[BLU-RAY REVIEW] ‘Early Man’

Aardman animation has become one of the most reliable animation studios out there. Whether it is Wallace and Gromit or Shaun the Sheep Movie, their films never fail to entertain and make me smile. Their latest film, Early Man, wasn’t my favorite from Aardman (I’m not a huge soccer fan) but it still has a lot of fun moments.

Early Man is now available on Blu-Ray/DVD and digital, and is definitely something Aardman fans will want to get their hands on.

Bonus Features ✮✮✮✮

The bonus features are excellent and more in-depth than most extras on Blu-Ray/DVD these days. You definitely get your money’s worth.

• Before the Beginning of Time: Crafting Early Man – This 15 minute featurette tells us how they came up with the idea of a caveman soccer movie and how it evolved into the film. Features interviews with Nick Park, Peter Lord, Eddie Redmayne and more
• Nick Park: Massaging the Funny – This 8 minute featurette gives a perspective into director Nick Park’s storytelling process and what he finds funny. Eddie Redmayne, Maisie Williams, Tom Hiddleston and others share their experiences recording.
• The Valley Meets the Bronze – This 7 minute featurette dives into the two societies depicted in Early Man: the Stone and Bronze ages. It is amazing to see the amount of detail that went into every element of the film. The elaborate set-building, costumes, and props are really cool to watch. For example, they talk about the amount of effort it takes to make the trees look realistic and layered.
• Hanging At Aardman Studios: A Workshop Exploration – This 7.5 minute featurette gives us along with Eddie Redmayne and Maisie Williams a tour of Aardman animation with looks at character design, puppet-making, and set designs.

Final Thoughts- Film ✮✮✮

I love stop motion animation so it was a real treat to watch these Early Man featurettes and learn more about the way things work at Aardman animation. Honestly, watching the Blu-Ray made me appreciate Early Man more than I originally did. The humor is a bit hit-and-miss but it is still enjoyable. The attention to detail in every scene is amazing and the characters are very sweet. Any animation fan will definitely want to check it out.

Early Man is currently available on digital HD and will be available on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD today.

Edited by: Kajsa Rain Forden