The Film
It's hard to dislike any of Emma Thompson's movies. She can do drama, comedy, and even a big witchy-type wart. She is truly a Renaissance woman and a great actor. She's also a screenwriter, putting her pen to the test once again on Nanny McPhee Returns.
This follow-up to 2005's Nanny McPhee features Thompson returning as the ugly Mary Poppins. This time, she pops up at a farmhouse to help out Isabel (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a young mother caring for her three kids and two of their cousins, while the country and her husband are at war. Like an extended (and improved) episode of Supernanny, Nanny McPhee whips the kids into shape, using a bit of magic and her infamous five lessons.
Nanny McPhee Returns features a number high-profile cameo roles, including Ralph Fiennes and Ewan McGregor. Rhys Ifans also appears as the film's bumbling villain. He makes the most of the role, but really, this guy would be entertaining reading the newspaper.
As far as kiddie flicks with flying, talking pigs are concerned, you could do way worse than Nanny McPhee Returns. As enjoyable as ever, this is a nice installment into Thompson's family friendly franchise, as well as a decent place to start if you haven't seen its predecessor.
The Picture
Who knew that synchronized pig swimming could look this good? Nanny McPhee Returns delivers her magic in the form of CGI, but this 2.40:1 transfer always maintains a lifelike, fresh appearance. The effects blend nicely, and there's a plethora of color popping, especially in the lush fields surrounding Isabel's farm. The film has great black levels, a little bit of texture (ew, that mud), and a good level of detail. It's almost as if you can count the freckles on some of the kids' faces, as well as the (yuck) blemishes on Nanny McPhee's funky mug.
The Sound
Nanny McPhee Returns is filled with wonderful special effects, which the DTS-HD Master Audio track has a field day with. The dialogue comes through clearly, and echoes in all of the right places. The film's final scene, in particular, is filled with tons of surround tricks and enough bass to shake the floor.
The Extras
The one item that's really lacking from this set of extras is a commentary track from Emma Thompson. She's not just the main character, but also the film's screenwriter! Instead, the lone track has director Susanna White flying solo. Other extras are fairly typical, with a short promo and deleted scenes. There's also a series of shorts, which can be accessed individually or strung together for 15 minutes of background material. Those cover tidbits on the story, some of the film's craziest, most magical moments, real pigs versus CGI pigs, and the "character" of Mr. Edelweiss.
Universal also includes a bonus movie with this release. This BD-Live-based feature allows those with broadband-connected Blu-ray players to choose from Beethoven's Big Break or Curious George: Follow That Monkey, and stream the entire film from the web, as long as the Blu-ray disc is firmly inserted in your player.
Final Thoughts
Finding a decent live-action kids' movie is about as easy as witnessing a pig fly. Nanny McPhee Returns isn't the best kids' movie ever made, but it should entertain varying ages, and keep adult cringing to a minimum. Pop for the Blu-ray, as it really adds a little extra magic to this heartwarming adventure, not to mention an entire bonus movie.
Product Details
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