THE BOSS BABY [SPECIAL EDITION] (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD)
Release Date: July 25, 2016
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Video: 2.39:1 1080p Widescreen
Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1, Danish DTS 5.1, Finnish DTS 5.1, Norwegian DTS 5.1, Portuguese Dolby Digital 5.1, Swedish DTS 5.1
THE RATINGS
The Movie Itself - ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰
Video Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Audio Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Special Features - ★ ★ ½ ✰ ✰
Overall - ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰
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THE FILM ITSELF Our Reviewer's Take
"Put that cookie DOWN! Cookies are for closers!"
"Put that cookie DOWN! Cookies are for closers!"
Reviewed by Gavin King
That quote pretty much sums up everything you need to know about DreamWorks Animation's latest animated film, The Boss Baby, a hilarious, clever, and surprisingly tender little joyride that was actually based off a picture book of the same name by writer Marla Frazee. It's an adventure that treks through the perils of sibling rivalry, the battle of babies versus puppies, and an eternally maniacal babysitter. Pretty odd stuff when put together, right? Luckily, the masters at DreamWorks know how to pull all of it off in deliciously light fashion, not leaving a single alluring stone unturned when it comes to the film's colorful animation, gut-busting gags and yuks, and its bizarre yet bubbly and infectiously fun storyline. Besides, who wouldn't resist an Alec Baldwin-voiced baby in a suit?
Seven year-old Tim Templeton (voiced by Miles Christopher Bakshi) is probably the luckiest kid in the world. He's got his mom (voiced by Lisa Kudrow) and dad (voiced by Jimmy Kimmel) who both love him very much through thick and thin, always making mounds of memories together. In addtion, Tim's got a wildly active imagination that he loves to use when battling some of his toughest situations, real or fictional. Honestly, life couldn't be better for little Tim... that is, until one day his parents bring home a mysterious baby (voiced by Alec Baldwin) who's not only Tim's new baby brother, but he also wears a business suit and carries a briefcase everywhere he goes. This baby's trying to steal the spotlight of the Templeton household, but Tim won't budge. He's not going to let this weird-looking baby take over his love from his parents. One night, as Tim's about to go to bed, he sneaks into the baby's new room to see what all the fuss with him is about. Much to his surprise, he finds out his new baby brother is secretly working for a company that goes by the name of Baby Corp (hence the suit he's wearing/briefcase he's carrying). He tells Tim that babies aren't getting as much love as they used to, and their affection is being switched over to a love of puppies at a lightning-fast rate. Tim reluctantly teams up with Boss Baby to go on a confidential mission to get the love of babies back - and to put a halt to Francis E. Francis (voiced by Steve Buscemi), the CEO of a company called Puppy Co. who's created a brand-spaking-new puppy known as the Forever Puppy, in which he's destined to make his puppy love reign over baby love.
Wait, so this baby can talk?
Seven year-old Tim Templeton (voiced by Miles Christopher Bakshi) is probably the luckiest kid in the world. He's got his mom (voiced by Lisa Kudrow) and dad (voiced by Jimmy Kimmel) who both love him very much through thick and thin, always making mounds of memories together. In addtion, Tim's got a wildly active imagination that he loves to use when battling some of his toughest situations, real or fictional. Honestly, life couldn't be better for little Tim... that is, until one day his parents bring home a mysterious baby (voiced by Alec Baldwin) who's not only Tim's new baby brother, but he also wears a business suit and carries a briefcase everywhere he goes. This baby's trying to steal the spotlight of the Templeton household, but Tim won't budge. He's not going to let this weird-looking baby take over his love from his parents. One night, as Tim's about to go to bed, he sneaks into the baby's new room to see what all the fuss with him is about. Much to his surprise, he finds out his new baby brother is secretly working for a company that goes by the name of Baby Corp (hence the suit he's wearing/briefcase he's carrying). He tells Tim that babies aren't getting as much love as they used to, and their affection is being switched over to a love of puppies at a lightning-fast rate. Tim reluctantly teams up with Boss Baby to go on a confidential mission to get the love of babies back - and to put a halt to Francis E. Francis (voiced by Steve Buscemi), the CEO of a company called Puppy Co. who's created a brand-spaking-new puppy known as the Forever Puppy, in which he's destined to make his puppy love reign over baby love.
