WATCH NOW
What else can I say? It’s clear that 3D has always been my favorite. Once I started watching 3D content at home, I quickly realized that there was a need for more content. I can guess that all of you who are buying your first piece of 3D hardware will have this same unrestrained appetite. That is why I became the HTF 3D ADDICT. I, for instance, enjoy images that are emerging off the screen and are inches away from my face without being too much of a gimmick. At the same time, I do appreciate nature documentaries that are beautifully deep with great separation. Not to say that these are reviews of the films themselves. I am not going to focus on the story or on the supplements such things you can find in the 2D reviews on this forum. My job is to explain the users what type of 3D experience to expect from the titles that are coming out. As I will be getting a number of new products from the studios expect to see more coverage of titles.
A Turtle’s Tale is not available in the United States, which makes it out of reach for the majority of users. As a result of this dilemma, if you do somehow manage to obtain a copy, you will only be able to play it with a region free 3D Blu ray player. A truly regrettable situation, as this disc has the potential to come with every 3D display or player to highlight how great the format looks in a home setting. Sammy’s Adventures boasts exceptional visuals, standing out as one of the best 3D titles for users to experience.
The plot may seem simplistic and it certainly is. Lawrence Lowenthal, a voice actor, narrates how Sammy, a humble hatchling, discovers friends, battles rivals, and searches for the love of his life, an enchanting shelly. His journey grows over the decades as he traverses through seas while Shawnee Smith, the other film voiceover, narrates. All along, Sammy has plenty of run ins with humans who, either put his environment at risk or serve as allies. Sammy’s Adventures makes a feeble attempt to construct an environmental message but fails utterly. Aside from that, the movie is entertaining and has tremendous animation and production value, alongside brilliant voice cast from the UK.
Many of the underwater scenes for the movie are beautiful combinations of dazzling vivid colors. These certainly do stimulate the senses, but the logic behind the sharpness is a little perplexing. The overall level of sharpness reveals the illusions in the tiniest details of sea life down under. But, the detail is brought out at such a superlative level that makes it seem realistic. Not only is it achievable by reaching into the sea, it’s almost as if one could grab it.
It is obvious that the 3D effect is what stands out the most, and I will tell you that I have never watched a movie that has interactivity as its primary feature more than this one. There are moments in this movie that made me repeat the phrase, “WOW,” for a long time. The underwater scenery is treated as a visual obstacle course to which the camera moves freely in and out of the coral while fish zooms towards the viewer in all angles.
The level of depth is very well pronounced as it appears that bubbles and debris behind the camera seem to be layered properly while floating in the foreground.
However, the real enjoyment for home audiences will come from watching the characters of the film spring into existence right before their very eyes. The animation does not simply emerge from the screen it itself moves off screen and right in front of the audience. As Sammy, joined by his friend Ray (Anthony Anderson) take a fun swim, the animators push the limits of what it means to pop out to an unbelievable level where one character tries to leap even more forward than the other into the viewers face. Other fish, including Sea Horses, inhabit the space that is between the screen and the audience.
viewer, and my final word remains to be cautious of a snapping crab that may draw a little bit closer than ‘acceptable’ for the viewer’s sake.
It’s not every day that you see true 3D pop out work like this, and I mean it. It’s not like you have witnessed before in the house as everything is being made in an attempt to not do the things that this film tries to do.
Here and there, there are minimal amounts of ghosting, most noticeably along the facial lines of Sammy, but is so brief that it is indeed rare to catch it.
Unfortunately, the films 5.1 DTS HD Master audio is curiously devoid of providing a fully immersive experience. I very seldom heard any type of effect work being projected towards the rears. This is a very front-heavy soundtrack and the stereo imaging is excellent. Voices are well spread and positioned even in the center, left and right channels. Here, I didn’t notice much LFE support to speak of. It appears there was very little effort made to ensure that this was an engaging soundtrack.
A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventures can be purchased only within the UK as a 3 disc set which includes a 3D Blu-ray, normal Blu-ray, and DVD or a bit cheaper single Blu-ray that contains both 3D and 2D on the same disc. I opted for the cheaper combination. Again, if you decide to import it to the U.S, ensure you have a region free blu ray player.
A Turtles Tale: Sammy’s Adventures is brilliant in my opinion, especially in the way it provides people like me, that goes crazy over exceptionally great 3D pop-out technology, with satisfying content. It’s the type of thing one would expect to find mounted on a rides display in a theme park because these days, there are not as many people creating such films. To tell the truth, the only time I’ve seen it done was for a couple of seconds in the IMAX Blu-ray Under The Sea.
Yes, this is how 3D was supposed to be before Hollywood decided that depth was more important than pop out. Yes, this is the best 3D Blu-ray that is possible to get your hands on right now, sadly we will have to endure the fact that the disc is coded for region B.
Purchase this film for its visuals. You will be shocked and amazed.
However, be warn that this does come at the expense of an overall mediocre story that at times can prove to be overly preachy. For most adults, this is not something that they will watch more than once. Although I do bet that it will be shamefully bragged about in front of friends whom they want to WOW.
To watch more movies like (A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventures (2010)) visit 123Movies.
Also Watch for more movies like:
