The Movie
Ah, my old nemeses, the talking guinea pigs. Oh well, if I was going to have to watch G-Force again, at least it has a little more much-needed depth as G-Force 3D. For those who haven't had the pleasure, the G-Force is a team of specially trained animals, not just cavia porcellus members but a mole, a cockroach and a fly. And they're really smart and versatile and they take orders.
Imagine the federal government funding such a ridiculous initiative and you can understand why the plug is about to be pulled. They make a risky last-ditch effort to prove themselves and gather the dirt on a suspected criminal industrialist, but it all goes wrong very quickly and the critters find themselves on the run.
Chases, battles and bonding ensue, and kudos to all involved for allowing us to watch this movie without ever engaging our higher brain functions.
The Picture
In an early underwater scene, small 3D bubbles actually extend beyond the 2.4:1 black letterbox bars to look like they are really moving around in the home theater, ditto the spray of a sprinkler, a hail of broken glass, the sparks of fireworks or a blast of coffee beans. These are in addition to more specific surprises such as a loose, bouncing screw. I don't recall seeing this trick on other Blu-ray 3D discs, maybe it's cheating but it is quite an effective way to broaden the 3D experience.
Some of the most dynamic 3D images are achieved via CGI elements, video overlays and such, and since so much of the movie is digitally rendered, the illusion of depth is significant in most scenes. Simple live-action scenarios--people standing around talking--show significant edge enhancement, likely a consequence of the 3D conversion.
The animation is strong enough to put real and virtual animals in the same shot convincingly, and despite some modest ringing and noise this is a top-quality presentation.
The Sound
Say what you like about producer Jerry Bruckheimer, he does make movies that play extremely well in high-end home theaters. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track here is aggressively mixed with generous surround and subwoofer activity. Keep an ear peeled for some more subtle discrete cues here and there around the soundfield, as when a big blast results in a lot of little debris, and a front-to-back-speaker whoosh is even a better fit when paired with a 3D image. This track makes the most of the ample of action and gags.
The Extras
No extras on the Blu-ray 3D, but the 2D Blu-ray appears to be the exact same disc that was in the G-Force Blu-ray Combo Pack I reviewed early last year. Different from several Blu-rays I've recently reviewed as part of new 3D bundles, this one does not carry refreshed trailers or anything to indicate an updated re-authoring. We do find an array of featurettes that illuminate the production and the creators from a variety of interesting angles.
This platter also supports BD-Live connectivity as well as Cine-Explore, Disney's flavor of Bonus View video commentary, by director Hoyt Yeatman and two of his rodent stars. This mode can optionally branch off to additional video pods, too. A full listing can be found below.
The bonus DVD of the movie turns the video commentary into an audio commentary and drops two of the featurettes, otherwise it too is fairly well-equipped. Unlike the previous Blu-ray combo, this 3D bundle does not include a Digital Copy, despite a lingering promotional video on both the 2D Blu-ray and the DVD.
Final Thoughts
G-Force ain't Shakespeare but it is fast-paced fun for the kids, as the CGI guinea pigs spout last week's catchphrases and teach well-worn lessons. As for the adults... did I mention the swell 3D?
Product Details
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