Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Ted, the foul-mouthed, pot-smoking teddy bear, has married his longtime human girlfriend, Tami-Lynn, and a beautiful wedding it was. But as with most marriages between stuffed animals and human beings, the honeymoon ends all too soon, and after only a year, the newlyweds are already fighting. Naturally, the best remedy to soothe a decaying marriage and revitalize the spark is to bring a baby into the equation. But since Ted is lacking in the genitalia department, their choices are reduced to either adoption or artificial insemination. The matter is complicated further when the state of Massachusetts revokes Ted’s status as a living person and lists him as property, and his rights as a legal citizen are rendered null and void. Ted and John (Mark Wahlberg) enlist legal assistance and take the matter to court. You gotta fight for your rights.

Once again, Seth MacFarlane writes, directs, and provides the voice for Ted. He also does everything possible to outdo the raunchiness of the first film, and in a lot of ways, he succeeds. To whet the appetite, there are scenes involving hijacking sperm from an unconscious Tom Brady and a hard-core nerd fight at a New York Comic Con. And despite all this, Ted 2 somehow manages to elevate the story beyond the novelty of a cuddly teddy bear dropping F-bombs like a sailor.

The HD picture is superlative, with fantastic clarity and sharpness that even surpasses its predecessor. The opening shot goes from the Universal logo into a “planet earth” atmospheric G-dive straight into a suburban Boston neighborhood and into the very church where Ted’s wedding is taking place. From Ted’s wedding, we segue right into a huge 1930s Busby Berkeley–style song and dance number over the opening credits. Outdoor exteriors are crystal clear and vibrant, with no distracting grain, and the CGI-rendered Ted is seamlessly integrated into the action. It’s a truly marvelous picture.

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is a rousing mix with energetic musical interludes interspersed with car chases through marijuana fields, shotgun blasts, and comic book convention riots. And none of it overpowers the center-channel dialogue track.

Extras include deleted scenes, a gag reel, numerous short featurettes, and audio commentary. Ted 2 also features an unrated cut of the film that runs about ten minutes longer. DVD and Digital Copy included.

Blu-Ray
Studio: Universal, 2015
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audio Format: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Length: Theatrical Cut: 117 mins. / Unrated Cut: 126 mins
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried