The Film
Just about every kid has had some type of imaginary friend or special stuffed something. And at some point, he or she has probably wished that pal would come to life, so they could be best friends forever. Well, forever is a really long time.
Ted is that special pal -- and a new comedy from Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane. It's about a guy and his childhood buddy, but 27 odd (literally) years later.
As a kid, John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) had that exact wish come true. Now, he's dealing with the consequences of those actions in his adult years -- and it's hilarious. It's just too bad that his girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis) doesn't always get the jokes, which makes John start to question his longest, cuddliest friendship.
It's nice to see Wahlberg return to comedy after 2010's The Other Guys. His straight man works well against Ted. Yes, the guy partners with a bear very well, thank you very much. MacFarlane is also great as the title character, which should sound very familiar to Family Guy fans. That said, Ted is way more offensive than anything that's ever gotten past the Fox censors.
Ted is still a rom-com though, and has its share of overused plot points. Well, as overused as you can get when the love triangle involves a guy, a girl and a bear.
Want to cuddle up more to this movie? Check out Joe Lozito's theatrical review of Ted.
The Picture
Ted may appear soft and cuddly, but he's super-sharp on Blu-ray. This 1.85:1 transfer is a good one, with realistic colors and detailed imagery. The Boston backdrop looks especially nice, with great color and nice contrast between the skyline shots and the darker, indoor scenes. However, one of the best things about Ted's image is Ted himself. The CGI looks very natural (um, as natural as a walking, talking bear could look), and he has great furry details.
The Sound
Ted has a surprisingly good DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. It's not that I'd expect a movie about a living teddy bear to sound bad, but most comedies (especially romantic ones) don't typically pack this sort of punch. It's a fun track, with good dialogue and quite a few bursts of surround sound, most notably from thunder, party chatter, and a hearty dose of Queen's "Flash's Theme."
The Extras
Universal has packed up Ted with a decent collection of extras. There's an unrated version of the movie and a three-part making-of short, as well as a pretty funny commentary track with Seth MacFarlane, co-writer Alec Sulkin and Mark Wahlberg. The rest of what's featured is for the short-attention span, including some of the funniest deleted and extended scenes ever included in a Blu-ray set.
Final Thoughts
Ted isn't smarter than the average bear -- but he's way funnier. Fans of Family Guy will consider this one a slam dunk. All others should really go in with an open mind. Ted is pretty hilarious, with a solid AV presentation and a fun selection of extras.
Product Details
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