear and easily discernable without any pops, cracks, hisses, or other audio artifacts.

While it may not be as immersive as the Dolby Atmos track on the 4K UHD Disc, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix on this Blu-ray nonetheless offers a pleasingly balanced and potent auditory experience suitable for its kid-oriented audience. Each element—sound effects, ambient noise, score, and dialogue—is finely tuned to deliver an engaging and technically solid listening experience from start to finish.

The Blu-Ray of "Peter Rabbit" includes a variety of engaging extras that further immerse viewers into the charming world of the film. The highlight is the Mini Movie, featuring a delightful narrative about Peter's sisters that explores themes of sisterhood and family, though it might be brief. For younger audiences, the Shake Your Cotton-Tail Dance Along encourages active participation with a fun dance routine set to the catchy song "I Promise You". Additionally, Peter Rabbit Mischief in the Making offers an insightful behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the movie, detailing the adaptation process from book to screen, the selection of voice actors, and the blend of live-action and CGI under Will Gluck's direction.

Extras included in this disc:

• Mini Movie!: Cottontail, Mopsy, and Flopsy star in a short film about sisterhood.
• Shake Your Cotton-Tail Dance Along: Kids dance to I Promise You.
• Peter Rabbit Mischief in the Making: A look at transitioning the book to screen, casting, hybrid construction, and direction.

"Peter Rabbit" delivers a family-friendly, live-action/CGI hybrid, reminiscent of "The Smurfs" franchise. Directed by Will Gluck, this adaptation of Beatrix Potter's beloved children's tale blends modern humor with classic charm. Peter Rabbit (voiced by James Corden) leads his cousin Benjamin (Colin Moody) and his sisters—Cottontail (Daisy Ridley), Flopsy (Margot Robbie), and Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki)—in frequent raids on the garden of the elderly McGregor (Sam Neil). The rabbits' triumphant takeover is short-lived as McGregor's nephew, Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson), arrives to restore the property. Thomas's budding romance with his neighbor Bea (Rose Byrne), an artist and friend to the rabbits, complicates his life further as he engages in escalating pranks with Peter.

Though it strays from Potter's original narrative, the movie captures enough of the source material to build some goodwill. However, the film struggles to balance heartwarming moments with its penchant for crude humor and frantic action sequences. Despite the lively animation and some genuinely amusing scenes, the voice acting falls flat in places, and the live-action performances are hindered by a lackluster screenplay. The plot centers around the comedic war between Peter and Thomas, which often feels repetitive and devoid of depth.

Overall, "Peter Rabbit" offers visual appeal and occasional laughter but lacks a cohesive emotional core. The film's reliance on slapstick humor and recycled gags results in a mix of entertaining and forgettable moments. It garnered enough popularity to merit a sequel, suggesting potential for future improvements in character development and story complexity.

The "Peter Rabbit" Blu-ray presents an adequate family-friendly film, albeit one with mixed reviews. The voice acting, led by James Corden, is commendable and adds a level of charm to the movie. However, the film tends to lean excessively on silly gags rather than engaging story development or meaningful character progression. Some fun moments are scattered throughout, but they are overshadowed by instances that might induce cringes due to their lack of depth. The plot itself feels somewhat directionless, struggling to marry modern elements with its purportedly simple charms.

From a technical standpoint, Sony's Blu-ray release of "Peter Rabbit" is impressive yet imperfect. The video quality is generally strong, with vibrant colors and sharp details, though softness is noticeable during more elaborate action scenes. The Blu-ray features a solid 5.1 lossless soundtrack, which delivers stable audio performance. However, it's disappointing that the more immersive Dolby Atmos track is reserved for the 4K UHD release—a notable drawback for audiophiles seeking a fuller auditory experience. Additionally, the supplementary materials are sparse and add little to the overall value of the package.

In conclusion, "Peter Rabbit" offers mild entertainment value, serving as a mindless escape perfect for a rental rather than a must-own addition to your collection. It fulfills its role as a space-filler on the release schedule, with just enough digital polish and comedic promise to attract an audience. However, it lacks the emotional resonance and cohesiveness of better family films. While the technical aspects of the Blu-ray are commendable in parts, they cannot fully compensate for the film’s deficiencies in storytelling and character development. Recommended for an evening of light-hearted fun for younger audiences but not essential viewing.