Blu-ray

It's been over a decade since the last instalment of the BBC series of the same name, but the success of the live show has saved the Walking with Dinosaurs brand from extinction. As such, it was hardly surprising to learn that a feature-film was going into production. What is a surprise, though, is just how far removed the film is from the concept of the original series…

Where the Walking with Dinosaurs TV series used CG effects to bring the prehistoric creatures back to life in an informative context, this flick is little more than an update of the old Land Before Time cartoons with all-new CG visuals.

Quite how much the finished film resembles the original pitch is unclear, but it's painfully clear that it has been the subject of excessive studio tinkering. Evidence includes the addition of pointless live-action scenes that bookend the story and the late addition of voice-over dialogue for all of the dinosaurs (with no lip-movements to match the dialogue the film ends up giving the impression that dinosaurs were all telepathic – something that certainly doesn't tally with the franchise's original educational origins).

It's actually possible to get a taste of the original concept of the film with the 'Cretaceous Cut' included on this Blu-ray. It strips away the live-action material and dialogue, but even this can't stop Walking with Dinosaurs: The 3D Movie from feeling like a missed opportunity to do something really unique, rather than churning out another tame CG 'toon aimed at the most undemanding viewers.

Picture: Unsurprisingly, the Blu-ray's 2.40:1 1080p encode looks spectacular in both its 3D and 2D guises. While the stereoscopic version isn't particularly 'in-your-face', it does add plenty of depth to the landscapes, and both presentations (derived from the same MVC encode) appear bright, colourful and sharply rendered.
Picture rating: 4.5/5

Audio: The film's dialogue grates (and isn't exactly well integrated into the rest of the mix), but elsewhere the DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix is a delight. From a forest fire (Chapters 8 and 9) to a walk across a frozen lake (Chapter 22), the track makes expansive use of the 5.1 soundstage. Meanwhile, the duelling dinos (Chapter 20) reveal thunderous bass effects.
Audio rating: 4/5

Extras: In addition to the alternate 'Cretaceous Cut' (in both 2D and 3D), the single-disc Blu-ray includes an interactive guide to the prehistoric creatures featured in the film, a set-top game, a trivia track and the trailers (in 2D and 3D).
Extras rating: 3/5

We say: Only the very youngest (or least demanding) viewers will enjoy this prehistoric cartoon

Walking with Dinosaurs: The 3D Movie, 20th Century Fox, All-region BD, £28 Approx
HCC VERDICT: 2/5