The Garfield Movie Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "The Garfield Movie" on Blu-ray is an outstanding display of modern digital animation. Despite the absence of a 4K physical release, the 1080p AVC encode delivers a visually compelling experience. The detail is remarkable, capturing the essence of textured fabrics and fur with precision. Colors are vivid, with a pastel-like vibrancy that mirrors the whimsical palette of the Sunday comics. The film boasts excellent black levels and contrast, providing exceptional shadow details and a palpable sense of depth in darker scenes.

The vibrant color scheme leaps off the screen, with hues that are both bold and precise. The orange of Garfield's fur, natural greens, and the meticulous detailing of various food items are rendered with superb saturation and richness. Textures across different environments—from cityscapes to country farms—are meticulously captured, ensuring a visually engaging experience throughout. The presentation is free from visible compression artifacts, maintaining a pristine image quality that remains true to the source material, making this Blu-ray offering as flawless as it can be in 1080p resolution.

Audio:

The Garfield Movie Blu-ray comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, delivering a robust and immersive audio experience that exceeds expectations for a children's animated feature. The track incorporates a lot of dynamic surround activity, offering excellent spatial awareness and precise positioning of audio elements. Ambient noises like thunder and sirens during flashbacks set the stage for an engaging auditory journey. The surround channels are utilized effectively, filling the soundscape with rich environmental details and vibrant music wraparounds.

Particularly notable is the powerful LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) channel, which introduces significant depth and resonance to various scenes. From the rumbling of trains to the booming thunder, the bass impact is powerful and profoundly felt. Dialog clarity is impeccable, always centered and well-prioritized, ensuring every line is heard distinctly without overshadowing other sound effects. Though it's not presented in Dolby Atmos, Sony’s 5.1 mix is executed exceptionally well, making it clear that this format remains more than adequate for delivering an engaging audio experience.

The Blu-ray release of "The Garfield Movie" offers enthusiasts an array of engaging supplemental features that enrich the viewing experience. The extras cover a range of content from character insights and voice talent spotlights to humorous behind-the-scenes clips, ensuring both fans and newcomers find something of interest. Enhanced visuals and careful craftsmanship are evident throughout the package, with high-definition clarity enhancing the enjoyment of these content pieces. The included deleted scenes and concept art provide a deeper look into the film’s creative process. For fans eager to engage further, drawing tutorials and detailed exploration of Easter eggs highlight the meticulous attention to detail in production.

Extras included in this disc:

• Indoor Cat, Outdoor Adventure: Cast and crew discuss building on Garfield's history.
• Cast of Critters: Praise for the voice cast.
• Gag Reel: Humorous moments from voice sessions.
• Easter Eggs: Garnishes à la Garfield: Insights into the movie's nods to the original comic.
• Deleted Scene – “I’m Back” Animatic: Featuring Hannah Waddingham.
• How-to-Draw’s: Guides on drawing key characters, including Garfield, Odie & Jon, and Vic, Otto, Jinx, Roland & Nolan.
• Concept Art & Animation: Includes Animation Progression Reel and Character & Environment Gallery.

"The Garfield Movie" revisits America’s beloved lasagna-loving feline in an all-new animated format. Directed by Mark Dindal, it sees Chris Pratt voicing Garfield, with a supporting cast including Samuel L. Jackson and Hannah Waddingham. The narrative diverges from Garfield's historically lazy demeanor, plunging him into a caper involving his origin story, a menacing feline antagonist, and an elaborate heist.

While it attempts to modernize Garfield's tale, the film struggles to maintain the feline's quintessential character traits that charmed audiences through comics and television. Instead of showcasing Garfield’s lazy and gourmand nature, the plot pivots towards a high-stakes mission at a fortified dairy, reminiscent of "Mission: Impossible." This direction not only feels misaligned with Garfield's core personality but risks alienating long-standing fans who fondly recall the cat's more sedate adventures in “Garfield and Friends.”

In terms of performances, Pratt’s rendition of Garfield lacks the charismatic warmth that Lorenzo Music previously imbued. Samuel L. Jackson as Vic and Hannah Waddingham as Jinx contribute spirited voices, but it’s Cecily Strong’s portrayal of the overzealous security officer Marge Malone that truly shines. Despite these commendable individual performances, the narrative’s forced adventure and lackluster humor leave much to be desired. While the film carries a few entertaining sequences and some moments of genuine amusement, it ultimately falls short of capturing the heart and wit of the original character, resulting in a disjointed viewing experience.

Rated PG for action/peril and mild thematic elements.

"The Garfield Movie" brings the beloved comic strip cat to life in a 100-minute adventure that, while offering a few chuckles, ultimately feels more like a decent time-wasting diversion than a standout animation. Helmed by director Mark Dindal and featuring a voice cast led by Chris Pratt and Samuel L. Jackson, this film navigates the challenges of translating Garfield's charm from the printed page to the big screen with mixed results. Although it's clear that the character thrives better in short-form storytelling, the movie endeavors to keep both young audiences and their parents mildly entertained.

Technically, "The Garfield Movie" shines on Blu-ray. Presented in a crisp 1.85:1 AVC aspect ratio, the video quality is superb, capturing every nuance of Garfield's animated antics with precision. The audio experience is robust, featuring DTS-HD MA 5.1 tracks in English, French, and Spanish, supplemented with Descriptive Video Service (DVS) options. Subtitles are available in English SDH, French, and Spanish, accommodating a wide array of viewers. The disc's runtime is 101 minutes and it releases on August 27th, 2024.

In conclusion, while "The Garfield Movie" might not be vying for any awards, it provides a visually and audibly delightful Blu-ray experience that makes for a decent watch, especially for families looking for light entertainment. The film may not set itself apart from previous adaptations or offer a unique narrative, but its technical prowess and occasional humor make it a reasonable choice for an afternoon viewing. Overall, consider it a fun family-friendly film that kids will enjoy and adults might find mildly amusing. Recommendation: Decent Watch.