The Boss Baby is tons of fun throughout. There's really not a single scene that leaves the viewer with a shrug or a slump on their face. The film moves at a very fast pace for 97 minutes, mostly thanks to the snappy and clever writing from Michael McCullers. Not a single joke really falls flat. There are moments where the film can require a bit of suspension of disbelief from the viewer's perspective - for example, in an airport scene where the security is rather leniant on letting the Boss Baby and Tim through TSA security and not even ask where their parents are! - but it's all what makes the film so charming and zippy, zany and hilarious, its wonderfully consistent cartoony vibe. There's even a '70's tone going on the film, as evidenced by its retro-esque opening sequence that explains how the baby became a, well, boss - and, once again, it's all part of the film's irresistibility factor, even if some of it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense.
Technically, it's a well-made film. It's bright, shiny, elastic, colorful, zany, smooth, crisp... it's pretty much appreciated expectation for a 2017 modern CGI animated film. It may not bring much new to the table in terms of state-of-the-art quality, but's definitely fun to look at and it's always nice to see what new kind of designs DreamWorks can give to their characters and locations. What's really entertaining to hear is Hans Zimmer's big and breezy score, adding that life to the film that's often just smoothed on by with other animated features. This reviewer's favorite piece in the film is Welcome to Baby Corp, a bubbly track that completely personifies that workmanlike atmosphere that is Baby Corp. Needless to say I've been listening to it for months now.
Alec Baldwin really steals the show here. His performance as the Boss Baby himself is one that's likely going to go down with the greats. It can be a tad off-putting at first, seeing an infantile image crossed with an adult, mature voice, but it really works once things get strapped in. Baldwin's seriousness mixed with hilariousness and sarcasm he brings to the character is fantastic, and it's no surprise the film is netting a sequel set for 2021; Baldwin's trademark voice powress is really what made the movie into the success it is (talk about a surprising $50 million opening weekend!), and while a number of other factors go into its stardom, the voice power Alec Baldwin projects through the microphone is terrific. Don't be afraid of this one. It's better than its trailers make it out to be, and it's got a shocking amount of heart in it, too.
THE BOSS BABY Blu-ray - Video Quality
The Boss Baby reports for duty on Blu-ray with the expectedly rock-solid 1080p video presentation from DreamWorks. This fully-animated showcase may not have the sheer complexity of the best Pixar outings, but it's neverthelss a very enjoyable transfer with a lot to like about it. Details are consistently sharp and well-defined, with clothing fabrics, baby toys, and Tim's hair being the notable standouts. Facial textues can be rather smooth at a reference viewing distance but enjoy just as much 1080p horsepower as the source animation can allow. Colors are the real award winner here. They're an endless array of eye-popping, continuously vibrant shades and hues that impress throughout the experience. Many shots feature blasts of eye candy such as green grasses and the like, but the real visual powress comes within Tim's imagination sequences and the Las Vegas moment. They both feature incredibly cheery coloring with a nonstop palette of blues, purples, reds, and so much more. Black levels are nicely deep, and whites are certainly no slouch. No serious compression artifacts were spotted other than a handful of brief instances of aliasing, but that's about it. It goes about its business with extremely little complaint, and we can thank DreamWorks Animation for pressing The Boss Baby onto Blu-ray with the highest quality possible.
The Boss Baby features a well-designed DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack, albeit one that's a little undercooked at reference volume. Opening music at the beginning of the film in the baby factory doesn't sound quite as flush or paramount as it should be, a tad quieter than usual and missing that full-stage presence we have come to expect from these animated movie spectaculars. Otherwise, it's a largely enjoyable listen. Hans Zimmer's upbeat score is well-placed in the soundstage, with instruments of all kind being placed in a unique manner in each channel with accurate stage presence and the utmost of true clarity. Action effects are appropiately robust and weighty, with a suprisingly large amount of LFE to accompany the adventures. A few good examples include when Tim and Boss Baby fly their way to Baby Corp or, quite possibly the most prominent aural effect in the film, a rocket ship taking off into space. It's not the kind of film that's full of action that boomerangs all over the place, but when those moments come, they deliver very much. Ambient effects enjoy strong stereo seperation and good wrap-around immersion, whether in Tim's room, PA announcements in upper management, or the clamor and chatter of Puppy Co. Through it all, dialogue remains wonderfully clear and audible in that front-center placing, enjoying those cross-channel movements when necessary. It's probably a good idea to have your reciever remote handy to adjust the volume levels accordingly, but on the whole this is a very good, satisfying listen from DreamWorks.
