Plot: What’s it about?
Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld) is about to embark on adulthood, as he has graduated from college. He and his friend Adam (Matthew Broderick) now have to look to the future and that means a job, but the choice is a tough one. After all, whichever job they choose is the one they’ll have for life, so they need to be wise with their decision. But Barry doesn’t agree with this one job scenario, so he wants to experience life and by life, he means life outside the hive. So he joins a squadron of pollen jocks and takes a trek into the outside world. There he finds danger, excitement, and yes, even romance. He is smitten with a beautiful woman, but she is a human and bees aren’t supposed to talk with humans. This is all pushed aside when Barry discovers that humans take honey from the bees, but can one bee make a difference in such a big world?
After an extended absence from prominent roles in movies and television, Jerry Seinfeld returned for Bee Movie, involved as an actor, producer, and writer. The project seems like an odd one for Seinfeld, but Bee Movie has a lot of Seinfeld’s trademark style. I enjoyed the movie for the most part, but I do think it could have been much better. The scope of Bee Movie expands from the world just outside the hive to the entire planet, which I think is a mistake. Once the movie moves to that epic level, it loses a lot of its charm and momentum. There is so much potential to be explored just within the hive, let alone the park area just outside, that it seems unnecessary to widen the scope so much. Even so, Bee Movie provides solid entertainment and up until the scale change, is quite effective. Seinfeld performs well and injects some of his clever wit into the character, while the visuals shine and really pull you into the bee world. This two disc Special Edition isn’t loaded, but it has some worthwhile inclusions, so if you’re going to grab Bee Movie, make it this Special Edition.
Video: How does it look?
Bee Movie is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. These computer animated films have provided some of the best transfers out there and Bee Movie is no exception. The image is simply flawless, a pristine, well detailed, and immaculate image that never fails to dazzle the eyes. The detail level is on par with the elite DVD transfers I’ve seen, with such fine, subtle touches visible that its sometimes a distraction. Also incredible are the colors, which really bound off the screen in some scenes, with rich, lush hues that are a pleasure to soak in. This is just about as good as it gets for DVD, so of course Bee Movie earns a perfect score and it deserves that and more.
Audio: How does it sound?
The Dolby Digital 5.1 option is quite good, but not great. The track has some flashes of brilliance, but doesn’t keep that momentum for long. The track is good though, with solid presence and some impressive moments, I just expected a little more depth and consistency. The surrounds aren’t in constant use, but several scenes bring them to life and especially the bee hive scenes, which sound terrific. The music is great and well presented, while dialogue is razor sharp and never wavers. I have been pretty critical of this track, but it is still an above average soundtrack. This release also includes a 2.0 surround option, French and Spanish language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The case has a lot of bullet points, but the extras here are more quantity than quality. The best of the group is the audio commentary with Seinfeld and several crew members. The discussion is laid back and brisk, so there is a nice mix of humor and information included. The group talks about the project’s evolution, the voice talent, the bee problems in real life, and numerous other topics. One of the better tracks I’ve heard of late, this one is worth a listen. Also of note are three deleted scenes and six alternate end sequences, all of which are shown on storyboards. A group of television promo spots prove to be fun, as does footage of Seinfeld dressed as a bee at the Cannes Film Festival. You can also check out brief featurettes about the cast involved and the animation process. The rest of the extras are kid oriented, with a trivia game, music video, and several interactive games.
