Escape from Planet Earth Blu-ray Review

"Escape from Planet Earth" impressively delivers on both its 2D and 3D versions, bundled within a single Blu-Ray package. The 2D image is exceptionally vibrant, showcasing a dazzling color palette that excels across all scenes, from the bright blues and reds to the subtle earth tones of desert landscapes. The film's details are equally remarkable, capturing everything from the smooth surfaces of Planet Baab to heavily textured uniforms and alien skin. This visual clarity contributes to an impressive depth of field, even in 2D, supported by stellar black levels and an absence of any digital artifacts like banding or blockiness. In summary, the 2D transfer is near reference quality and visually stunning.

The 3D transfer maintains these high standards with additional dimension effects. Though some scenes lack significant depth separation from their 2D counterparts, notable instances like the novel snow and shattering glass effects enhance the immersive experience. Exterior space shots and other scenes render faultlessly, with colors remaining vivid and details sharp. The 3D version retains all the positive elements of the 2D transfer while adding another layer of visual engagement, making this a high-quality offering from Anchor Bay. Despite some inherent dimming from 3D glasses, adjusting screen brightness can help maintain the vibrant display. All told, the animation effort in both versions is commendable, promising a visually enjoyable watch.

"Escape from Planet Earth" boasts an exemplary DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that delivers a vibrant and immersive auditory experience. From the very beginning, the audio presentation is characterized by a deep and expansive soundstage, expertly balancing the main elements through the front channels while effectively utilizing the surrounds. The music scores and swooping action effects benefit from a broad dynamic range, with discrete sound information contributing to a realistic and precise sound environment. Subtle ambient effects, such as buzzing neon lights, electrified prodders, and nighttime insects, are rendered with pinpoint accuracy, further enhancing the overall balance and bringing even the most nuanced audio details to life.

The audio track is robust, engaging the listener through active engagement with all speakers, although it does not always reach the full potential of directional immersiveness that the on-screen action suggests. Primary stages of activity are handled well across all channels, ensuring that dialogue remains clear and accurate from the center. Notably, there are no apparent audio defects, such as popping or hissing, ensuring a clean listening experience. However, it's worth mentioning that while the soundtrack is well-balanced with proper mixing of dialogue, music, and background sounds, some users might find the rear speaker utilization slightly subdued during certain sequences.

Viewers will have access to an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on both 3D and 2D Blu-rays, with only the DVD offering a Dolby Digital 5.1 track. This consistency ensures that the high-quality auditory experience is maintained across different formats. Additionally, subtitles are available in English SDH and Spanish for the 2D versions of the movie, providing essential accessibility options. Overall, although minor areas like rear speaker utilization could see improvement, the audio presentation remains a highly commendable feature of this Blu-ray.

The Blu-ray edition of "Escape from Planet Earth" provides a well-rounded collection of extras that enhance the viewing experience. While the 2D disc includes a variety of supplementary content, the 3D disc omits such offerings. Director Cal Brunker's audio commentary offers detailed insights into the film's structure, character motivations, and the animation process, although it lacks post-release reflections. The Making of Escape from Planet Earth is a comprehensive behind-the-scenes featurette that delves into plot elements, character dynamics, voice acting, and soundtrack elements, albeit with a promotional undertone. The inclusion of alternate takes and deleted scenes offers a brief glimpse into unused animations. Furthermore, Brunker outlines the animation process in a concise feature detailing key production stages. The music featurettes present videos from Owl City, Delta Rae, and Cody Simpson.

Extras included in this disc:

Audio Commentary: Insights from Director Cal Brunker on film development and character motivations.

The Making of Escape from Planet Earth: Behind-the-scenes featurette with focus on plot, characters, and voice work.

Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes: A short collection of unused animation scenes.

How to Make an Animated Feature with Director Cal Brunker: Overview of storyboarding and production stages.

Music Featurettes: Includes music videos from Owl City, Delta Rae, and Cody Simpson.

"Escape from Planet Earth" delivers a sleek, digitally animated adventure that caters to a younger audience while subtly entertaining adults through witty dialogue and cultural references. The plot may feel somewhat predictable, pulling elements from established animation hits like "Monsters vs. Aliens" and "Megamind," but it doesn’t falter in its mission to provide solid family entertainment. The story follows the Supernova brothers—cocky adventurer Scorch (Brendan Fraser) and brainiac Gary (Rob Corddry)—as they navigate interplanetary turmoil. The film's narrative hinges on sibling dynamics and an interstellar rescue mission, festooned with vivid visuals and high-energy sequences that appeal mostly to children.

While the characters and story arcs might lack originality, the film compensates with a polished animation style and engaging voice performances, particularly from Ricky Gervais as a sarcastic computer. The movie's greatest strength lies in its visual spectacle; it thrives in the 3D format, which amplifies the animated world’s depth and vibrancy. Snowflakes, lasers, and other special effects extend into the black bars of the 1.85:1 presentation, creating dynamic scenes that boost the family-friendly escapism.

Despite its generic tendencies, "Escape from Planet Earth" manages to weave humor and emotional moments skillfully enough to resonate with both kids and adults. The 3D experience is notably superior, making it a recommended choice for viewers equipped with the technology. The film integrates light-hearted gags and cleverly concealed adult humor without disrupting the narrative flow, maintaining an energetic pace that keeps audiences engaged from start to finish.

Escape from Planet Earth offers an engaging journey through a vibrant and whimsical universe populated with fun characters. Although the narrative may not break new ground, it possesses a lighthearted charm that makes for an enjoyable viewing experience. The film manages to be both familiar and refreshing, striking a balance that is likely to delight younger audiences while still offering enough appeal for adults with a penchant for science fiction.

Anchor Bay's release of "Escape from Planet Earth" on Blu-ray, particularly in its 2D/3D combo format, boasts exceptional technical presentation. The video quality in both 3D and 2D versions is outstanding, with vivid colors and sharp detail that bring the animated world to life in spectacular fashion. The 3D effects are utilized effectively, enhancing the viewers' immersion and providing an additional layer of enjoyment. Audio performance is equally impressive, delivering crisp dialogue and dynamic range that ensures an engaging auditory experience.

Conclusively, "Escape from Planet Earth" is a buoyant and delightful film that excels in its technical presentation. The 3D version particularly stands out, making the plot's visual splendor the keystone of the movie's appeal. While it may not have enduring replay value for older viewers, it remains a recommended watch for families and those equipped to enjoy its 3D offerings. Anchor Bay’s Blu-ray release does justice to the film’s visual and auditory strengths, making it a worthwhile addition to any collection geared towards high-quality animated features. Recommended for those with 3D capabilities; otherwise a rental is advisable.