Dumb and Dumber To Blu-ray Review

Copying the first Dumb and Dumber’s plot almost in totality, this sequel has none of the inventive zest and little of the slyly intelligent humor of the original. The duo has been turned from lovably idiotic morons into unconscionable psychotics. Scenes barely fit together and the humor uses the slightest jumping point for its gags, then sends it barreling over a cliff to make sure it’s seen. Jim Carrey turns in a performances which is an obvious replica of his Llyod character rather than a natural role. The film is a mess despite a few laughs.

Read our full theatrical review of Dumb and Dumber To for more [xrr rating=2/5 label=Movie]

Stunted if well resolved visually, Dumb and Dumber To barely packs anything into its digital frame. Colors are there. Fine details are noted. Contrast is fine. Clarity is great. Yet the cinematography is utterly bland, TV-esque even. Maybe this is expecting too much.

The most positive word is “pure.” Dumb and Dumber To’s window-like effect is inarguable. Universal’s AVC encode is invisible too, leaving each shot without problems when coupled with a source carrying similar attributes. Sharpness feels natural without exaggeration and focus is well managed. Setting aside an exception for a blatantly smoothed over Jim Carrey late (an attempt to make him appear younger), there is nothing impeding the movie’s natural appearance.

There are no special lighting or focal tricks. Some documentaries apply more than this one. On some base level, it’s doing what it should. Long, medium, and close shots are equally well handled. As the camera pans in to start, the trees across the yard of the hospital are flawlessly done. The same goes for any other establishing shot. Harry and Lloyd are defined down to their messy and bowl cuts respectively. Any green screen shots are notable because of the image’s unrestricted clarity. It all works, but without much energy. [xrr rating=4/5 label=Video]

Continue the decent mediocrity (?) of the audio mix too. Reaching a wide conference floor, the soundstage begins to fill. In rooms, an audience can be noted perking up when needed for applause or shocks. When it’s time to panic, the screams become directional.

Much of the track is musical, a number of hits and throwbacks to the first. They’re vibrant. The subwoofer picks up when called upon. It’s otherwise pedestrian comedy work. [xrr rating=4/5 label=Audio]

Universal is pushing an alternate opening in marketing, but it’s a roughly 15 second extension of what was already in the film. Funny, but meager. Eight deleted/extended scenes offer more weight at 10-minutes. A gag reel has a few moments of note, while the featurette What’s So Smart About Dumb and Dumber To? details what makes this style of comedy so appealing.

Rather than the alternate opening, it should be That’s Awesome taking over the marketing. Five parts and 45-minutes worth of detail later, the disc finds a bonus feature groove. It looks back at the original, the timing of this sequel, chats with fans, and lays out how scenes were done – a satisfying making of. [xrr rating=3/5 label=Extras]

Click on the images below for full resolution screen captures taken directly from the Blu-ray. Images have not been altered in any way during the process.