Gnomeo & Juliet Blu-ray Review
Score: 62
from 2 reviewers
Review Date:
Gnomeo & Juliet offers dazzling video quality and above-average audio in a fun, albeit thematically hollow, story ideal for young audiences and families.
Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 82
Gnomeo & Juliet’s Blu-ray 1080p/MPEG-4 transfer is a vibrant showcase of digital perfection, boasting exceptional color balance, fine texture detail, and flawless black levels. The film's rich reds, deep blues, and meticulous details in every scene make this a reference quality release, free from digital artifacts.
Audio: 67
Gnomeo & Juliet's DTS-HD MA 7.1 track delivers a well-balanced audio experience with clear dialogue and integrated environmental effects, though it falls short in utilizing rear speakers and bass during action-packed and musical sequences, leaving some room for improvement.
Extra: 26
Gnomeo & Juliet's 2D Blu-ray Extras include essential insights into Elton John's musical contribution (1080p, 5:47) and voice performances like Ashley Jensen's (1080p, 1:46), complemented by alternate scenes (480p, 42:25) and engaging content like the 'Crocodile Rock' music video (1080p, 1:32).
Movie: 51
'Gnomeo & Juliet' combines Shakespearean romance with whimsical garden gnomes in a visually stunning 3D film. Despite its thin plot and pacing issues, director Kelly Asbury delivers a charming and humorous adventure with engaging voice performances from James McAvoy and Emily Blunt. It's perfect for children, though adults may find it lacking in substance.
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Video: 82
The 1080p MPEG-4 transfer of "Gnomeo & Juliet" on Blu-ray offers a visually stellar experience, comparable to its 3D counterpart, minus the additional sense of depth. The film's vivid color palette is a standout feature, showcasing bold reds, blues, greens, and yellows that are perfectly rendered without any bleed-over. The colors enhance every scene and manage to maintain a natural balance, even in darker segments. The fine detail is meticulously represented, highlighting the digital artistry with remarkable precision. Elements like the chips and scratches on the gnomes or the textures of brick facades and wooden fence posts come across with striking realism.
Black levels are immaculate, enabling excellent shadow detail that contributes to the overall image depth, even in its 2D form. The video transfer avoids common issues like banding and blocking, resulting in a consistently smooth and crisp visual presentation. This Blu-ray release exemplifies the high-definition standard with its impeccable clarity and vibrancy. Whether it’s the fine textures on garden gnomes or the intricate details of the environment, the transfer captures every nuance without a hitch, making it an exemplary showcase for animated media.
Audio: 67
The DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack for "Gnomeo & Juliet" presents a substantially engaging audio experience, though it does have its shortcomings. The track excels in its handling of various environmental effects, seamlessly integrating running water, chirping birds, and other ambient sounds into the mix without overwhelming the primary action. This meticulous attention to environmental details allows listeners to be fully enveloped in the world of warring garden gnomes. The music, both from the film's score and Elton John's specific contributions, is presented with a natural richness, providing excellent clarity and spatial presence. The surround channels adeptly support not only the musical elements but also more dynamic sound effects, like lawnmowers rumbling through the listening area.
Despite its strengths, the soundtrack does fall short in a few areas. Dialogue remains clear and well-centered throughout, yet the overall power of the track feels somewhat lacking. The rear speakers are underutilized during intense sequences, and the bass effects are notably restrained, which can make the soundtrack feel less impactful compared to others such as that in "Tangled." While the soundtrack captures a fun and well-balanced atmosphere, it doesn’t quite reach the seamless intensity needed to serve as a reference-quality Blu-ray. In summary, while "Gnomeo & Juliet" boasts a solid and enjoyable audio presentation, it could benefit from increased dynamism and more assertive use of surround and bass elements to match its superb video quality.
Extras: 26
The Blu-ray of "Gnomeo & Juliet" offers a concise yet engaging array of extras, providing viewers with an in-depth look at both the production process and cast performances. The featurette "Elton Builds a Garden" dives into Elton John's crucial contributions to the film's music, highlighting how his new tracks elevate the story. Additional deleted and alternate scenes presented in unfinished story-reel form offer intriguing what-ifs. "Frog Talk with Ashley Jensen" and "The Fawn of Darkness" shed light on notable voice performances, while the "Crocodile Rock" music video adds a musical treat.
Extras included in this disc:
- Elton Builds a Garden: A detailed look at Elton John's involvement, focusing on the film's score and his new music.
- Alternate Endings With Filmmaker Introductions: Features alternate finales including "All's Well That Ends Well" and an alternate dance routine.
- Deleted and Alternate Scenes With Filmmaker Introductions: Includes numerous unfinished scenes.
- Frog Talk with Ashley Jensen: Insight into Jensen’s voice work as Nanette.
- The Fawn of Darkness: Casting Ozzy Osbourne as the lawn deer, Fawn.
- Crocodile Rock music video: Featuring Nelly Furtado and Elton John.
- DVD Copy.
Movie: 51
The Blu-ray release of "Gnomeo & Juliet" provides a vibrant visual experience, showcasing excellent animation quality in both 2D and 3D formats. The detailed rendering of the garden gnomes, combined with lively backyard settings, creates an enchanting viewing experience. Directors have made exemplary use of common home and garden items, which add both humor and adventure to the plot. Visually, the film excels, utilizing every knickknack to its fullest potential, and the performance of the voice actors—especially James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith, and Michael Caine—imbues the characters with a distinct charm and presence.
