Drop Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Drop Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker July 1, 2025

Directed by Christopher Landon ('Disturbia'), the Blumhouse Production 'Drop' arrives on Blu-ray disc courtesy of Universal. The tense modern thriller with Hitchcockian influences and flourishes stars Meghann Fahy ('White Lotus') as Violet, a widowed mother and domestic abuse survivor who, when she's finally at a point to re-enter the dating world, goes on a first date she'll never forget. The film also stars Brandon Sklenar ('It Ends With Us', 'Westworld'), Gabrielle Ryan ('Power Book IV: Force'), Jeffry Self ('The Horror of Dolores Roach') and Reed Diamond ('Designated Survivor', 'Homicide: Life on the Street'). Extras are a bit light, but Landon contributes a director's commentary. A slipcover, and a Digital Code redeemable through Movies Anywhere are also included.

As with last year's Strange Darling which was helmed by JT Mollner and wonderfully lensed by Giovanni Ribisi, the less known going into Christopher Landon's latest, Drop, the better. So if you haven't seen the film yet, avoid the trailers, the threads dedicated to the film here (and elsewhere), and don't start asking questions of your movie-going pals who have the time to see virtually everything. Heck, don't even read the blurb on back of the case (or slipcover). For now, simply skip down the sections of the review that focus on the video and audio technical specifications. As with Strange Darling, all that's critical to know as one puts the disc in the player is that if you're a fan of thrillers, especially ones working in a modern twist, you'll likely find much here to enjoy. Once you've had a chance to see the film in its entirety, please return and read the rest of the review when there's absolutely nothing left to spoil. For while I will valiantly attempt to to keep the review as spoiler-free as possible, it's impossible to completely guarantee that something won't escape. Just to be safe, and so there is absolutely no room for misunderstanding, allow me to state this for the record: there are probably spoilers ahead.

Drop wastes little time in dropping the viewer into unsettling action. Meghann Fahy's ('White Lotus') Violet is shown being subjected to a life-threatening level of domestic violence. In keeping with the film's PG-13 rating, Drop doesn't get too graphic, but she is bloody, shaking, and obviously frantic to find a way, any way, to make the abuse stop. Keeping the resolution of that disturbing scene secret, though viewers will no doubt have their own opinion to fill in the blanks, the film cuts to a time in the future where Violet is working a therapist who helps others who have experienced domestic violence. At then end of the work day, her sister, Jen (Violet Beane, The Flash) arrives at Violet's house to help her prepare for her first date in quite some time and to her watch her five-year-old son for the evening. Based on her previous experience, she's clearly hesitant to go out. But she goes. The venue for her dinner with a man named Henry Campbell (Brandon Sklenar) is the elegant and amber-hued Palate, an upscale restaurant with a breathtaking view of the Chicago. She's instantly obviously out of practice and jittery. Arriving at Palate first, Violet has a few moments to work through some of her nerves prior to Henry's arrival. But even before Henry arrives, Violet starts to receive puzzling meme-like messages from someone nearby via the film's AirPlay equivalent, digiDROP. At first they seem harmless enough. But not long after Henry arrives and the date officially begins, the simple and seemingly harmless messages turn into demands for Violet to commit acts of escalating seriousness, with the consequences for her lack of compliance being quite dire. Quickly, it becomes abundantly clear that her every action is being observed, and Violet faces a choice: simply do what she's told, or reject the instructions and try to figure out who is behind the scheme and why.

That Drop works as well as it does is to due to several factors, the first of which is the film's leads. Fahy is perfectly believable as Violet in all of her incarnations. She quickly garners the audience's sympathy in the film's disorienting and violent opening moments. Her fear, pain, and desperation are palpable. As a therapist helping other survivors she is credible and caring, and she seems genuinely concerned for her patient. After some sisterly ribbing, she's charming as a trepidatious woman "putting herself back out there" - it's a place most of us have been or have coached someone else through. Authentically, she's still a concerned parent first, a point she makes clear to Henry from the get-go. When the two actually start to connect, there's plenty of self-consciousness and awkward humor to process through as the two gradually lower their defenses and allow the other a real glimpse of themselves. Sklenar's Henry exudes an everyman charm. His concern for Violet and his willingness to help seems real, and while he possesses some skills and has some ideas, he's no more prepared or equipped to handle the full menu of the night's events than most others would be in his position. Important to the film's tension, the chemistry between the two seems to be such that a second date would be in order - under normal circumstances.

