Early Man explores the unusual mix of sports and cultural evolution, treating the audience to an exciting adventure that both kids and adults can enjoy. British filmmaker Nick Park (Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of The Were-Rabbit) has a way of captivating his audience with the vibrant worlds he creates, all while providing an amusing experience. Never taking itself too seriously, this movie encourages the audience to kick back, relax, and be entertained. Visually engrossing and truly funny, Early Man is a clever animated film that you never knew you wanted. Following an ambitious tribesman by the name of Dug (voice of Eddie Redmayne), Early Man aims to tell the underdog story of the last cavemen on Earth. As their precious valley is discovered by Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddleston), a greedy connoisseur of bronze, Dug and his tribe are forced out into the Bad Lands. Not realizing what he is getting into, Dug stumbles upon Nooth's Bronze Age City, still hoping to get their valley back. Making his way through the overwhelming city, Dug fails to pay the "voluntary bronze admission fee" and is chased through the tunnels of a colosseum. This leads him right into the middle of a soccer pitch, a game that the cavemen invented but the current generation have no recollection of. As soon as Dug realizes that his people once played this game, he is found out and sentenced to death. Shortly after his aggressive sentencing, Dug comes up with an interesting wager. He challenges the Real Bronzio soccer team to a match: If his tribe wins they get their valley back, and if they lose they'll be enslaved in the mines forever. Aspiring Bronzio soccer star Goona (Maisie Williams) takes a liking to Dug and offers to help the cavemen prepare for the game. Dug is curious as to why a Bronze Age City resident would help the cavemen, and soon learns that this is her only chance of ever playing on the "Sacred Pitch." Early Man's backdrop and characters are visually astounding, all created using stop-motion animation. Park has a way of creating a world that feels so alive, despite foregoing the most advanced forms of technology. From the eye-popping visuals of the valley to the meticulous details of Bronze Age City, Early Man is truly a visual achievement. The incredible patience it takes to make a film like this cannot be exaggerated, and the movie manages to impress throughout its entire 89-minute runtime. The characters in Early Man are definitely likeable, but their emotional pull falls a little flat. Most of the characters in the Stone Age tribe are just placeholders, with most of the dialogue running through Dug, Goona, and Chief Bobnar (Timothy Spall). With the exception of Dug's scene-stealing pet hog, Hognob, the audience will feel a slight disconnect from the rest of the cast. The supporting voice actors never really get a chance to shine, although they perform admirably in their roles. Yet what the film lacks in character development, it makes up for in witty dialogue and constant humor; the jokes rarely feel forced. Park took a risk in developing this quirky "Stone Age versus Bronze Age" soccer comedy, but one that paid off. At its core, Early Man is about overcoming challenges and staying true to who you are, but it is also just plain fun. This inspiring story about a hodgepodge group of cavemen takes the early lead for best animated film of 2018, and should be near the top of that list come December.
![Early Man [Blu-ray/DVD]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/mimages/0000000000000_p0_v0_s90x140.jpg)
![Early Man [Blu-ray/DVD]](http://origin-qa2-images.bn-web.com/static/redesign/srcs/images/grey-box.png?v11.17.1)
![Early Man [Blu-ray/DVD]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/mimages/0000000000000_p0_v0_s600x595.jpg)
![Balto [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0025192402845_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Balto [Blu-ray]")
![The Mad Fox [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0760137346487_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "The Mad Fox [Blu-ray]")
![Naruto: Set 6 [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0782009247258_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Naruto: Set 6 [Blu-ray]")
![The Benoit Jacquot Collection [Blu-ray] [2 Discs]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0741952796596_p0_v4_s90x140.jpg "The Benoit Jacquot Collection [Blu-ray] [2 Discs]")
![Runaway Train [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0738329252557_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Runaway Train [Blu-ray]")
![The Current War: Director's Cut [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0191329134061_p0_v3_s90x140.jpg "The Current War: Director's Cut [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD]")
![Naruto: Set 8 [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0782009247333_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Naruto: Set 8 [Blu-ray]")
![A Time for Dying [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0843501037706_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "A Time for Dying [Blu-ray]")
![The Bostonians [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0741952852193_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "The Bostonians [Blu-ray]")
![Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0738329234058_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here [Blu-ray]")
![The Dead Zone [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0826663209853_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "The Dead Zone [Blu-ray]")
![Le Pont du Nord [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0738329157722_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Le Pont du Nord [Blu-ray]")
![Come What May [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0741952835097_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Come What May [Blu-ray]")
![Black Venus [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0760137123385_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Black Venus [Blu-ray]")
![John Carpenter's Escape from L.A. [Blu-ray]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0826663207811_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "John Carpenter's Escape from L.A. [Blu-ray]")