In terms of narrative structure, "Gnomeo & Juliet" offers a unique yet familiar spin on Shakespeare's classic tale of forbidden love. The interplay between the red and blue gnome clans brings in elements of humor and light-hearted conflict suitable for a younger audience. The story integrates various aspects ranging from romance to action without delving deep into original thematic layers of "Romeo and Juliet." Although the film attempts to incorporate adult-oriented jokes and references—sometimes inappropriately for a 'G' rated movie—it remains primarily child-centric, prioritizing simple storytelling over complexity.
Ultimately, "Gnomeo & Juliet" stands as solid entertainment for kids while holding minor appeal for adults. Its predictable storyline doesn't overshadow the quirky innovation and creativity. The film thrives on visual appeal and the novelty of animated garden gnomes portraying a centuries-old narrative, though its pacing may feel off at times. Despite its simplicity, the strong voice cast and crisp animation contribute substantially to making it an enjoyable family-friendly watch.
Total: 62
Disney’s "Gnomeo & Juliet" presents a whimsical twist on a classic tale, seen through the charming lens of garden gnomes. This animated film excels in delivering a fun and visually appealing experience while maintaining a structurally sound narrative. Despite its thematic simplicity, the movie effectively serves its purpose as light-hearted entertainment, delighting young audiences and providing enough engaging moments to entertain adults for at least a watch or two.
The Blu-ray release of "Gnomeo & Juliet" showcases exemplary video quality, featuring a dazzling 1080p 2D transfer that brings the intricate details and vibrant colors of the animation to life. The high-definition visuals truly stand out as reference material, underlining the film's aesthetic value. Complementing the visuals, the disc offers a robust lossless soundtrack that, while not quite as exceptional as the video, still delivers an above-average auditory experience worthy of praise.
However, this Blu-ray edition is somewhat let down by its limited assortment of extras. For those seeking additional content or special features, this release may feel lacking. Nonetheless, the primary offerings—remarkable video quality and commendable audio—ensure a rewarding viewing experience.
In conclusion, "Gnomeo & Juliet" may not be groundbreaking in terms of story or emotional depth, but it remains an enjoyable and well-executed film that succeeds in its aim to entertain. Its Blu-ray release comes highly recommended for families with children and for animation enthusiasts intrigued by its unique premise. While it may not warrant repeated viewings for most adults, it's certainly worth a rental or purchase for those looking to add a visually stunning and amusing film to their collection.
Blu-ray.com review by Martin LiebmanRead review here
Video: 100
This is all one could reasonably expect of a 2D all-digital animated transfer; it's lively, colorful, wonderfully detailed, and free of any perceptible warts....
Audio: 90
Running water, chirping birds, and other natural and backyard ambience is perfectly integrated into the track, taking advantage of the entire soundstage but remaining, generally, only a background element...
Extras: 40
The Fawn of Darkness (1080p, 1:29): Casting Ozzy Osbourne against type for the part of the lawn deer character "Fawn."...
Movie: 70
Old feuds, outdated prejudices, misunderstandings, treachery, deception, distrust, and all sorts of other negative vibes are at work throughout the movie, but it's all handled with a playful attitude that...
Total: 80
It works, surprisingly enough, and while Gnomeo & Juliet won't go down in the annals of animated cinema as an all-time great, it's nevertheless a strongly-crafted and entertaining little picture that's...
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 100
Equally impressive is the detail in things like rocks, street pavement, and fabric on items such as the sock Juliet uses as a disguise....
Audio: 80
For a film that features a great deal of music, I was expecting a track like that featured in 'Tangled,' where music is clear and has that deep, well balanced feeling....
Extras: 20
This is a brief look at the involvement Elton John and his studio had in the production of this film....
Movie: 40
Aside from that, I found the whole production to be very straight forward and predictable, not to mention very Elton John heavy (and not in a 'Lion King' kinda way)!...
Total: 60
The movie aside, the video quality of this release is reference material and though the audio isn't quite as good, it's still above average....
Director: Kelly Asbury
Actors: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith
PlotIn a suburban neighborhood, two rival garden gnome clans, the Reds and the Blues, are embroiled in an age-old feud. The Reds are led by Lady Redbrick, and the Blues are headed by Lord Blueberry. Amidst their ongoing conflict, Gnomeo, a brave and adventurous Blue, and Juliet, a spirited and determined Red, accidentally meet and fall in love. Unaware of each other's affiliations at first, their bond deepens as they navigate various obstacles and misadventures. Their secret relationship brings moments of joy and daring escapades, but it also intensifies the animosity between their families once their connection is revealed.
As tension escalates, Gnomeo and Juliet face immense pressure from their respective clans, who disapprove of their union and continue to undermine each other at every opportunity. With both sides seemingly irreconcilable, the young couple is confronted with difficult choices that test their loyalty, courage, and love. Along the way, they encounter quirky allies and formidable foes, each contributing to the couple's quest for harmony amidst the discord. The escalating conflict between the Reds and Blues threatens to shatter their world, pushing Gnomeo and Juliet to take drastic measures in a bid to end the feud and carve out a future together.
Writers: Andy Riley, Kevin Cecil, Mark Burton
Release Date: 11 Feb 2011
Runtime: 84 min
Rating: G
Country: United Kingdom, Canada, United States
Language: English, Japanese, Spanish, German