The set is the film's second greatest asset. Made to look as if it is nestled into the top floor of one of Chicago's skyscrapers, Palate is world unto itself. To enter, patrons must walk down a long curving hallway that functions to remove them from world outside. While all of Chicago is visible just beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, due to the restaurant being on an upper floor, the rest of the city is effectively out of reach. Those inside are cut off; isolated. The curving gold ribs that line Palate's winding entrance hallway, the bar, and the dining area not only add an air of elegance, exclusivity, and class, they also subtly remind the viewer that Violet, Henry, and the others are all in a cage. For Violet, in particular, there seems to be no escape. The massive set enables grand, wide shots in the early action as both Violet and Henry arrive and enjoy the first moments of their date. But as the film progresses, the purposefully built set allows the filmmakers the ability to use the space around the shots of Violet to project images of the messages from her tormenter, and raise tension through the use of disorienting camera angels and shot composition. The well-defined space with its limited number of inhabitants further heightens suspense in the tradition of some of cinema's best whodunnits. Since digiDROP has a maximum range of 50 feet, the perpetrator has to be someone in their (and our) line of sight. But who?

Finally, there's the use of the fictitious digiDROP . As a way to surreptitiously communicate with someone it's realistic. While it only happened once, there was an instance on an airplane where someone unknown to me AirDropped things to me before I realized what was happening and changed my settings. Happily it was nothing on the order of what Violet received. Still, it's a unique and innovative method to have a villain communicate with his/her prey. It allows for anonymity, and also implies constant observation. But this conceit that is so central to the film is something of a double-edged sword. It immediately and irrevocably dates the film. While, from a technological perspective, AirDrop (and therefore digiDROP) is relatively new and "exciting", it won't always be so. Time marches on, things change, and one can't help but assume that a decade or so from now those who give Drop a spin will need to offer younger viewers a quick tutorial on what what this technology was, how it worked, and why people in the year 2025 thought it was cool. And it will only continue to grow more quaint.

Drop largely trades in actions and reactions that are believable, making the film credible. Violet's initial response makes sense. She's confused, she's mildly irritated, but not much more. She's far more focused on what's happening back with her son and and her date with Henry. Neither seem particularly adept at sleuthing out who's behind the continuing messages, and Violet employs realistic means to do what her tormenter asks, and to eventually ask for help and alert the authorities - though I won't comment on her success or failure. This is the case for approximately 95% of the film's runtime. However, in the name of crafting entertaining cinema, there are a few moments which definitely require the willful suspension of disbelief. I'll not mention any of them here as doing so would likely spoil the film's ultimate payoff no matter how obliquely I'd approach them. Suffice it to say, though, that even in spite of these few moments, most, myself included, will find Drop to be a consistently tensely entertaining and sometimes even pulse-pounding way to spend 100 minutes, and will eagerly wait on the edge of their seats to see how Violet and Henry are going to extricate themselves from the seemingly inescapable trap set in the elegant Palate.

Drop Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

While there are a few moments in Violet's world that are brightly lit, they occur during the footage depicting her at work, the bulk of the film takes place at night, and more specifically inside the confines of Palate. As such, the majority of the following comments will primarily be focused on how things look in that refined and atmospheric environment. Despite the dim, amber mood lighting which is in full force for the vast majority of the film's runtime, fine detail does not suffer except in the film's very darkest moments. Sequins on women's dresses are visible, as are other elements of the character's attire. Fine lines and wrinkles are plainly visible on Fahy and Sklenar's faces, and on those of the other cast members. While there isn't an abundance of skin on display in the upscale establishment, what is visible looks natural and healthy, and the perfectly executed hairstyles of the young female prom attendees reveal a great deal of detail. Due to the amber lighting that covers the core of the restaurant, much of it feels very warm, though things cool a bit near the windows on the periphery. Colors are nicely saturated, and while primaries are given few chances to pop, Fahy's red dress is rich and deep. Her lipstick, though, has a bit more punch. Blacks are deep, though crush can be an issue in some of the film's darkest scenes. Thankfully, this isn't as prevalent as it could be and the amber lighting does a solid enough job of allowing the viewer to observe everything that needs to be seen. Depth and dimensionality are strong, and the transfer appears to be free from defects. It's a very strong presentation.