The Boss Baby is a surprisingly terrific film. Needn't you come and expect a mind-blowingly groundbreaking story; enter for the cute characters, zany hilariousness, inventive action, slick animation, and hugely enjoyable voice performances, and you'll likely find yourself with a smile on your face. And there's a reason it won the top spot for its opening weekend box office reciepts and is already catapulting a 2021 sequel; it's a blast, tons of fun, and another rock-solid DreamWorks animated movie, even if the story doesn't contain the thought-provoking awesomness of the studio's past films like How to Train Your Dragon. This Blu-ray release isn't a slouch, either, packed with solid video and audio and a handful of kid-oriented supplements. Highly recommended.
Additional screenshots:
We're listening, boss!
Technically, it's a well-made film. It's bright, shiny, elastic, colorful, zany, smooth, crisp... it's pretty much appreciated expectation for a 2017 modern CGI animated film. It may not bring much new to the table in terms of state-of-the-art quality, but's definitely fun to look at and it's always nice to see what new kind of designs DreamWorks can give to their characters and locations. What's really entertaining to hear is Hans Zimmer's big and breezy score, adding that life to the film that's often just smoothed on by with other animated features. This reviewer's favorite piece in the film is Welcome to Baby Corp, a bubbly track that completely personifies that workmanlike atmosphere that is Baby Corp. Needless to say I've been listening to it for months now.
Alec Baldwin really steals the show here. His performance as the Boss Baby himself is one that's likely going to go down with the greats. It can be a tad off-putting at first, seeing an infantile image crossed with an adult, mature voice, but it really works once things get strapped in. Baldwin's seriousness mixed with hilariousness and sarcasm he brings to the character is fantastic, and it's no surprise the film is netting a sequel set for 2021; Baldwin's trademark voice powress is really what made the movie into the success it is (talk about a surprising $50 million opening weekend!), and while a number of other factors go into its stardom, the voice power Alec Baldwin projects through the microphone is terrific. Don't be afraid of this one. It's better than its trailers make it out to be, and it's got a shocking amount of heart in it, too.
THE BOSS BABY Blu-ray - Video Quality
The Boss Baby reports for duty on Blu-ray with the expectedly rock-solid 1080p video presentation from DreamWorks. This fully-animated showcase may not have the sheer complexity of the best Pixar outings, but it's neverthelss a very enjoyable transfer with a lot to like about it. Details are consistently sharp and well-defined, with clothing fabrics, baby toys, and Tim's hair being the notable standouts. Facial textues can be rather smooth at a reference viewing distance but enjoy just as much 1080p horsepower as the source animation can allow. Colors are the real award winner here. They're an endless array of eye-popping, continuously vibrant shades and hues that impress throughout the experience. Many shots feature blasts of eye candy such as green grasses and the like, but the real visual powress comes within Tim's imagination sequences and the Las Vegas moment. They both feature incredibly cheery coloring with a nonstop palette of blues, purples, reds, and so much more. Black levels are nicely deep, and whites are certainly no slouch. No serious compression artifacts were spotted other than a handful of brief instances of aliasing, but that's about it. It goes about its business with extremely little complaint, and we can thank DreamWorks Animation for pressing The Boss Baby onto Blu-ray with the highest quality possible.
THE BOSS BABY Blu-ray - Audio Quality
The Boss Baby features a well-designed DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack, albeit one that's a little undercooked at reference volume. Opening music at the beginning of the film in the baby factory doesn't sound quite as flush or paramount as it should be, a tad quieter than usual and missing that full-stage presence we have come to expect from these animated movie spectaculars. Otherwise, it's a largely enjoyable listen. Hans Zimmer's upbeat score is well-placed in the soundstage, with instruments of all kind being placed in a unique manner in each channel with accurate stage presence and the utmost of true clarity. Action effects are appropiately robust and weighty, with a suprisingly large amount of LFE to accompany the adventures. A few good examples include when Tim and Boss Baby fly their way to Baby Corp or, quite possibly the most prominent aural effect in the film, a rocket ship taking off into space. It's not the kind of film that's full of action that boomerangs all over the place, but when those moments come, they deliver very much. Ambient effects enjoy strong stereo seperation and good wrap-around immersion, whether in Tim's room, PA announcements in upper management, or the clamor and chatter of Puppy Co. Through it all, dialogue remains wonderfully clear and audible in that front-center placing, enjoying those cross-channel movements when necessary. It's probably a good idea to have your reciever remote handy to adjust the volume levels accordingly, but on the whole this is a very good, satisfying listen from DreamWorks.
