6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
A downtrodden 17-year-old girl is sent to detention where she must survive a slasher film killer and save the world in time for prom.
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Shanley Caswell, Dane Cook, Spencer Locke, Jesse HeimanHorror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.44:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
German: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
An optional English Audio Descriptive Dolby Digital 5.1 track is also available (48kHz/640kbps).
English, English SDH, French, German, Arabic, Turkish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Bonus View (PiP)
Region A, B (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
This isn't jail, it's detention.
Novelty in cinema is a glorious thing, but filmmakers must tread carefully lest the results end up like Detention, a whacked-out spectacle that
combines most every genre and style and references decades worth of pop culture in one ninety minute extravaganza of WHAT? The movie's
partially incomprehensible beyond the basics; it's a smorgasbord of style, an avalanche of stuff, characters and a plot that move at the speed of bytes
and texts and OMGs and incoherent quips and complex relationships and situations. Calling this a "kitchen sink" movie would be to grossly
underestimate all the randomness that efforts to
come together into one tale, to coalesce into a nonlinear but lucid entity. Detention never quite gels; it's just too difficult to keep all of the
characters, motives, backstories, timelines, ideas, and dialogue straight and make much sense of it. There's so many different elements that even as
the story takes a rough shape in the second half, it's too much to process and with any concrete sense of place, time, people, ideas, and themes.
Detention earns high marks for effort, an A+ for originality, but a failing grade in cohesion and substance.
'Minority Report' gets Detention.
Detention's HD video photography sparkles on Blu-ray. Though there are some shots that look noticeably softer than others, the image dazzles, generally, with incredibly brilliant colors and very crisp, accurate details. From the opening moments forward, audiences will note the dazzling array of hues seen in the to-be-murdered girl's bedroom and house. Lavish pinks and reds dominate, but the sum total of the palette sparkles. Clarity is fantastic, and the transfer offers some marvelous details. Faces, clothes, beat-up lockers, well-used locks, and all sorts of school-specific elements appear amazingly detailed right down to the nitty-gritty level that approaches real life. Blacks are deep, perhaps a bit overly so in a few of the darkest shots, but flesh tones appear balanced throughout. There's a hint of banding in places, but no other major eyesores to report. Overall, this is another wonderful transfer from Sony.
Detention features the Sony-standard DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack, and it doesn't disappoint. This is a big, spacious, all-in, completely immersive listen. It recreates the hectic 21st century high school setting with uncanny precision, placing all sorts of music and effects all over the soundstage to believable, necessary, and oftentimes sonically intoxicating effect. Whether specific elements or simply the din of a busy hallway or cramped girls bathroom, Sony's lossless presentation manages to find even the most nuanced elements and make them a part of a complete listening experience. The film's diverse range of music, which spans two decades of beats, sounds wonderful. From Hip-Hop to Hard Rock, every note blares, but blares with the utmost clarity, precision, and range, including deep and penetrating lows that only once or twice seem too rattly and distraught at the bottom. This holds true in various flashback sequences or in a party segment where music plays with a deliberately mushy tenor but accuracy for the locale. Dialogue is clear and even, flowing from the center channel with no interruption or competition from surrounding music or sound effects. This is an excellent track that serves this high-energy, nonstop movie experience very well.
Detention contains the following extras:
Simply put, Detention isn't for everyone. It's a sharp divide sort of movie, one audiences will cherish or despise. It's worth trying if only for the novelty, but chances are a lot of audiences won't be able to get past all of the clutter and hyperactivity. It's quick, sometimes smart, and is commendable for its ability to weave together so many different elements and maintain a fire-hot pace. Yet ultimately it feels a little too busy, seems to be trying way too hard. It's difficult to sort out but the effort is undeniable. Still, this may be the future of cinema; moviegoers wanting to get in on the ground floor or check out a vision from a few years out might want to watch. Sony's Blu-ray release of Detention offers spiffy video and great audio. A few good extras are included. Fans should purchase with confidence, but newcomers should definitely rent before buying.
2015
Collector's Edition
1998
2016
2013
2019
2016
1988
Uncut
2008
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Collector's Edition
1985
Collector's Edition
1989
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2017
1983
2008
1988
1954
2017
Director's Cut
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2015