Depraved Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Depraved Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 19, 2020

Many filmmakers have attempted to adapt the essentials of the 1818 novel, “Frankenstein,” trying to remain respectful of author Mary Shelley’s original work while embarking on narrative detours to best fit their movie’s mood or setting. The basics are nothing new, but writer/director Larry Fessenden attempts to achieve a modern understanding of Shelley’s nightmare, going the low-budget route with “Depraved,” looking to pull together a gothic chiller with limited resources. The effort is commendable, and Fessenden has something to say about the human experience as it exists today in a cruel world, but he certainly takes his time to say it, working very deliberately with a picture that could use a few boosts of urgency, giving the central crisis a real cinematic grip.

Henry (David Call) is working on a medical experiment that could change everything, setting out to build a new human with different body parts, constructing Adam (Alex Breaux), who awakens with the intellect of an infant, requiring special care. As the two embark on the journey of development and monitoring, Adam is kept in line with help from a special drug known as Rap-X, which is supplied by pharmaceutical suit Polidori (Joshua Leonard), who’s tremendously excited by the possibilities of Adam’s very existence, working to test out the limits of his patchwork body and prepare him for display to moneymen interested in selling the power of the pill. While Henry does his fatherly duty, trying to keep his creation contained, Adam begins to learn about the world around him and his own history, encountering memories he doesn’t understand, while evidence of his existence brings him to a dark place of awareness, unable to control himself as his confusion turns to violence.

Fessenden makes a smart move and opens the movie with the saga of Alex (Owen Campbell), a college-aged young man who’s spending time with his girlfriend, Lucy (Chloe Levine). The pair enjoys a romantic evening of dinner and sex, but their post-coital conversation (including the gift of a charm necklace) turns to the future, with Lucy sharing her desire to have a baby right away, taking their relationship to the next level of responsibility. Alex resists the idea, and a fight between the lovers ensues, inspiring Alex to leave the apartment and cool his mind with a walk. Unfortunately, his life is taken by a masked murderer, with the story shifting over to Adam’s awakening, watching the stitched-together creation achieve consciousness, meeting Henry for the first time. The first act does a clean job of introductions, but it also permits an understanding of personal loss when considering Adam’s bodily construction, allowing the audience to grasp the ghoulishness of the flesh puzzle and the swirl of memories that remain inside the “monster.”

Fessenden returns to Adam’s mind repeatedly throughout “Depraved,” using artful animation to depict the firing of secondhand synapses, returning to images of Lucy, with her warmth and concern keeping the experiment on edge, not fully aware of what he’s seeing. Most of the first half of the film is devoted to Henry’s raising of Adam, keeping him on a diet of pills and routine of education, giving the childlike man necessary attention to help him grow. They read books, deal with bathroom accidents, and play ping-pong, with Henry turning himself into a father, though one with a mission to deliver a functional human being. Polidori is the corruptor, testing Adam’s limits with a night on the town, showing him great works of art before visiting a strip club to encourage his sexuality, and drugs are eventually pushed on the “child,” accelerating his growth. While scenes of communication are interesting, Fessenden is in no hurry to get anywhere with “Depraved,” often enjoying the stillness of the picture, which doesn’t generate the forbidding atmosphere he imagines. Such draggy pacing also exposes the limits of the performances, with Leonard particularly underwhelming as the screenplay’s devil.

Depraved Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation explores rich textures throughout the viewing experience, finding Adam a road map of bodily harm, and makeup is distinct, doing well with creature scarring and stitching. Interiors are colorful, with moody lighting delivering strong reds and blues, while skintones range from natural pinks to undead grays. Exteriors enjoy boosts of club and store lighting. Delineation remains intact, preserving frame information for darker confrontations.

Depraved Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA supplies direct dialogue exchanges, maintaining balance with argumentative characters and Adam's softer speech, almost whispered at times. Scoring is also healthy, with crisp instrumentation, extending to soundtrack selections. Surrounds aren't intense, but do well with milder atmospherics and room tone, filling up with more excitable trips to clubs. Low-end has some power with gothic thunderclaps and heavier beats.

Depraved Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (six pages) contains photographs from the film.

• Commentary features writer/director Larry Fessenden.

• "Making Frankenstein in a Brooklyn Loft" (75:44, HD) is a wonderfully complete making-of for "Depraved," beginning with an interview with Fessenden from 2017 where he announces his plan to stop worrying about development woes and just "make it for nothing." This is an immersive, fly-on-the-wall viewing experience, following the helmer and his crew as they create the world of "Depraved" in a few tight spaces, even an Afghanistan War recreation. Interviews with cast and crew are plentiful, communicating a sense of creative purpose, but the real hook here is on-set atmosphere, getting a sense of leadership and technical contributions. The documentary also winds through editing, scoring, and the movie's film festival premiere.

• "The Journey to Day One" (9:28, HD) highlights Fessenden's childhood, where he was raised on horror entertainment, shaping his interest in the genre. The creator of "Depraved" shares story points and thematic intent, with the material exploring ideas on parenthood and the male ego, along with real research on brain function. Fessenden details the script's long development and his quest to find a workable loft for little money. A brief celebration of the helmer closes out the featurette.

• "Acting Adam" (9:51, HD) explores the creature character with actor Alex Breaux, who was selected for the role by Fessenden after appearing in a violent play. Character planning and execution are examined, with Breaux working to perfect physical movement and speech.

• "A Conversation on Makeup" (8:18, HD) sits down with special makeup effects artists Peter Gerner and Brian Spears, who share the monster movie tributes that made it into the final design of the creature appearance. The men also detail the experience working with Breaux, creating the makeup, and time with Fessenden.

• "Building the Visuals of 'Depraved'" (10:25, HD) returns to Fessenden, who reveals how planning for his pictures always begins in the writing. Joined by his talented camera crew, Fessenden delves into the look of sets, the many moods of the feature, and daily work demands.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:06, HD) is included.

Depraved Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The title has numerous meanings, as each character deals with questions of morality and conduct when encountering the agony of Adam's arrival. Fessenden underlines such cruelty and strengthens motivation through war vet backstories, giving Henry some comfort of nobility while playing God. Matters grow dire for Adam as he explores his capabilities, and the writing cooks up some uneasy discoveries and encounters for the creation, but Fessenden doesn't tighten the noose as the story unfolds. "Depraved" has its dramatic and humanistic points, and visually, it tries for something abstract at times. There's just no fear factor here, even with an attempt at a suspenseful climax. Fessenden is better with tender scenes of loss and the shock of experience, and the whole endeavor could use some editorial straightening to best support an engrossing viewing experience.