HD DVD Review: TMNT - Page 2

As for the core story arc, this proves disinteresting. Monsters roam the streets, and this leads to a few decent fight sequences if nothing else. The villain doesn’t present a significant threat like the Shredder of old, and the generic monsters are then likewise a lost cause. The interaction between the brothers as they try and put things back together would make for far more interesting cinema, but it’s understandable that kids would never touch the toy line if they didn’t have something to hold their interest.

For all of its stunning technical artistry, there’s still that special “something” about the animatronic live action suits designed by the Jim Henson Creature Shop that could never be duplicated here. This is not a complaint against the CG artists who have truly created fantastic designs for the characters, but more of a dissection of the format. TMNT couldn’t have been in live action, and yet you have to consider if the unlimited options are necessarily a benefit.

It’s logical that this digital transfer will be phenomenal to view, and it lives up to that expectation. It’s a presentation such as this that actually enhances the viewing experience, letting the viewer truly appreciate the texture work on the characters. Sharpness is amazing, ranking high and on par with other showcase discs like Happy Feet. Compression is unseen, and the clarity in long shots is a definite improvement over the SD DVD edition.

Dolby True HD leads the way for audio enthusiasts. Filled with brilliant highs and subtle lows, TMNT is an audio tour de force. Bass is rich and room filling. The surrounds are brilliantly mixed with the front channels to create the immersive experience necessary to involve you in the action. The soundtrack is wonderful alongside the fight scenes, with credit due to both the sound engineers and the hi-def audio format.

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Article Author: Matt Paprocki

Matt Paprocki is a 12-year movie and game critic. He currently freelances for Blu-ray review site DoBlu.com and video game site MultiPlayerGames.com.

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