In the last two years, Disney released eight animated feature films, most notably Encanto, Turning Red, and Lightyear. Then on November 23, 2022, they released another family film for the Thanksgiving weekend. That film, called Strange World, failed to make a profit despite receiving critical praise. With an all-star cast, the multigenerational, adventure movie explored unknown lands while navigating sensitive, family relationships.
Only in theaters for a short time, Strange World can now be purchased on Blu-ray and DVD. Or if you are looking for something special, you can head to Best Buy and pick up the 4K, limited edition steel book exclusive.
Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid; The Day After Tomorrow) has always been an explorer and, along with his teenage son, Searcher (Jake Gyllenhaal; Ambulance), they go on numerous adventures, eventually discovering the Pando Plant which gives off energy. Searcher and the rest of the team bring the plant back to their land, Avalonia while Jaeger continues to explore the unknown.
Half a century later a now-grown Searcher, with his wife, Meridian (Gabrielle Union; Bad Boys II), and their son, Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White; Rough Night) are Prado farmers. However when the president of Avalonia, Callisto Mal (Lucy Lui; Charlie's Angels), comes to them and tells Searcher that the Prado plant, and its energy, are dying. Concerned, Searcher and his team go off the save the precious plant. What they end up finding is so much more than they ever imagined.
While Quaid plays a rough, rugged, cowboy type of character, Gyllenhaal's Searcher is more intelligent and compassionate than his father. Young White infuses Ethan with a buoyancy that is generally associated with teen characters. Union portrays Ethan's mom as a strong female presence. The cast as a whole does an excellent job voicing their characters but Gyllenhaal stands out among the rest of the actors.
Presented in 2160p resolution with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, the visuals of the movie are outstanding, showcasing the animation beautifully. Details, including everything from the unusual creatures in the strange world, to the hair in Jaeger's beard and on his head are meticulously detailed.
The Dolby Atmos audio is crisp and clean showcasing the layered score and enveloping the viewer with the dialogue and ambient noise. At various times there are blasts, flying objects, and characters bouncing overhead making use of the height speakers.
The Best Buy special edition steel book has great cover art that makes it a worthwhile collectible. The combo pack comes with the 4K disc, Blu-ray Disc, and DIGITAL HD code. Housed on the Blu-ray, there is about an hour's worth of extras. They include: Anatomy Of A Scene, Strange Science, Creature Feature, The Hidden Secrets Of Strange World, Outtakes, and Deleted Scenes. Some are more interesting than others but they are all worth watching at least once.
At just over an hour and 40 minutes run time, and with a PG rating, Strange World is perfect for younger children yet offers enough diversity and depth to be enjoyed by parents as well. With plenty of unusual creatures and bright, flashy colors, the movie will grab the attention of kids and delight them with fun shapes and vibrant colors.
Disney rarely creates a bomb, and while Strange World is definitely not one, it is missing that true Disney "spark" that makes their films so memorable. It doesn't help that the movie has a "preachy" undertone message about environmental issues since it isn't something one wants to think about when watching a cute, animated film.
Not a full-on hit or miss, Strange World sits somewhere in the middle of the animated movie land but the Steel book Best Buy exclusive makes the combo pack worth the purchase price.
Grade: C+
