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Almost 70 years ago children's illustrator Crockett Johnson (Barbany) wrote a story about a curious four-year-old boy named Harold. In the book, Harold has a purple crayon that has some magical power, and everything Harold draws comes to life in his world. The beloved children's book, originally published in 1955, became a success that led to a series of 9 books. Over the years, Harold and the Purple Crayon has been adapted into an animated film, and a television series, and was featured on the Captain Kangaroo show. This year, Sony Pictures Releasing created a live-action story of the same name starring Zachary Levi (Shazam!) and this week it is available for sale on Blu-ray.
Harold (Levi) has grown up in his world with the "Old Man" (Alfred Molina; Spider-Man 2) narrating his various adventures with his friends Moose (Lil Rey Howery; Get Out) and Porcupine (Tanya Reynolds, Emma). However, he has always been curious about the "real world" so when he wakes up one morning and the Old Man isn't there, Harold decides to draw a door to the real world and goes through it. In the real world, Harold meets Mel (Benjamin Bottani; Bromates) and his mom, Terry (Zooey Deschanel; New Girl) who help Harold find out what happened to the Old Guy while Harold helps Mel and Terry deal with the death of Mel's father/Terry's husband.
Director Carlos Saldanha (Ice Age) does a decent job with the material he was given. He doesn't spend too much time on one moment or plot point which in turn makes the pace of the film smooth, clean, and helps the movie not feel sluggish. He helps the cast feel their characters, especially Howery and Reynolds. They have some of the best moments as Porcupine and Moose and help make the movie decent. Levi, has played the boy trapped in a man's body before and, while it was cute the first time, his schtick has grown old (no pun intended) and he needs to seek out more diverse opportunities. Deschanel is awkward and Jermaine Clement (What We Do In the Shadows) comes across as creepy.
For a 1080p transfer, Harold and the Purple Crayon has excellent video quality. The details are incredibly sharp and clean to the point that the wax bits of Harold's crayon are distinct and full. The color hues are deep and varied, especially the layers of purple that are obviously prevalent throughout.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is also very good but not outstanding. Ambient sounds can be heard across the full range of speakers while the dialogue is encased mostly upfront. The soundtrack isn't overpowering and creates a nice balance. There is some deep bass with the treble notes in the higher range and the overall mix is solid.
The Blu-ray combo pack includes the Blu-ray Disc, digital download, and five extras (totaling less than 20 minutes of footage): How To Draw Harold, Porcupine & Moose, "Colors" Sing Along, How Do You Spell Imagination?, Deleted and Extended Scenes, and Previews.
Seeing Harold, his friends, and his crayons come to life is a treat that anyone familiar with the books would be interested to see. Sadly, this version, with an original story that isn't very well done, doesn't do the four-year-old boy and his crayon justice. Levi, as a man-child, is worn out, the story has too many weird plot points and there is nothing special or interesting about the movie. The audio and visual specs are very good, and Howery and Reynolds are standouts. There are some funny moments but not enough to bail out the tired, well-worn plot.
Little kids might like this movie, but it definitely won't become a new classic.
Grade: C
