Dodgeball (Unrated/Fox Blu-ray)

 

Picture: B+     Sound: B+     Extras: B     Film: B-

 

 

Arriving to Blu-ray is the 2002 comedy Dodgeball starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn, a film we already covered on DVD.  The question most people will want to know though is whether or not the films arrival to Blu-ray is worth dumping the DVD.  Our opinion towards the film has not changed in the years since we last covered it, although upgrading to the Blu-ray will likely only be necessary to some.  While the transfer is an improvement over the compressed DVD, the 2.40 X 1 high definition transfer presented here in 1080p looks marginally sharper with more refinement and colors, but still lacks some of the depth and resolution that we are becoming more familiar with on Blu-ray.  It’s a few degrees short of reference quality, but still an improvement over the DVD.

 

That being said, the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix on the DVD never really stood out and was lackluster throughout, whereas the pumped up DTS-HD lossless audio track on this Blu-ray finally gives the film its punch, or is that throw?  The film feels more realistic in nature with fine levels of detail and depth, low-end presence is much more prominent and the entire soundstage is far wider and spectacular.

 

Extras are the same as the previous unrated DVD edition that we covered, which you can read more about at this link:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2605/Dodgeball+-+Unrated

 

 

-   Nate Goss