I’m not really sure what people hoped Cameron Crowe’s We Bought a Zoo was going to be. Critical reviews of the family film have not been all that high, but We Bought a Zoo was exactly what I expected it to be: a very human, very emotionally driven tale set within the context of an oddball storyline and featuring a slick soundtrack. What seems to be the problem is critics comparing Crowe’s best work, like Say Anything or Almost Famous, to We Bought a Zoo and finding it wanting. Compared to some of Crowe’s earlier work, maybe the zoo flick is not quite perfect, but it is still far better than the average movie. We Bought a Zoo is certainly worth a watch, and maybe even a Blu-Ray or DVD purchase.

If you did miss the live-action family film, you won’t have to wait long. We Bought a Zoo will hit Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital download on April 3rd. The story, about a man and his kids who buy a struggling zoo in the attempt to save it, is packed with some strong performances, including Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, and Angus Macfadyen. To supplement the multiple awesome performances, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has put together a really nice Blu-Ray set, replete with over 2 ½ hours of special features.

Deleted scenes make up a bulk of these extras. The We Bought a Zoo set comes with 20 deleted or extended scenes, including “Sorry About the Rain” and “Benjamin’s Big Speech.” A gag reel and several featurettes will also be included on the Blu-Ray. The featurettes include “We Shot a Zoo,” “The Real Mee,” and “Their Happy Is Too Loud.” Finally, the disc will come with commentary from Crowe, editor Mark Livolsi, and actor J.B. Smoove, as well as an audio track for the movie. Not bad for a Blu-Ray that is pre-ordering for only $29.99 over at Amazon.