Despicable Me 3 appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.40:1 on this 4K UHD disc. We got a stellar presentation here.
Sharpness always looked good, as the movie exhibited fine delineation. No signs of softness marred the image, as it remained rock-solid from beginning to end. I noticed no jaggies or shimmering, while dge haloes and print flaws also remained absent.
Colors seemed terrific, as the movie’s broad palette demonstrated a nice array of tones. The 4K UHD’s HDR meant the hues became vivid and dynamic.
Blacks appeared dark and dense, while low-light shots came across as smooth and clear. This turned into a simply outstanding image.
Downcoverted to DTS-GD MA 7.1, the film’s DTS-X soundtrack suited the material, with a soundscape that came to life during the movie’s occasional action scenes. Those offered planes, explosions and other dynamic elements that popped up in logical spots and blended well.
Quieter scenes also fared nicely, as they showed good stereo music. Effects created a fine sense of place and delivered a rich sense of surroundings.
Audio quality satisfied, with natural, concise speech that lacked edginess or other issues. Music came across as full and warm, while effects delivered rich, accurate material. Me 3 boasted a fairly solid soundtrack.
How did the 4K UHD compare to the Blu-ray version? Audio remained identical, as both discs offered the same DTS-X mix.
Visuals offered a different story, as the 4K delivered obviously superior definition and colors. The Blu-ray looked very good on its own, but the 4K clearly topped it.
As we shift to extras, we start with a mini-movie. The Secret Life of Kyle runs four minutes, 13 seconds and focuses on Gru’s mutant dog-like creature. It offers a moderate diversion.
A second disc provides a Blu-ray copy of Me 3, and that’s where the rest of the extras reside. Including an intro from actor Dana Gaier, one deleted scene lasts 40 seconds. It shows Gru’s kids as they get to know Freedonia. The scene doesn’t add much.
Under Minion Moments, we see two clips: “Drenched” (0:40) and “Overkill” (0:38). These provide quick bouts of physical comedy that seem mildly entertaining at best.
Next comes Character Profiles, a domain that offers five actor-based featurettes. We find “Steve Carell (2:12), “Kristen Wiig” (1:48), “Miranda Cosgrove” (1:57), “Dana Gaier” (2:20) and “Nev Sharrel” (2:06).
In these, the actors discuss their characters and performances. They tell us little of substance.
The Making of Despicable Me 3 takes up six minutes, 50 seconds and features Illumination founder/CEO Chris Meledandri, director Kyle Balda, writers Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul, editor Claire Dodgson. “Making” discusses challenges presented by the third film, the work of the co-directors, editing, cast, characters and performances. It’s too short to offer much substance, but it gives us a decent array of insights.
During the four-minute, 13-second Developing Dru, we hear from Meledandri, Balda, Paul, Daurio, Carell, and animation directors Bruno Dequier and Julien Soret. As expected, we learn about the design/execution of Gru’s brother in this brief but tight overview.
Next comes The AVL Files, an interactive feature. It allows us to select any of six characters from the three movies and learn a little about them. It seems cute but not especially valuable.
After this comes the Freedonia Visitors Guide, an interactive map. It lets us choose from five locations and see promotional clips about them. Though nothing exciting, it offers some amusement.
Three segments appear within Despicable Me TV: “Balthazar Bratt Action Figure” (0:54), “Bad Boy Bod By Balthazar Bratt” (0:56) and “Agnes’ Super Cute, Incredible Amazing Toy Sale” (1:18). Each one uses movie clips along with narration to create advertisements. None of them seem especially useful.
Called “Doo-Wit”, a Sing-Along lasts one minute, 36 second. It pairs movie clips with the aforementioned song to create a forgettable little clip.
We also get a Music Video for “Yellow Light”. Here Pharrell Williams struts around town with 8-bit representations of the minions in tow. It’s a fairly creative piece.
Two still galleries finish the set. Minion Mug Shots presents 10 images, while Wanted Posters offers eight frames. Both are cute.
The disc opens with ads for the “Minion Mayhem” theme park attraction, the 2018 Winter Olympics, Nut Job 2, All I Want for Christmas Is You, Pitch Perfect 3 and the Trolls TV series. No trailer for Me 3 appears.
Well into the franchise’s existence, Despicable Me 3 shows a series that lacks creative energy. While the movie brings us a few laughs, it packs in too many story elements and never coalesces into a coherent, consistently enjoyable effort. The 4K UHD offers stunning visuals and pretty good audio but supplements seem insubstantial. Maybe Despicable Me 4 will bounce back, but this one remains forgettable.
To rate this film, visit the Blu-ray review of DESPICABLE ME 3