THE BOSS BABY Blu-ray - Special Features
- BabyCorp and You The Boss Baby himself narrates an orientation video for newcomers to the company.
- The Forever Puppy Infomercial Francis E. Francis narrates an infomercial for the Forever Puppy. Yeah, they're cute and all, but so are babies, Francis...
- Babies vs. Puppies: Who Do You Love? Interviewees debate whether babies or puppies are the superior adorableness.
- The Boss Baby and Tim's Treasure Hunt Through Time Tim and Boss Baby time travel through various events to find hidden treasure, narrated by the wizard Wizzie.
- The Boss Baby's Undercover Team Boss Baby introduces his crew of clever babies, Staci, Jimbo, and the Triplets.
- Cookies Are For Closers: Inside BabyCorp This brief featurette looks at the film's core story, the style/visuals, and a bit more, with cast and crew interviews.
- The Great Sibling Competition Cast and crew recall their experiences of having siblings.
- Happy Accidents: The Deleted Scenes of The Boss Baby Unfortunately these scenes cannot be selected on the main menu, but they are skippable. Tim's Nightmare, Puppy Interrogation, Car Ride, and Emergency Landing.
- Gallery A handful of cute concept art. Auto or manual advance.
- Theatrical Trailer
- The World of DreamWorks Animation Music videos from the DreamWorks films Shrek, Madagascar, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, The Croods, Turbo, and Home.
- Sneak Peek Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul, Spirit and Voltron: Legendary Defender, Despicable Me 3 (Universal bought DreamWorks), All I Want For Christmas Is You.
- BabyCorp and You The Boss Baby himself narrates an orientation video for newcomers to the company.
- The Forever Puppy Infomercial Francis E. Francis narrates an infomercial for the Forever Puppy. Yeah, they're cute and all, but so are babies, Francis...
- Babies vs. Puppies: Who Do You Love? Interviewees debate whether babies or puppies are the superior adorableness.
- The Boss Baby and Tim's Treasure Hunt Through Time Tim and Boss Baby time travel through various events to find hidden treasure, narrated by the wizard Wizzie.
- The Boss Baby's Undercover Team Boss Baby introduces his crew of clever babies, Staci, Jimbo, and the Triplets.
- Cookies Are For Closers: Inside BabyCorp This brief featurette looks at the film's core story, the style/visuals, and a bit more, with cast and crew interviews.
- The Great Sibling Competition Cast and crew recall their experiences of having siblings.
- Happy Accidents: The Deleted Scenes of The Boss Baby Unfortunately these scenes cannot be selected on the main menu, but they are skippable. Tim's Nightmare, Puppy Interrogation, Car Ride, and Emergency Landing.
- Gallery A handful of cute concept art. Auto or manual advance.
- Theatrical Trailer
- The World of DreamWorks Animation Music videos from the DreamWorks films Shrek, Madagascar, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, The Croods, Turbo, and Home.
- Sneak Peek Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul, Spirit and Voltron: Legendary Defender, Despicable Me 3 (Universal bought DreamWorks), All I Want For Christmas Is You.
THE BOSS BABY Blu-ray - Overall Recommendation
The Boss Baby is a surprisingly terrific film. Needn't you come and expect a mind-blowingly groundbreaking story; enter for the cute characters, zany hilariousness, inventive action, slick animation, and hugely enjoyable voice performances, and you'll likely find yourself with a smile on your face. And there's a reason it won the top spot for its opening weekend box office reciepts and is already catapulting a 2021 sequel; it's a blast, tons of fun, and another rock-solid DreamWorks animated movie, even if the story doesn't contain the thought-provoking awesomness of the studio's past films like How to Train Your Dragon. This Blu-ray release isn't a slouch, either, packed with solid video and audio and a handful of kid-oriented supplements. Highly recommended.
Additional screenshots:
