Land Of The Lost

Based on Sid and Marty Krofft's Land Of The Lost, Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist D. Rick Marshall, who gets more than he bargained for when his invention forces him on an expedition that takes a wrong turn into another world. Now, Marshall, his crack-smart research assistant Holly (Friel), and a redneck survivalist named Will (McBride), have no weapons, few skills, and questionable smarts to survive in a world full of marauding dinosaurs, fantastic creatures, and exaggerated set pieces. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary with Director Brad Silberling, ten deleted scenes with optional commentary by Silberling (HD 20:23), D. Marshall's Food Diaries, with optional commentary by Silberling (HD 05:49), A Day In The Life Of A Big-Time Movie Star (HD 11:12), the Devil's Canyon Gift Shop Commercial and Tour (HD 06:49), the making-of featurette This Is Not A Routine Expedition (HD 83:31), a conversation with the Kroffts (HD 23:21), D-BOX Motion Code™, and BD-Live functionality.

The 1080p AVC picture exhibits fantastic visual qualities at times, but then there are moments when excessive saturation detracts, especially evident in fleshtone renderings. Fleshtones can be perfectly natural but then over-saturated and unnatural. Colors exhibit warm and rich hues and, at times, the saturation levels are strongly rendered. The desert scenes appear perfectly natural, and night scenes are impressively dimensional. Contrast is generally excellent, with deep, solid blacks and excellent shadow delineation. Object textures are nicely resolved, with fine details revealed. Facial and body features are finely resolved in close-ups, such as Will Ferrell's exposed chest in one scene. While much of the visual content and set pieces exhibit over-the-top ridiculousness, the imagery is perfectly pleasing and engaging. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is dynamic sounding, with aggressive atmospheric and sound effects that are directionalized in the surrounds. The .1 LFE channel boasts powerful SPL at times and extends deep to below 25 Hz, with earthshaking effect. This is punctuated with bold D-BOX Motion Code tracking, which moves in multiple directions and shakes and vibrates with engaging intensity. Atmospheric and sound effects feature strange sounds of hisses, Sleestak roars and growls, wing flappings, hatching dinosaurs, and earth movements. Subtle and low-level effects are dimensional as well. The music score is dynamic, projecting a well-recorded wide and deep soundstage that wraps deep into the surrounds. The one deficiency is the forward-sounding, spatially disconnected dialogue, the product of production sound and ADR. The dialogue often sounds as if the characters are on a reverent soundstage, completely disassociated from the visual environment they are situated in. Overall, this is a rip-roaring holosonic® experience that is a fun ride! (Gary Reber)