Between Worlds Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Between Worlds Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 1, 2019

Writer/director Maria Pulera is trying to make a brain-bleeder with “Between Worlds,” attempting to blur the line of reality with a spirit-hopping story that, in some ways, looks to emulate a David Lynch film, even bringing in “Twin Peaks” composer Angelo Badalamenti to compose a theme for the endeavor. Pulera has the right idea with the casting of Nicolas Cage, who can turn anything into a mind-scrambler with the sheer force of his acting, but little else comes together in Pulera’s feature, which possesses the ambition to bend space and time, but has the production value of a late night Cinemax movie. “Between Worlds” is weird but not polished, which doesn’t encourage full immersion into the depths of this oddity.

Joe (Nicolas Cage) is lost, trying to survive the recent death of his wife, Mary (Lydia Hearst), and their young daughter, Sarah. He’s a trucker who’s fallen on hard times, unable to pay his debts, and while lounging around a gas station late one night, Joe discovers Julie (Franke Potente) being strangled in a bathroom stall. Saving the day, Joe realizes the violent assault was exactly what Julie wanted, using the near-death experience to leave her body and explore a medical situation with her daughter, Billie (Penelope Mitchell), who’s in the hospital after crashing her motorcycle. Joe offers a ride to Julie, with the driver learning about her gift, which is put to use in Billie’s room, creating confusion on the Other Side. While Billie recovers and returns home, Julie presents herself to Joe, with the pair commencing a sexual relationship, offering each other a sense of peace. However, such household order is disrupted by Billie, who comes on to Joe, claiming she’s Mary, pulled from the Other Side and put into Billie’s body, hoping to rekindle their doomed love.

Joe is the type of role Cage loves to play. He’s a disheveled human being with a wardrobe consisting of a greasy trucker hat, a t-shirt with an alligator pictured on it, and leather pants, and he’s troubled by everything, dealing with tragedy, guilt, and monetary issues, giving the actor plenty to strain over to help create a character. “Between Worlds” doesn’t give Cage an acting challenge, but Pulera doesn’t try to stand in his way, offering the star chances to showcase his traditional hyperactivity and excessive emoting, which was so wonderfully utilized recently in “Mandy.” Cage’s eccentricity is matched by the screenplay, which finds Joe discovering Julie being intentionally hurt in a bathroom stall, soon learning she’s capable of spiritually exiting her body (developing the skill after a childhood drowning incident), only requiring some help in the choking department to trigger her gift. There’s panic and comfort to help bond the trucker and his rider, with Pulera offering a decent introduction that’s loaded with peculiar behaviors and a passable mystery concerning some type of astral projection.

“Between Worlds” doesn’t stay enigmatic for very long, with sex ordered up by Pulera to hold viewer attention. It’s a surprisingly randy movie, with Joe offered companionship by Julie, who’s looking for a little bodily attention from a good man. Awkward couch-shaking thrusting ensues. And there’s Billie, being puppeted by Mary, who goes after Joe, using her feminine appeal to make the trucker submit, only Joe doesn’t know what’s going on, thinking Julie’s daughter is only interested in seduction. Awkward bed-bouncing thrusting ensues. “Between Worlds” loses interest in out- of-body experiences, and it’s not saucy enough to be considered sensual, creating a strange viewing experience where one side of the film wants to baffle and the other side want to…awkwardly thrust. Dramatic engagement is minimal.

Between Worlds Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is generally quite good about providing a clear look at textures. Facial surfaces are a highlight, showcasing age and makeup achievements, while Cage's particularly greasy look is illuminated in full. Costuming also has interesting fabrics, with sharpness exploring sheerness, while animal prints also receive attention. Interior decoration in Julie's home is open for study, examining a cluttered dwelling that provides a claustrophobic experience for the characters. Exteriors are dimensional. Colors retain their digital look, as the production downplays opportunities for vibrancy, working with a sicklier palette to identify the mental illness in play. Clothing carries some livelier hues, along with signage. Delineation satisfies, preserving most shadow play. Banding is occasionally detected.

Between Worlds Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix supports the strange atmosphere the production is aiming for, keeping scoring selections present with appropriate volume, adding to the Lynchian, jazzy mood. More aggressive soundtrack selections, including a Marilyn Manson track, bring heaviness and authority, adding industrial grind. Dialogue exchanges are direct, examining accents and breathless exposition without disruption. Argumentative behavior doesn't encourage distortion. Surrounds offer reasonable atmospherics, with underwater scenes communicating pressure, while hospital bustle and household movement is tracked. Low-end isn't active, but a few scenes of violence carry modest rumble, and sound effects are sharp and loud.

Between Worlds Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Between Worlds Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The goofiness of "Between Worlds" is plentiful, including Joe's ability to read poetry to Billie as they grind away, but it's never clear if Pulera is in on the joke or sincerely trying to make something odd. Joe's fog clears eventually, hoping to keep Billie-as-Mary to erase past sins, but Pulera doesn't go bonkers with the story, keeping it predictable with elements of small-town crime and dirtball antagonists. "Between Worlds" isn't Lynchian, missing artful puzzles and enjoyably wild performances, while Pulera's limited budget prevents her from achieving any sort of style with the endeavor. Early scenes of threat offer no payoff, but at least there's something of a hook here, and for Cage fanatics, he's trying to make something happen with very little to work with.