6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.2 |
A family services social worker fights to save a little girl with a haunted past, only to find out that this mysterious new case turns into a nightmare she may never survive.
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Jodelle Ferland, Ian McShane, Bradley Cooper, Callum Keith RennieHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 69% |
Mystery | 22% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Are you scared? You ought to be.
It's one of the worst kinds of movies, and also one of the most frustrating. It's a movie that starts out well enough -- sure, it doesn't have the look
and feel
of a classic or even great endeavor, but it seems like it might be a passable psychological Drama -- but then the wheels come off, revealing a terribly
goofy, overly trite, thematically empty-headed, and emotionally vacant experience that panders to the lowest common denominator and takes itself so
seriously that the flaws only become more and more evident with every passing frame. That's Case 39, a long-delayed "Horror" movie that
shows a glimmer of promise in its opening act, only to fall
apart by the second and continue on in some self-important, "I'm the next-best-thing" sort of vibe on through its terribly inept finale. Low on scares,
long on boredom, and built around an unbelievable premise made all the worse through a series of ridiculous plot points, Case 39 is nothing
more than a low-rent wannabe that manages to impress in short spurts with a bit of style and few flashes of decent performances from its cast.
Otherwise, this one has nothing to offer.
It really is that bad.
Case 39 is an inherently gritty and bleak film; colors are washed out by nature, and exquisite detailing probably wasn't foremost on Director Christian Alvart's mind at time of filming. Nevertheless, Paramount's 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer seems faithful to the source. The transfer's most immediately-recognizable attribute is its grain structure; it's present and appears heavily in every scene, though oddly enough a few random pops and speckles are also present, a surprise considering the age of the film. Detail does impress in places, notably in close-up shots of faces and skin that reveal very fine texturing, but otherwise Case 39 favors something of a slightly soft façade that doesn't reveal much in the way of intricate detailing. Colors are steady but underwhelming; a yellow bus is probably the most vibrant color in the movie, but the dim palette suits the overal visual tone nicely. Blacks and flesh tones are naturally accurate throughout. Case 39 is a nice looking movie and it's earned a strong transfer from Paramount; it's too bad it doesn't accompany a better film.
Case 39 delivers a technically proficient but audibly routine DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. There are several heavy, exhilarating moments, but the majority of the track is talk-heavy and front-focused. Dialogue is suitably clear through the middle, and the front speakers also handle the bulk of the various light atmospherics found throughout the track, such as the general office din around Jenkins' workspace. The track ultimately feels a bit underpowered until it's allowed to expand into the backs; a nice 360-degree treat here, the buzzing of insects infiltrating the entirety of the soundstage there, and a few other niceties add some much-needed body to the mix in the later stages of the film. Even some strong, rumbly bass enters into the equation in chapter ten. Case 39 isn't a top-flight track, but it's a solid presentation accompanying a below-average film.
Case 39 features a rather bland and short collection of extras that all appear in standard definition.
Case 39 isn't the worst movie out there, but it's hard to find another one that starts off as well as this one does, only to end up as a laughably bad flop with almost no redeeming qualities outside of Jodelle Ferland's performance. A movie that took over two years to hit theaters after it was in the can, Case 39 is a classic example of a movie gone wrong somewhere along the way from conception to completion. It's a surprise it even earned a theatrical run; direct to video better suits a movie of this caliber. To Paramount's credit, Case 39's Blu-ray release isn't half bad. The technical presentation is fine but the supplements are short and in standard definition. This one is only worth renting, and even then only when most everything else at the store has been picked over.
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