6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Failing in his attempt to find a rational explanation for a violent crime spree, a hardened New York City police officer's eyes are opened to a frightening alternate reality when an unconventional Jesuit priest convinces him demonic possession may be to blame.
Starring: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramírez, Olivia Munn, Chris Coy, Dorian MissickHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 54% |
Supernatural | 35% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Québécois French
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The cinematic landscape has become littered with mind-numbing repeats, copycats, and frankly lazy movies that don't dare tread new ground or give the audience any real reason to watch beyond that it's "something to do" or "something new" even if its novelty really only lies in its release date and the names in the credits. Deliver Us From Evil falls somewhere in that "safe zone" of "been there, done that" genre moviemaking, though it certainly pushes that area's boundaries like it wants to escape from the oversized bubble of cliché, repeat structure, uneventful storytelling, and generic scares. It's a relatively hard-R Horror film -- which is itself something of a minor novelty these days considering all the watered-down PG-13 pictures out there -- that digs into the predictably routine, at times, but that also clearly tries to provide its audience with a more solid core foundation, even if that doesn't yield any kind of consistently spectacular results. They movie is infinitely watchable and never truly insulting, never giving the audience any real reason to be wholly disappointed in the overall experience. Will viewers sometimes wish that it might have done things differently? Sure. Will they be angry enough to walk out? Never. This is one of the better mainstream scary movies in quite a while and one that Horror fans will want to absorb, which is maybe light praise but praise to be sure.
On the case.
Movies like Deliver Us from Evil can be a challenge even on Blu-ray. The film is frequently dark and sometimes impenetrably so. It was also photographed digitally, leaving little margin for visual error. Fortunately, Sony's presentation represents the best-case scenario. The image, often slathered in darkness, looks remarkably good, with crisp, perfectly defined imagery evident even through the shadows and surrounding darkness. Skin textures excel, and image clarity is remarkable, revealing the finest little details on everything from roughly textured paint to bloody makeup and prosthetics. Colors are excellent, with city lights frequently standing nicely apart from dark, shadowy backdrops. Those black levels are perfect, inky and deep without crushing details, no matter the setting or depth of darkness. The image suffers from no perceptible noise, banding, blockiness, or other maladies. This is visual excellence at its best for such a dark film.
Deliver Us from Evil's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 losses soundtrack is every bit as good as the 1080p video and a fine accompaniment for the film. It handles a wide range of sound elements -- from lightly critical ambience to the frenzied final minutes -- with equal precision. The opening Iraq segment offers a good microcosm, with solid, surrounding gunfire met with equally precise atmospherics and smaller primary sounds, like slithering snakes and creeping spiders. Music is clearly delivered and precise, with a good, full stage presence, a healthy surround element, and excellent clarity throughout the range. The low end is healthy and heavy but never unkempt or rattly, whether in music or sound effects. Light city din satisfies, rolling thunder and driving rain are realistic, and other supportive elements such as the sounds of a zoo at night are beautifully composed and presented. A few occurrences of sonic mayhem are expertly clear and precise. Dialogue delivery is firm and naturally placed in the center. This is a reference quality Horror track from Sony.
Deliver Us from Evil contains a well-rounded collection of extras. A UV digital copy code is included in the case.
Deliver Us from Evil is a far better film than modern rubbish like The Last Exorcism Part II but a far cry from genre classics like The Exorcist. Franky, that middle ground is a fairly good place to be. Nowhere near as densely populated as the modern Horror trash bin and with some room to stretch and strut its stuff, the film proves itself a worthy, if not ultimately somewhat unspectacular, effort that makes its mood, its characters, its scares, its visuals, and its themes work for a greater good. Never does the film feel like a thoughtless push through required scenes but instead a real, genuine try at digging deep into what this Horror sub-genre has to offer, both on a larger exterior and in a more intimate personal interior. It stumbles a few times but generally provides a very watchable, frequently enthralling, and consistently enjoyable experience that puts this style of film back on the map and, more importantly, back on track. Sony's Blu-ray release of Deliver Us From Evil features pristine video and audio. A healthy assortment of bonus content is included. Recommended.
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