Who's ready to get nuts? If you're a fan of The Nut Job, you're probably answering that question in the affirmative, as The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature is finally hitting theaters this weekend. Surly and the gang are ready to fight off an evil politician and his land grab against their beloved public park, and they're going to try and do it in style. But this is a kid's movie, and as such there's a big question looming in the distance: to 3D, or not to 3D?
If you're looking for a review on the film itself, you can go here. But if you're wondering if The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature is worth the extra 3D money, or if you're better off buying a bag of peanuts, then keep reading! We're about to dissect the third dimensional presentation of this animalistic adventure for your amusement and money-saving purposes.
The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature isn't specifically a film that's essentially a 3D experience. On the surface, it's an idea that doesn't feel like it'd be a must see behind the black glasses, but there is obviously room for 3D gags in a kid's film, as they tend to be very expressive and kinetic with their action. With the right intent, fun could be had with the 3D on this movie.
When it comes to the 3D of The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature, there is decent amount of credit due to the folks that converted the film into 3D. The film's not a perfect 3D experience, but it does manage to be pretty exciting in some select sequences. There could have been a little more work put into the third dimensional enhancement of this film, but it's not a complete mess like The Emoji Movie happened to be earlier this summer.
The most impressive piece of the 3D conversion to The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature is the before the window effects, as the objects protruding out of the screen range from excitingly exaggerated to subtle, but noticeable, objects poking the audience in the theoretical eye. Sight gags benefit the best from this treatment, but there are quite a few shots of vehicles in pursuit that manage to excite the eyes. Though probably the best sequence when it comes to this factor is the pictured scene above, in which a bunch of popcorn pops right in front of the audience, in the midst of a gigantic explosion.
Unfortunately, the Beyond the Window piece of The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature isn't as impressive as all that broke through the 3D window. But at the same time, it's still a pretty decent picture that gets the basics right, and throws in a little extra for the folks at home. Objects and characters are clearly separated by good spatial reasoning, and do not blend in with each other. While the backgrounds don't try to captivate the eye with any added depth, they certainly don't slouch when it comes to keeping up with the action.
The brightness factors is almost always the biggest problem with a 3D film. This leads to the audience's mileage varying between showings, as most theaters tend not to calibrate their rigs properly between 2D and 3D screenings in their various screening rooms. The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature proves why it counts to remember to control the brightness of your picture, as there are several night time sequences that get a bit washed out in this film. Day time action is pretty decent, but once the sun goes down, the picture gets to be hit or miss behind the dulling effect of your 3D spectacles.
Another thing you can't fault The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature on is the blurry visuals when you remove your glasses. Throughout the entire film, the quality of the blur that's supposed to help generate depth in the film is present and accounted for. When you take your glasses off, you'll see a strong contingent of blur marring the visuals throughout the entire picture, with various degrees present between the characters and their surroundings.
There is quite a bit of action that occurs in The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature, and thankfully it doesn't wear on the viewer's eyes too heavily. You won't have any nauseous side effects when seeing Surly and his crew zipping about the screen, but what you may have is a bit of eye strain, thanks to the slightly dimmer than usual picture the film exhibits in its night time sequences. So don't worry about barf bags, but you might be taking your glasses off every now and then to let your eyes rest.
You could do worse when it comes to a 3D conversion for animated fare that's currently on the market. But The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature is by no means a 3D must see. If you're an enthusiast of the field, then it's not a mess of a conversion that leaves the film nigh unwatchable. But if you're merely a casual 3D enjoyer, your time may be better spent elsewhere.
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