Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow Blu-ray delivers great video and superb audio in this overall recommended Blu-ray release
Whenever the forces of evil threatened mankind, the Avengers were always earth's unstoppable
heroes - until they fell to the malevolent robot Ultron, and all hope seemed lost. But, kept
secret by Tony Stark (Iron Man), the world's future lay in the hands of four amazing teenagers.
James (Son of Captain America and Black Widow), Torunn (Daughter of Thor), Azari (Son of
the Black Panther), and Pym (Son of Wasp and Giant Man) must now fight a battle that even
their super parents could not win. The odds are stacked against them, but joined by the arrow-
slinging son of Hawkeye, they just might have a chance, if they can find the missing Hulk and
come together as the heroes of tomorrow, to defeat Ultron and become... the Next Avengers!
Following hot on the heels of Hollywood's successful train of live-action comic book adaptations, Lionsgate and Marvel teamed up to deliver a constant stream of straight-to-DVD/Blu-ray animated epics. Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow is the fifth entry on the release slate, but delivers a much different tone and storyline than its PG-13 predecessors. It doesn't necessarily fall in the category of an all-out kid's movie (after all, it still earned a PG rating), but the accessibility of the film is what separates it from prior entries and established this title as an excellent stand-alone release. It's a gutsy move to make a film starring heroes that fall outside the established norm, but I find it encouraging that Marvel is unleashing a bit more creativity in an effort to expand their audience. So long as that creativity doesn't descend to the point of abominations such as the live-action Spiderman 3, I'm more than willing to forgive historic inconsistencies or changes in the destiny of long-standing characters.
Torunn mourns the loss of her father.
Following the destruction of the mighty team known as The Avengers, billionaire Tony Stark (Iron Man) dedicates his life to saving the offspring of the deceased superheroes. Hidden within a remote facility at the Arctic Circle, Stark equipped each child with electronic enhancements to their own super-human abilities, and encouraged them to hone their physical and mental skills. One day, the children stumble onto a secret cavern containing a collection of robotic clones in the likeness of their parents. These machines were manufactured by Tony Stark as a last-resort weapon against a monstrous robot known as Ultron, who originally killed several members of The Avengers. The kids mistakenly awaken the "Iron Avengers", who are programmed to carry out the mission of destroying Ultron. Sadly, the supreme intelligence of Ultron allows him to take control of the Iron Avengers, who lead him from his futuristic citadel (atop a crumbling post-apocalyptic New York City) to destroy the descendents of the original Avengers. The aging Tony Stark dons his Iron Man suit in an effort to save the lives of the children, but is captured in the process and held captive back at Ultron's lair. Teaming up with new friends and enlisting the aid of a reclusive Bruce Banner (Hulk), the "Next Avengers" set out to accomplish the same mission that led to their parent's untimely death; the destruction of Ultron.
Considering the overall quality of the first four entries in the Marvel animated collection, I entered Next Avengers with realistic expectations. It's not that I didn't enjoy its predecessors, but I'd hoped for something a bit more profound out of the feature-length animated films. Fortunately for comic book fans, Next Avengers finally delivers a compelling experience with a balanced recipe for success. Following a somber set-up at the beginning of the film, we're introduced to a collection of young characters who demonstrate unique traits and varying levels of teenage angst. Having lost their parents (or in Torunn's case, abandoned by her father Thor), the children possess a nagging desire for vengeance, which is further accentuated when their adoptive father faces the same fate that befell their parents. Each child has the makings of a superhero, but it's commendable to see them make mistakes and struggle to find the correct course of action. Much like his father Captain America, James takes the lead when circumstances call for a leader, but even his indecisive nature and carelessness continually remind us that we're watching children rather than full-blown superheroes. These little nuances are what I was looking for in the first four Marvel films, so it's nice to see a bit more character development and depth in Next Avengers.
Despite my stab at taking this review in a serious direction, all I really need to convey is how much fun Next Avengers manages to be. The plot isn't dense or overly somber, and I can understand if some comic book fans are slightly put-off by the creative license utilized in the portrayal of certain characters, but if you allow yourself to simply sit back and enjoy the rousing battle sequences, you'll likely walk away a happy camper. Beginning with the jungle location of Tony Stark's compound, we're eventually transported to the immense caverns of Ultron's metallic citadel, before arriving in a mountainous desert for the final heroic stand-off between the youngsters and a seemingly unstoppable villain. Every step of the way, we're treated to clever battles that hold the pacing on track and offer enough excitement for the inner-child within us all. Whether you're an adult or a kid just entering the world of comic books, there's something here for everyone, and plenty of reason to revisit the film on an annual basis.
Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 22Mbps), Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow delivers a capable visual presentation of average animated material. The Marvel films up to this point have remained a touch on the lackluster side, with artistic qualities that appear only marginally better than a typical Saturday morning television show. For this entry, the production team demonstrates a subtle step in the right direction, but there are still far too many inconsistencies to satisfy my taste. Perhaps we've been spoiled by the numerous anime productions making their way stateside, but Marvel desperately needs to afford these films a higher budget if they plan to remain competitive with the rest of the animated market. Regardless of the animation flaws in the source material, the transfer itself rarely falters. Diagonal lines never reveal a hint of stairstepping, banding is kept to a minimum, and I never noticed a shred of artifacting. The color spectrum is appropriately bold for a comic book production, mirroring the saturation levels you'd expect in the panels of printed material. Likewise, black levels remain extremely deep, providing an almost three-dimensional characteristic to several scenes (especially within Ultron's city). Since everything likely sounds rosy at this point, you may be wondering why I settled on a 4/5 rating. In a nutshell, I had a very minor concern about haziness that occasionally kicks the vibrancy of the picture down a notch. It's not overly worrisome, and might simply reflect another stylistic choice in the source material, but compared to other productions with a similar style, I felt the picture wasn't quite as sharp as it could have been.
Carrying on the tradition of offering a lossless 7.1 track on their animated features, Lionsgate reached in their bag of tricks to deliver a fantastic audio experience. I still wish more studios would support 7.1 surround separation (when possible), since the improvements in the immersive design of a given track are occasionally staggering. In the case of Next Avengers, we have the perfect scenario for the extra two channels to flex their sonic muscle and plant us square in the middle of the action. Witnessing the numerous battles between the young warriors and Ultron's metallic minions, I was consistently impressed with the fine-tuned separation within the sound field, and the robust combination of highs/lows. Projectile attacks travel from speaker to speaker and the wind-cutting whistle of a hero flying to the rescue, foretells the side of the screen in which the savior will emerge. One of the more impressive moments during the film is the awakening of Ultron, who stands on a pillar at the center of a large monitor-filled room. Several of the screen panels rotate around him, lending the audio track a perfect opportunity to rotate the shifting sound effect they generate throughout the surround field of your home theater. Matching the proficiency of surround separation, I was also pleased with the excellent voice-work for the Ultron character. Every time he speaks, the electronic voice is turned up three notches beyond the typical dialogue, making him sound all the more ominous. Lastly, those of you looking for a film capable of stretching your subwoofer will have no complaints after listening to Next Avengers. The LFE portion of the mix rarely misses an opportunity to stand-out, making this a true feast for the ears.
Legacy: The Making of Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (1080i, Dolby Digital 2.0, 10:49 min): The main players in the production look back on the storyline, themes, and animation style of the fifth entry in the Marvel animated series. Intercut between the interview segments, we're shown storyboards, animation stills, and clips from the final product. This is an interesting extra for those that want to dig deeper into the story, but don't have the patience for an extensive analysis.
Kid-power: Next-gen Marvel (1080i, Dolby Digital 2.0, 9:41 min): Several Marvel writers discuss four comic book series in recent years that focus largely on younger characters, as opposed to the typical adult superheroes. Comic fans will no doubt enjoy the introduction to these lesser-known productions.
First Look: Hulk vs. Wolverine/Hulk vs. Thor (1080i, Dolby Digital 2.0, 7:07 min): The producers and writers on the sixth animated feature in the collaborative effort between Marvel and Lionsgate give an introduction to each segment in the two-part release.
Trailers (1080p, Dolby Digital 5.1, 9:31 min): This collection of trailers features each of the prior Marvel animated productions and the live-action Lionsgate release of Forbidden Kingdom.
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow could be a turning point in the Marvel animated film series, offering more depth and creativity than its four predecessors put together. I'd still appreciate additional strength in the animation department, but it seems we're finally getting more than just a recognizable hero in a routine adventure. Marvel has plenty of impressive writing talent at their disposal, and I hope their creative team shows incremental improvement as time goes on. From a technical standpoint, this is a highly proficient offering from Lionsgate, who continue to demonstrate a dedication to lossless 7.1 tracks (when possible), and deliver an above-average transfer that should please even the most discerning animation fan.
In April, shortly before the May 4th theatrical release date of The Avengers, Lionsgate Home Entertainment will bring the Ultimate Avengers Movie Collection and the Marvel Animated Features set to Blu-ray. Taken together, these packages bundle together six animated ...
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