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Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Blu-ray Review

“Diary Of A Wimpy Kid” is the type of entertaining family film that I would like to see more of these days.

In the 80’s and 90’s, kid/family films were quite prevalent in movie theaters. Generations grew up on classics like “The Goonies,” “The Sandlot,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” and “Home Alone.” Nowadays, there just doesn’t seem to be a wide variety of live-action kid/family films outside of disposable junk starring teen pop icons. Thankfully, kids can now watch the enjoyable “Diary Of A Wimpy Kid” which is based on the enormously successful book series.

‘Diary,’ which revolves around the adventures of a middle school boy named Greg, isn’t the type of film that is story driven. Instead, it’s more about the experiences of an average boy which is undoubtedly why it connects to so many kids. It’s meant to be an indetifiable story about friendships, everyday problems, and the awkward and uncomfortable experiences a person has during the middle school years. Granted, ‘Diary’ has its fair share of gross-out humor moments (like snot and the hairy mole) and the story certainly exaggerates social cliques and “dangerous” situations, but you have to play these elements up because the film/story is designed for a specific audience.

The real reason ‘Diary’ works, however, is because of the great cast. Zachary Gordon (Greg), Chloe Mortez (Angie), Robert Capron (Rowley), and Devon Bostick (Rodrick) all do a commendable job in making their respective characters come to life.  I’m certainly looking forward to seeing how these characters develop in the sequel.

Summary: While some children might enjoy the books more, “Diary Of A Wimpy Kid” is still a satisfying film/adaptation. Recommended.

The 1.85:1 1080p is a little bit of a disappointment. I found the colors to be a bit on the dark side. They just didn’t seem to have a natural tone to them. Perhaps this was a stylistic choice?

The 5.1 DTS-HD audio track is problem-free. The dialogue and music come through the speakers clean and clear.

Extras:
* Digital copy.
* DVD copy.
*A 6 page Rowley diary is attached to the DVD slipcase cover.
* Fox trailers (including a “Diary Of A Wimpy Kid” trailer).
* 8 deleted scenes.
* A dull but sometimes informative commentary by Thor Freudenthal and Gabe Sachs.

August 23, 2010 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Blu-ray Review