Gulliver's Travels 3D

In Gulliver's Travels, an underachieving mailroom clerk named Gulliver (Black) takes a writing assignment traveling to Bermuda, hoping to impress the pretty newspaper travel editor Darcy (Peet). When a shipwreck lands him on the fantastical island of Lilliput, he transforms into a giant—in size and ego! Gulliver's tall tales and heroic deeds win the hearts of the tiny Lilliputians, but when he loses it all and puts his newfound friends in peril, Gulliver must find a way to undo the damage. Through it all, Gulliver may just learn that it's how big you are on the inside that counts. (Gary Reber)

Special features include five featurettes: I Don't Know...With Lemuel Gulliver (HD 05:15), Little And Large (HD 08:14), Jack Black Thinks Big (HD 05:59), Down Time (HD 04:24), and War Song Dance (HD 05:45); "Gulliver's Foosball Challenge" interactive game; "Fox Movie Channel Presents: In Character Jack Black" (SD 06:30) and "In Character Jason Segel" (SD 04:52); "Life After Film School: Rob Letterman" (SD 21:52); a gag reel (HD 01:28); eight deleted scenes (HD 15:12); a World Premiere (SD 06:02); the theatrical trailer; a digital copy; and BD-Live functionality.

The 1080p MVC picture is a digital 2D-to-3D conversion performed by Stereo D, LLC. As a conversion, the 3D is perfectly acceptable with, at times, excellent depth perception. Full advantage of 3-D technology is restricted, especially in the portrayal of the disappropriate sizing of the characters. Characters can appear a bit flattened but, at times, the perception is natural in terms of dimension and volume. Nothing projects out from the screen, as the presentation is a window on Gulliver's world. The "War: What is It Good For?" sequence is particularly dimensional and visually engaging. There is no apparent crosstalk ghosting artifacts evident. Compared to the 2-D version, the color palette retains its strong rendering expressed in costumes and environments, both in Manhattan and on the island of Lilliput. Hues are robust, with warm and rich tones, especially deep reds, blues, and blacks. The waters around Bermuda are beautifully bluish, and the island vegetation is lushly hued. Contrast is well balanced throughout, and the picture exhibits an overall bright, clean character. The 3-D version is definitely the preferred version and adds decidedly effective dimension and depth that enhances the visual experience. Still, the 3D is not as extra-dimensional as it could have been, had the filmmakers conceived and shot the film in native 3D. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is a downmix from the original master 7.1-channel soundtrack released theatrically in Dolby Surround 7.1. Fox missed an opportunity to fully support the fledging format. Still, the 5.1-channel downmix is nicely balanced and sounds expansive during the more action-intense scenes. Then the atmospherics, sound effects, and orchestral music score really dominate the soundfield with an aggressive holosonic® enveloping presence and directionalized channel energy. During such sequences the sound is powerful, with a solid low-frequency foundation delivered with .1 LFE energy to sub-25 Hz frequencies. In one scene the crashing waves and a cyclone are dynamically and impressively presented. Again, the sound is dynamically effective during a naval battle and in Gulliver's dual with a robot. During more subdued moments, atmospherics are effectively heard. Dialogue is intelligible throughout with respectable spatial integration. This is a lively sonic experience with a sound design that really energizes the storytelling and brings Gulliver's world to life. (Gary Reber)