Starring Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, and John Krasinski, IF is a heartwarming and hilarious tale about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends, known as IFs. She embarks on a magical journey to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids, before they disappear. An adventure you’ll need to believe to see, IF is perfect for the whole family. Written and directed by John Krasinski, the film also features a stellar voice cast including Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Steve Carell.

For in-depth thoughts on IF, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of IF offers a fabulous level of quality that is a magnificent feast for the eyes, but the exact level of improvement is difficult to parse given this release does not come with a Blu-Ray. Dolby Vision is the star of the show as it enriches the colors to impressive heights when it comes to vibrancy. You can survey any of the environments throughout the film and find something to delight in. Nearly every scene yields a background overflowing with eye-popping hues. The increased range of the color spectrum is a major benefit to this feature.

The highlights in the film are impeccably defined with whites pure and balanced with no instances of blooming experienced. Elements in the film taking place in shadows are vivid and finely delineated. The black levels are particularly strong in this presentation, staying deep and inky with fetching detail. Skin tones appear incredibly natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores and facial hair. This 4K UHD presentation really thrives on all fronts including strong showings in clarity and color. The Blu-Ray is more than likely a fine viewing experience, but Paramount has knocked it out of the park on this latest 4K release.

Audio Quality

This disc comes equipped with a complex Dolby Atmos presentation that perfectly realizes this sonic journey. Sounds are deftly rendered with precise directionality from the more kinetic scenes of whimsy to emotional moments of dialogue. All exchanges are presented clearly without ever being overshadowed by any of the competing sonic elements.

Ambient details are plentiful and quite dazzling in the rear and overhead channels. The overhead channels complement the other channels rather than attempting to carry the main load, which adds a nice sense of dimension to the mix. Musical cues and the breezy score saturate the room with purpose. The moments of weighty effects and other chaotic elements provide an all-encompassing soundscape that bounds throughout all the speakers. The low end is put to work in a really memorable way that will have your house shaking. The mix is a winner from Paramount not to be missed.

Special Features

The Imagination Behind IF: A nearly six-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the journey of this movie, why now was the perfect time to make this film, the themes of the story, the direction of John Krasinski, and more.

Imagining Imaginary Friends: A nearly six-minute featurette that takes a look at the creation of the imaginary friends, the child psychology behind these figures, the visual effects work, and more.

Giving IFs A Voice: A six-minute look at the vocal talent who bring these imaginary friends to life, what they bring to their characters, fun during the recording process, and more.

Blending The Real and The Imaginary: A six-minute exploration of the attempts to shoot the film as practically possible while blending in the visual effects work.

Tina Turner Forever!: A nearly four-minute spotlight on a key sequence in the film and how everything came together.

The Imaginative World of IF: A six-minute piece on the locations and design elements that bring this story to life.

Gag Reel: A four-minute collection of flubbed lines, goofing around, malfunctioning props and more.

Learn To Draw Blue From IF: A seven-minute tutorial that shows how to draw the lovable main character.

Final Thoughts

IF is an admirable throwback to the family classics of the past that conjures a sense of whimsy and imagination in audiences of all ages. John Krasinski does a nice job of establishing this world and providing a decent amount of depth to the characters which allows the emotional moments to hit home. The IFs are likewise effective in their different designs and vocal performances. What the movie lacks is consistency and genuine humor, as very few of the laughs actually land. The movie appears to overcorrect by delivering on the thematic resonance but forgets to provide the fun of the premise. It is not a failure, but it is not going to earn the distinction of a new family classic. Paramount Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a stellar A/V presentation and a fine array of supplemental features.

IF is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.