The new Danish import Dreambuilders from director Kim Hagen Jensen may bring to mind the classic Pixar tale Monsters Inc., which is likely the best that it can hope for as families look for something new to consume after already wearing out the likes of Raya and the Last Dragon and Luca. Based on a screenplay by Søren Grinderslev Hansen, this amiable-yet-unremarkable film gamely tackles ideas such as the power of imagination and the benefits of finding a common ground like many family films that have come before. The premise will not be unfamiliar to anyone; young Minna (Robyn Dempsey) has a perfectly enjoyable life with her dad and her guinea pig “Viggo Mortensen” – one of the bizarre choices I really appreciated – despite being abandoned by her mother when she was very little. This is some Pixar-level heartbreak, but unfortunately the remainder of the film rarely gets as daring. When dad finds a new companion, she gains a rude new Instagram-obsessed potential stepsister, Jenny (Emma Jenkins), who is in desperate need of an attitude adjustment.
While Jenny is a constant pest with her criticisms and hatred of the “mouse” she is forced to cohabitate with (seriously, what does she have against Viggo Mortensen?), Minna discovers something extraordinary that might just be the answer to her prayers. During one of her dreams, she inadvertently gets a peak at the “dreambuilders” behind what we get to experience each and every night. Gaff is Minna’s dreambuilder who is a bit more clumsy than the rest and often screws up his tasks, and his anxiety over this goes out of control when Minna breaks the rules and starts interacting with him. She discovers how much power dreams have over your real-life feelings, so she convinces Gaff to let her manipulate the dreams of Jenny to make her a kinder person. Of course, when you embark down a path of manipulation it is easy for it to spin out of control. The lessons learned along the way are standard, but it is hard to really disagree with the value of the message.
While this may not be from one of the big studios like Pixar or Dreamworks, the animators at HydraLab do a commendable job of bringing some much-needed magic to this dream reality. By working in a space that is beyond our physical limitations, there are many neat elements woven into the environments that inspire amazement. There is an off-kilter, abstract sensibility to the designs that allows this not to be a throwaway effort. The character designs are less boundary-pushing, but they are pretty much in line with what you get from the genre these days. While most likely to be appreciated by the younger set, there are some decent gags in the dreamworld that elicit a few chuckles such as a dance sequence with an oversized guinea pig and an odd substitute for a birthday cake that goes over surprisingly well. At under 90 minutes, the movie never seems to drag on for too long but the familiarity of the story keeps it from being something great. Parents will not have a horrible time watching this with their kids, but expectations of something groundbreaking should be thrown out the window.
Video Quality
Dreambuilders comes to Blu-Ray with a dazzling and vibrant 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. The colors present in this transfer are practically leaping off the screen with the wide range of hues permeating the frame. This vividness is where the film truly shines. Black levels are very strong with no hint of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. The animation style lends itself to nice textures and details, along with very fluid character movements. This is, of course, not as detailed as the traditional hand drawn animation, but it is quite striking nonetheless. There is some very minor banding against some harsher gradients, but overall this is a transfer free of major encode issues. This is a stunning Blu-Ray presentation that should more than please fans of the film.
Audio Quality
This release boasts an immersive DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in both English and French that really packs a punch. There is a nice amount of activity in the low-end due to the various sequences in the dream world that go for a bigger impact. Dialogue comes through clearly without getting overwhelmed by any competing sound effects or score. The music in the film is very effective in stirring up powerful emotions that make the film feel alive. The track engages all of the channels with panning effects and environmental sounds that sell a fully fleshed-out world. Shout! Factory has delivered a crackerjack audio presentation that brings this story to life quite nicely.
Special Features
- Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided for the film which does a good job of capturing the feel of the story.
Final Thoughts
Dreambuilders is a decent family film that shows that there is impressive visual flair outside of the major Hollywood studios, but the story itself is more on the conventional side. There is nothing too objectionable in this film for the parents (grating characters and juvenile gags are kept to a minimum), and children should enjoy the vibrant colors and easily digestible story. At the very least, they are learning a positive message from a film that is not soulless. Shout! Factory has offered this one with a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation. If your kids need something new to occupy them, this is a good alternative from the more well-known properties. Recommended
Dreambuilders will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack and DVD on August 24, 2021. The film is currently available on Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Shout! Factory and Shout! Kids have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
