The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature Blu-ray Review

Universal has delivered a visually stunning presentation with their Blu-ray release of "The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature." Although it lacks a UHD version, the film's 1080p transfer is remarkable. Using the AVC codec, this release faithfully maintains the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The sharpness and depth are incredible, providing a highly detailed look at both characters and backgrounds. The fur of characters such as Andie is intricate, with each fiber distinct and noticeable. The textures extend beyond characters to environments, showcasing even the finest details like grains of dirt and sand.

Color saturation is another high point of this release, with every primary shade displaying vibrant and varied hues. The lush greens are particularly striking, but reds, blues, and yellows are equally eye-catching. The colors explode off the screen with vitality, enriching every scene with deep and varied palette. While a few instances of banding and minor black crush are present, these issues are negligible and don't detract significantly from the overall viewing experience. Environments appear crisp even at a distance, ensuring a visual treat from start to finish.

The video quality stands out due to its textural abundance and superb detailing, making full use of the 1080p format's capabilities. The consistency in color quality and depth of black levels adds richness to the presentation. Whether it’s the individually distinguishable fibers of fur or small nuanced environmental details, Universal has ensured that nearly every element created by the digital animators is vividly realized on-screen. This Blu-ray release epitomizes the best of what the format can offer, affirming that sometimes UHD might not bring significant enhancement over an already excellent high-definition transfer.

The audio presentation of "The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature" is handled with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, which successfully brings the film's energetic and chaotic action to life. The track offers an active and engaging experience, bustling with various sounds that zip and maneuver around the soundstage, aligning seamlessly with the on-screen action. The clarity and balance of the mix are commendable, ensuring that heavy equipment sounds, big gusts of wind, and other intense elements are perfectly attuned and immersive. The dialogue, positioned mainly in the center channel, is exceptionally clean and detailed, leaving nothing to be desired.

While the soundtrack delivers a fun and dynamic range, it falls short in certain areas. The bass is present but lacks the punch and depth that could elevate the sonic experience to the next level. Explosions and other low-frequency effects carry weight but never reach a point of making the low end truly roar. Despite this, the overall immersiveness of the audio, with Heitor Pereira’s background music threading through the fronts and rears, adds a robust and enveloping layer to the mix. Atmospheric sounds are skillfully integrated, offering full placement within the appropriate soundstages, adding critical balance to the sound design.

The track's technical competence stands out with its seamless blend of dialogue, music, and sound effects. The nut shop explosion and Surly's flashback scene during a hurricane provide excellent surround opportunities and make good use of the LFE channel. Although not stellar in every aspect, "The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature" delivers a solid audio experience that is both entertaining and technically sound.

The Blu-ray extras for "The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature" present a noteworthy collection, offering fans a deeper look into the film's creative process. The commentary by Director/Co-Writer Cal Brunker and Producer/Co-Writer Bob Barlen is particularly insightful, exploring technical aspects and the film’s production evolution. The deleted scenes, including introductions by Brunker, provide additional context to the narrative. The Animation Progression Reels are a highlight, showcasing the stages from storyboard to final product in a split-screen format for two key sequences. Concept Art Reel allows a peek into the early visual inspirations, essential for understanding the animation aesthetics.

Extras included in this disc:

• Deleted Scene: Includes optional introduction by Director/Co-Writer Cal Brunker.
• Animation Progression Reels: Shows storyboard, previsualization, animation, and lighting stages for two scenes.
• Concept Art Reel: A montage of auto-advancing concept art images set to music.
• Feature Commentary: Insights from Director/Co-Writer Cal Brunker and Producer/Co-Writer Bob Barlen.

"The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature" struggles to captivate its audience, lacking the creativity and engagement of superior animated films. Picking up from the original film, the animals of Liberty Park face off against Mayor Muldoon (Bobby Moynihan), who intends to bulldoze their home to build an amusement park. Despite this promising conflict, the story falls flat, primarily because of repetitive sequences and a script that extends its thin plot across seemingly endless scenes. Characters often feel underutilized or unengaging, with notable talents like Peter Stormare and Jeff Dunham delivering lackluster performances.

The voice acting, led by Will Arnett as the brash Surly and Maya Rudolph as Precious, provides some highlights, albeit insufficient to salvage the film. Jackie Chan offers a memorable cameo as Mr. Feng, a kung-fu mouse, but even his dynamic presence can't uplift the muddled narrative. Visuals and animation quality are commendable for a mid-budget film, showcasing vibrant designs and smooth movements. However, these technical merits can't mask the film's overall lack of originality and superficial storytelling.

Operating on basic animated film tropes, "The Nut Job 2" pushes action and colorful antics to appeal to younger audiences while sacrificing depth and creativity needed to engage a wider demographic. It is an animated escapade that recycles genre conventions without adding anything fresh or compelling, resulting in an experience that feels overly drawn out despite its brief runtime. The film's reliance on frenetic action set pieces does little to compensate for its narrative deficiencies, making it a lackluster follow-up to an already mediocre predecessor.

"The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature" aspires to be a standout animated feature but falters and feels more suitable for direct-to-video release rather than a theatrical showing. At 91 minutes, including credits, the film trudges along, often stumbling over its own narrative and struggling to hold attention. The storyline and characters are lackluster and uninspiring, making the film seem overly long despite its brief runtime. While it's a step down even from its mediocre predecessor, it might still serve as a tolerable distraction for undemanding young viewers in the single-digit age range.

Technically, the Blu-ray release is satisfactory with a commendable encode and decent audio quality. The 1.78:1 aspect ratio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio ensure the film looks and sounds quite good, enhancing the otherwise dull viewing experience. The digital animation is competent but not exceptional, lacking the vibrancy and intricacy that could potentially enchant viewers. For adults and older children familiar with higher-caliber animated films, this entry by Universal might feel like a missed opportunity.

In conclusion, "The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature" is a generic, disposable sequel that fails to deliver memorable or engaging family entertainment. While the technical aspects of the Blu-ray are up to par, the content itself does not justify more than a casual rental. It serves as little more than digital babysitting material and is best skipped by anyone seeking meaningful animated storytelling.