Plot: What’s it about?
Polar Bear Norm (voiced Rob Schneider) is an interesting case. He can speak to humans. Sort of the opposite of Dr. Doolittle. This film was met with a pretty tepid reaction when it arrived in theaters earlier this year. Several of the reviews were quick to call it inferior to the works of Disney and Pixar. While it’s hard to avoid such comparisons, sometimes we have to judge films on their own terms and not how they stack up against others. Make no mistake, this is far from a great film, but you could also do a lot worse (look at you, Alvin and the Chipmunks).
There’s really not much of a plot here, but the intended audience (young ones) should eat it up. I think that counts for something. We do get the character who wants to develop housing in the artic where Norm lives. This leads Norm and some friends to New York City to try and prevent this from happening. We then follow these characters and their antics through an all-too-predictable story. Thankfully the film avoids heavy politics and beating us over the head with a message. It’s just a harmless, fairly basic animated feature. There’s nothing great about it, but there are also far worse ones out there. While it did little for me, I think the intended audience will enjoy it for what it is. Sometimes that’s all that matters.
Video: How’s it look?
Norm of the North is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. As expected, the visuals look excellent and while not flawless, this comes damn close. The animation’s details come through well, with a clear and clean presentation, free from errors of any kind. The colors are vivid and bold, with hues that are a pleasure to watch. No issues with contrast either, as black levels seem stark and accurate throughout. I do think the finest of visual touches aren’t as eye popping as I had hoped, but this is still one dynamic visual effort.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The audio is on par with the video, thanks to a great DTS HD Master Audio option. This soundtrack is active from start to finish, with few moments that don’t stand out as immersive. Now granted, not all scenes pack a lot of power, but the surrounds remain active throughout. This helps build the wild atmosphere, as well as general environment. This film is packed with creative touches. No issues arise with music or dialogue whatsoever, just a terrific sounding experience. This disc also includes French and Spanish language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Deleted Scenes
- Do the Arctic Shake! – Or better yet…don’t.
- That’s Funny! The Movie’s Best Jokes and One-Liners – It’s not often when the title of a featuette describes more than its content, but by golly – it’s happened!
- Arctic Challenge – An “interactive” trivia game about the film.
The Bottom Line
The reviews might lead you to believe this is a truly awful experience. It isn’t. We get just a very average animated feature, one that’ll please the intended audience. It won’t be my top pick, but you could do a lot worse. I’d advise a rental before purchasing, however.
