Actors: Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Aziz Ansari, Beyoncé Knowles
Director: Chris Wedge
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: August 20, 2013
Run Time: 103 minutes
Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3D: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
I have to admit since “Ice Age”, Blue Sky Studios films always interest me no matter what the topic. “Epic” is yet another impressive animated CGI film to come out of their studio. It packs a fantastic voice cast, great visuals and high energy action. My only concern was the title “Epic” is a terrible title for this film since it doesn’t mean anything to the actual film itself. The 3D presentation Blu-ray of this film looks very impressive. There are tons of great scenes, especially the battles that benefit from this added feature. There are some cool in-your-face shots but nothing cheesy. But what is even cooler is that the 2D presentation is just as impressive. Chris Wedge, (director of “Ice Age”) is behind this film and he delivered again another fun and entertaining film. I can’t wait to see what he and Blue Sky are planning next! Great fun for the whole family!
Official Premise: From the creators of Ice Age comes the year’s funniest, most exhilarating animated adventure! Transported to a magical world, a teenager (Amanda Seyfried) is recruited by a nature spirit, Queen Tara (Beyoncé), to help the “Leafmen” save their forest from evil warriors. The whole family will love this fast-paced thrill-ride, with its astonishing animation and an all-star voice cast that includes Colin Farrell, Oscar® Winner Christoph Waltz, Aziz Ansari, Chris O’Dowd, Jason Sudeikis, Pitbull and Steven Tyler!
“Epic” comes in very impressive Deluxe Edition, which comes with a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet. In addition this release also includes three Epic Seed cards, that you can actually plant and grow your own garden! Also included is a “Epic Coloring & Storybook Builder App” for iOS and Android devices. You are able to color your own story with exclusive pages and then tell the story by recording your own voice to share on your television with family and friends. Blue Sky Studios is known for the “Ice Age” series and delivers a stunning presentation on Blu-ray. The 1080p transfer is extremely gorgeous and the colors are amazing, like I said both in 3D and 2D. The winner of this release is the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, which blew me away. It is so impressive with the battle scenes and even the more subtle features like the birds wings fluttering.
The special features are honestly aimed more at kids but still very interesting and worth checking out. To start there are four short but sweet featurettes including. “Birds, Bugs, and Slugs: Forest Explorer”, which takes you outside the world of “Epic” into the real-world to learn about the animals and insects that inspired the film’s characters. “Rot Rocks” talks about benefits of rot and decay in the forest. “Bugs of Camouflage” features Ken the Bug Guy as he talks about how insects use camouflage to blend in to their environments. “The Epic Life at 2 Inches” is a look into your life if you were shrunk to two inches high. Next up there is a sweet seven-part documentary on the making of the film called “Mysteries of Moonhaven Revealed”. It runs nearly 30 minutes and features interviews with the director, producers, and animators. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.
