Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" showcases a 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, generally satisfying the expectations for a high-definition animation. The transfer aptly captures the film's visual aesthetic, characterized by richly saturated colors and impressive variations in softer hues. Deep black levels are consistently inky, providing excellent gradations within the grayscale and augmenting the visual depth of the animation. Despite the vividness and life present throughout the video, the animation style appears somewhat elementary compared to modern standards of animated films, resulting in a flatter appearance for characters and objects.

The film's source material doesn't offer the fine detail seen in higher-budget animations; elements such as hair, fur, and skin tend to look flat and lackluster. However, color reproduction is commendable, with accurately rendered shades that do not appear pale or exaggerated. The contrast levels are precise and consistent, enhancing the visual appeal of both brightly lit and darkly-lit scenes. Black levels remain stable, without crushing the finer details, ensuring visibility in darker scenes and improving the overall clarity and sharpness of the image.

Minor banding is occasionally noticeable but minimal enough not to detract significantly from the viewing experience. The animation's deliberate style design means it doesn't quite reach the textural richness of other studios' works, yet some elements, such as Hansel and Gretel's cloth details, display admirable distinctions. Although the Blu-ray's video quality may not serve as a reference standard for animated films, it remains a solid representation of "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" and its unique visual approach.

The audio presentation of "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" on Blu-ray features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack that demonstrates satisfactory, yet inconsistent performance. While the dialogue is consistently crisp and focused from the center channel, making it easily discernible throughout, the overall soundstage feels somewhat constrained. The spatial deployment of the score across the left and right channels lacks the desired breadth, giving a narrower feel than expected. Sound effects such as explosions and vehicle noises from jets and motorcycles fail to deliver the necessary impact and seem underpowered, lacking the expected dynamism even at reference levels. The low-end frequencies are present but do not provide substantial depth, leaving LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) somewhat underwhelming.

Additionally, while dynamics maintain clarity and sharpness during action sequences, the overall track plays timidly, impeding a fully immersive experience. Surround activity in the rear channels sporadically capitalizes on discrete effects to extend the soundfield, but this effort is inconsistent and fails to fully envelop the audience. Despite these shortcomings, there are moments of fluid channel separation that are particularly effective during scenes of intense action. The track generally remains engaging and inviting due to its clean dialog delivery and occasional robust front-end activity.

Overall, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio mix for "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" presents a balanced but subdued auditory experience. While it maintains clarity and intelligibility in dialogue and delivers decent channel separation during action scenes, it does not fully exploit the potential of surround sound or low-end effects to create a truly immersive environment. Thus, while the audio is adequate and enjoyable, it may leave enthusiasts yearning for a more powerful and dynamic performance.

The Blu-ray for "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" features a range of extras that, while not abundant, provide some interesting behind-the-scenes insights primarily in standard definition. The most notable inclusions are voice cast interviews where they discuss character development and their experiences. The storyboard comparisons offer a glimpse into the film's early visualizations, while the music videos are notable but lack high-definition quality. Additionally, the production artwork segment stands out by offering colorful, high-definition images from the movie. Overall, these extras, also available on the DVD counterpart, add modest value for fans interested in more immersion into the film’s creation process.

Extras included in this disc:

• Production Artwork: Still gallery featuring original artwork in HD.
• Video Game Teaser: Previews for two mobile gaming experiences.
• Music Videos: Three music tracks from the film sung by various artists.
• The Voices: Cast and director interviews about character voices.
• Storyboards: Hand-drawn sketches and storyboard sequences for key scenes.
• DVD Copy: Standard DVD version of the movie.

"Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" attempts to build upon the clever twist of its predecessor but falls woefully short in execution. Directed by Mike Disa, the film pulls Little Red Riding Hood (Hayden Panettiere) back into action to save her Granny (Glenn Close) from an evil witch (Joan Cusack). The narrative ponders a modernized fairy-tale scope reminiscent of "Shrek," complete with S.W.A.T. team tactics and high-tech gadgets. Despite this intriguing premise, the film is undermined by its uninspired digital animation and a plot riddled with stale clichés. Comparisons to Saturday morning cartoons are inevitable, as even the fairy-tale-meets-21st-century concept is not enough to sustain interest.

One of the film's most glaring issues is its pacing, which feels uneventful and slow, failing to capture the charming essence of the original. While the first movie utilized a "Rashomon" style storytelling that worked to great effect, "Hoodwinked Too!" struggles to find a similar footing. The voice actors, including Patrick Warburton as The Big Bad Wolf and Cory Edwards as Twitchy the Squirrel, seem detached, as if aware of the hollow material they are navigating. The humorous references and clever twists are often labored and fail to land, with sporadic laughs feeling more like happy accidents than deliberate comedic moments. Characters' interactions come off as predictable, resulting in a film that feels more like a series of disconnected skits than a cohesive story.

Technically, "Hoodwinked Too!" faces further setbacks. The digital animation feels outdated, not even matching the quality of earlier, similar genre films such as the original “Shrek.” The emotional and thematic connections fall flat, leaving an experience that's contextually and emotionally vacant. Moments meant to evoke excitement or laughter are undercut by mundane execution and overt attempts to be contemporarily edgy. Ultimately, "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" serves as a stark reminder that creative inspiration can often only strike once, making this sequel a regrettable mishap in the animated genre.

Review of "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" Blu-ray

"Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" falls short of its predecessor in almost every aspect, struggling with subpar execution that dampens an initially intriguing concept. The novelty of storybook characters embedded in a modern spy narrative fades quickly, revealing a clichéd plot and uninspired dialogue. The animation appears dated, comparable to decade-old standards, which detracts from the viewing experience. Additionally, the voice acting lacks enthusiasm, further compounding the movie's many shortcomings.

From a technical standpoint, Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release does as well as it can with the material provided. The 1080p transfer is competent but nothing extraordinary, and the lossless soundtrack feels underpowered, failing to significantly enhance the viewing experience. The supplementary content on this release is minimal and largely unremarkable, offering little added value for viewers.

In conclusion, "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil" simply does not meet expectations. It lacks the charm and humor of the original film and fails to establish any significant appeal. Despite a relatively short runtime, the movie drags, feeling overly extended due to its lackluster content. While the technical presentation on Blu-ray is decent, it cannot compensate for the fundamental issues with the film itself. This is a title best skipped unless one is a die-hard fan with low expectations.