Drop Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Again, considering the setting of most of the film's scenes, the Dolby Atmos audio track is not tasked with doing vastly complicated or traditionally impressive things. However, what it does do, it does exceedingly well. Surrounds are consistently employed to place the view perfectly inside Palate's refined environment. Other diners chatter, clink utensils and dishware, and the wait staff circulates around the viewer at all times. Dialog from the characters in-shot is always clean and clear, and free from any issues. It's likewise perfectly prioritized. Atmospheric music from Bear McCreary's score is rendered with great precision and fidelity, and when it's given the chance to dominate it's quite robust and impressive. Bass adds excellent depth to his work and to sound effects as well. The pianist's subtle keys blend nicely into the background and further craft the illusion of being in a fine restaurant. Directionality is precise, and sounds move fluidly through the stage. As much of what occurs in the film takes place over dinner, few will reach for this disc to put their system through its paces, but it is perfectly and near-continuously immersive and is a wonderful companion for the film.

Drop Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Drop has a small selection of extras on the menu.

• A Recipe for Thrills: Making 'Drop' (6.43) - Director Christopher Landon and stars Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar (among others) discuss the creation of the film, highlighting the messages Violet receives, and the film's use of violence. Fahy also relays her excitement about the stunt work in which she was involved.

• A Palate for Panic (4.32) - After a cheeky introduction, the featurette focuses on the film's massive set, the workflow in the restaurant, and the cast discusses the actual food that was made and served to them.

• Killer Chemistry (3.36) - Violet and Henry's relationship (and it's backstory) is explored, and Landon shares his admiration for the two leads and how they brought their characters to life.

• Feature Commentary with Director Christopher Landon - Landon's commentary begins the second that the Universal logo rolls across the screen. He begins by expressing his admiration for the prolific Bear McCreary's score (a topic he returns to several times) before discussing the opening credits sequence. Landon covers a variety of topics from shooting in Dublin and scouting location's for Violet's house, to how certain shots were achieved. He describes building the 12,000 square-foot restaurant set which was elevated off the floor by 30 feet to enable the team to get a wide variety of shots. Landon describes using a mix of real and artificial food on the set during the weeks of shooting. He recounts how star Brandon Sklenar became obsessed with the food, the amount he ate, and how he would often take leftovers home. He also describes the relationships formed by those who populated the restaurant as a result of the time they spent together during the shoot. Landon occasionally, but only briefly, falls silent but it's clear that he's having a great time, clearly growing more comfortable as the commentary continues as he begins cracking jokes and adding more humor into the mix. He's very knowledgeable and covers costuming, props, plot choices, set construction, how to make the set appear to function as a real restaurant, and a host of other subjects with equal ease. It's a causal and engaging listen.

Drop Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

he beautiful and fully realized set, in conjunction with the excellent performances from the film's small cast, pulls the viewer ever deeper into Violet's world and her increasingly difficult first date with Henry. Though elegant, the location begins to feel more claustrophobic and helps to drive the tension as she tries to outmaneuver and outwit her tormenter and his/her demands. Fahy carries the film, as the script clearly calls for her to do, and she expertly alternately conveys vulnerability, strength, charm, awkwardness, terror, and bravery during a night that largely plays out in real time and escalates anxiety and thrills as a result. All of this conspires to make the film rewatchable even after all of its secrets are laid bare. Technical merits are strong and are highlighted by a richly immersive Dolby Atmos track. For lovers of thrillers old and new, Drop comes highly recommended.