Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Blu-ray

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

 (2009)

Action | Adventure | Animation | Comedy | Family



The sub zero heroes are back. Scrat is still trying to nab the ever elusive nut, while maybe finding true love. Manny and Ellie await the birth of their mini-mammoth. Diego the saber toothed tiger wonders if he's growing too soft and Sid the sloth gets into trouble when he creates his own makeshift family by hijacking some dinosaur eggs. On a mission to rescue the hapless Sid, the gang ventures into a mysterious underground world, where they have some close encounters with dinosaurs, battle flora and fauna, run amuck and meet a relentless, one eyed, dino-hunting weasel named Buck.

For more details about Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs on Blu-ray, see the Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Blu-ray Review

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


As many high definition enthusiasts probably already suspect, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs boasts an absolutely stunning 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer that is, in a word, perfect. Colors erupt off the screen -- prepare to be blown away when you reach the scenes involving the underground cavern's lava lakes -- and contrast is impeccable throughout. Moreover, blacks are deep and absorbing, primaries pop, and banding is nowhere to be seen. Detail is astounding as well. Every hair on Manny's back, every blade of grass at the base of a giant carnivorous plant, every shard of ice and rock that impedes the gang's journey is crisp and refined. Best of all, I didn't catch sight of any artifacting, aliasing, noise or, for that matter, any other digital anomaly that might undermine the hard work of the Blue Sky Studios animators. The presentation is as clean and spotless as its source, making Dawn of the Dinosaurs a gorgeous, technically proficient showcase piece worthy of its place in any videophile's film collection.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


Dawn of the Dinosaurs features a decent DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, but it isn't nearly as impressive as Fox's striking video transfer. Why? Oddly enough, rear speaker activity is surprisingly restrained throughout the film. A T-Rex invasion, a ride on a lava river, and a scene involving an aerial dogfight of sorts (among other action-oriented scenes) take greater advantage of the full soundfield but, more often than not, the experience is a noticeably front-heavy one. While the soundfield is still mildly involving, it isn't nearly as immersive as the soundfields found on similar animated releases (Kung Fu Panda, Cars, and Ratatouille come to mind, none of which offer a beefy 7.1 mammoth like DotD). The result? Directionality takes an unneeded hit. Nevertheless, robust LFE output saves the day, making every footstep and landslide as powerful as they are weighty. Roars elicit the requisite shivers, stampedes shake the ground, and toppling trees sound suitably dangerous. Likewise, dialogue is clean and clear, dynamics are bold, and pans are smooth. While John Powell's music is often unnaturally crammed into the background, solid prioritization ensures no quip or exchange goes unheard.

Ultimately, Dawn of the Dinosaurs' DTS-HD Master Audio track is a bit of a letdown, especially considering it's a 7.1 mix. It certainly isn't bad -- and will probably thrill anyone relying on their receiver's processing chip to artificially enhance its at-times two-dimensional soundfield -- but it also falls short of the high-scoring audio tracks found on other animated Blu-ray releases.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Today on Blu-ray - October 27th - October 27, 2009


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• Ice Age 3 Blu-ray Gets October Date - September 2, 2009

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