Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Book of Monsters Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 15, 2019

Director Stewart Sparke and writer Paul Butler love horror movies from the 1980s. Such fandom inspires every frame of “Book of Monsters,” which plays like a blend of John Carpenter and “Evil Dead,” with the production attempting to whip up a genre mess that’s wet with blood, littered with demons, and propelled by act of self-defense. Sparke doesn’t have much money to realize his vision, so he keeps things scrappy, endeavoring to pay tribute to the helming gods and define his own sense of anarchy, which gets the picture on its feet, but doesn’t take it far enough.

Lyndsey Crane stars as Sophie, a teenager celebrating her 18th birthday, which puts her into contact with a book of monsters passed down from her deceased mother. The festivities begin with beer and fun, but end up a battle to the death with resurrected ghouls, putting Sophie against the evil that conspires to ruin her big day. Butler keeps characterization clean, and the set-up is quite good, with Sophie and her band of outcasts trying to do something with the evening, only to find themselves put to the monster hunting test as beasts begins tearing the guests apart.

Book of Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.00:1 aspect ratio) presentation retains its HD-shot look, with the viewing experience showcasing cinematography that blends softer focus with sharper detail, delivering textured close-ups and fibrous costumes. Monster particulars are also engaging, highlighting technical design and violent appetites, keeping gore open for inspection. Colors are satisfactory, emphasizing bloody reds and party primaries. Costuming is distinct, and skintones are natural. Delineation is comfortable, never solidifying. Banding is periodically detected.

Book of Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 Dolby Digital sound mix tries to remain active to support the visuals. Surrounds are engaged, capturing party bustle and the circular reach of the monster uprising, and a few directional effects are noted. Dialogue exchanges are acceptable, showcasing the range of reaction to demon issues. Scoring is crisp, offering a synth edge to boost suspense, and EDM offerings for celebratory purposes are fuller. Low-end isn't a major player on the track, but some thump is acquired for music cuts. Sound effects are mostly identified to play up genre hellraising, but a few key sounds are weirdly buried, skipping their intended impact.

Book of Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features director Stewart Sparke and writer Paul Butler.

• Commentary #2 features the cast of "Book of Monsters."

• "Opening the 'Book of Monsters'" (63:48, HD) is an extensive making-of for the feature, with Sparke leading the discussion, aided by members of the cast and crew. The overall arc of development and execution is followed, stopping at short film origins, Kickstarter interactions (where pledgers could pick monsters), story expansion, casting and characterization, set construction, monster design, technical achievements, reshoots, visual effects, marketing, and the picture's debut at the FrightFest film festival. Anything you want to know about the movie? It's here.

• Deleted and Alternate Scenes (18:38, HD) offer multiple snippets from "Book of Monsters," including additional time with Sophie at home with her father and experiences at her school. More panicky exposition is included as well.

• Gag Reel (5:02, HD) collects all the flubbed lines, giggle fits, and bad improvisations.

• Kickstarter Concept Film (4:56, HD) showcases the initial trailer Sparke created to sell "Book of Monster" to investors.

• "Rats!" (3:32, HD) is a short film from Sparke.

• "FrightFest Interviews" include "Stewart Sparke and Paul Butler" (6:30, HD) and "On the Red Carpet" (7:06, HD).

• And the Official Trailer (2:06, HD) and a Green Band Trailer (:36, HD) are included.

Book of Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Book of Monsters" has moments of B-movie craziness, but there's not a sustained sense of chaos, with the effort noticeably slowing down once it has to deal with exposition, which is a bit of a buzzkill. The production wants a tighter sense of purpose, but the feature does better with an open range display of creature terrors and adolescent empowerment, generating a genre snowball effect. It's not flashy or well-funded, but "Book of Monsters" has the right idea for its first hour, delivering its valentines with palpable enthusiasm.