The Film
As regular readers may remember, a little more than a year ago I reviewed the first (2D-only) Blu-ray release of Image Entertainment's Dinosaurs Alive. Since neither the film, its DTS soundtrack, nor its bonus material has changed on this new release, some of what you'll read below may sound familiar. (Is it really plagiarism when you're stealing from yourself?)
Seeing as how I'm both a Blu-ray critic and the father of a (now) 7-year-old boy who's positively gaga about dinosaurs, I feel supremely qualified to evaluate Image Entertainment's Blu-ray 3D release of Dinosaurs Alive! Developed as an IMAX 3D production and narrated by veteran actor Michael Douglas, Dinosaurs Alive! boasts scenic, sweeping vistas and plenty of scientific dinosaur information to satisfy its adult viewers. At the same time, the film's short and sweet 40-minute running time is just the right length to keep kids engaged without boring them to tears, making it ideally suited for an after-school or Saturday morning treat.
Dinosaurs Alive! follows a group of renowned paleontologists as they travel to far-off, fossil-friendly locales such as Mongolia's Gobi Desert and the "Ghost Ranch" dig site in New Mexico. Amidst CGI recreations of dinosaur life, the film routinely returns to the scientists as they tirelessly attempt to shed new light on these fascinating prehistoric beasts. Although much of the information being shared is intriguing, younger children may get bored by the filmmakers' decision to keep the human scientists front and center. Not helping things is the fact that most of the discoveries shown and their ensuing conversations feel terribly staged, overly scripted and poorly "acted." It's hard to fault these non-actors when they sound stiff and rehearsed, but that doesn't change the fact that a more candid, fly-on-the-wall approach would undoubtedly have worked better.
The Picture
The CGI sequences within the film have a somewhat low budget look - not quite on a par with the BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs series - but the dinos themselves are richly detailed and scientifically accurate - so we're told at least. If you were only watching these CGI scenes and don't care about 3D, DVD would probably suffice. However, it's the live-action stuff that really shines in 1080p, and now in 3D.
For the same reasons we saw improved detail and enhanced picture quality on the IMAX-filmed sequences within The Dark Knight, the live-action, modern day footage in Dinosaurs looks truly fantastic on Blu-ray. From the granular close-ups of the Gobi Desert sands to the fine details we can make out inside the scientists' laboratories, Dinosaurs makes full use of the clarity afforded by those monstrous IMAX 3D cameras and their 65mm film stock.
As for the 3D, the news is both good and bad. Several 3D effects, from the main menu itself to the floating archival photographs quite convincingly hover beyond the screen. However, Dinosaurs Alive! is also one of the worse offenders with respect to cross-talk and visual ghosting. Double images abound and there were numerous times where foreground objects looked blurred and translucent, at least to these eyes. Sadly, the 2D version is the decidedly cleaner presentation on this new release. Happily, that's on here too.
Of course, as my editor likes to point out, the individual's experience with 3D content can vary. I admit that I am perhaps more susceptible than some to 3D artifacts so if you've seen some of the new Blu-ray 3D titles already and have liked what you have seen, the artifacts in Dinosaurs may not be objectional to you. And if they are, well you can always switch over to 2D mode and still get a fine 1080p HD transfer of the film with one less "D."
The Sound
Particularly for the kids in the audience, a film entitled Dinosaurs Alive! needs to sound, well, alive. Thankfully, the film sports an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. From the Mongolian helicopter's swirling rotors to the growls and screeches of battling dinosaurs, this is an engaging sound mix with surprisingly potent low end punch.
The Extras
Presumably due to a lack of disk space, the dino quiz has been dumped in the migration to Blu-ray 3D, but the main attraction is still the making-of documentary, which was shot entirely in HD. This is actually quite good and well worth a look if only for the fascinating tidbits about the trials, tribulations and costs associated with the IMAX filming process.
Final Thoughts
I hate to call my son Danny a geek, but his dad's a geek so why should he be any different? Mind you, he's not a geek in many respects but when it comes to dinosaurs, he's a lot like that know-it-all kid in Jurassic Park who wouldn't stop pestering Sam Neill - and I love him for it. The point is that my son represents a key demographic for Dinosaurs Alive! and the fact that Danny loved it and often asks, "When can we watch it again?" should tell you everything you need to know.
As for the 3D experience, well, I've definitely seen better. The good news is, with this new release, you can easily choose between 2D or 3D. My guess is you'll watch the 3D version once, but the 2D version will be your preference for repeat performances. And with the list price the same as the 2D version, you could consider the 3D version a free bonus.
Product Details
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