7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Teenagers accidentally resurrect a satanic killer who targets the local police captain's daughter to birth the antichrist.
Starring: Fernando Almada, Edna Bolkan, Erika Buenfil, Ernesto Laguardia, María RebecaHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 38% |
Mystery | 16% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
1989’s “Grave Robbers” is a Mexican production from director Ruben Galindo, Jr., and the helmer loves to stage scenes of panic. Most of the feature is made up of characters in various stages of distress, trying to avoid certain doom from an undead executioner, and while the story begins with some sense of exploratory peace, the whole thing becomes a screaming competition in its second half. Ear fatigue is a very real thing with “Grave Robbers,” but Galindo, Jr. is driven to compete with similar productions, trying to keep his picture alert with lots of gory imagery and evil events. With earplugs, there’s an appealing genre offering to be found here, with the production ready to deliver gushy wounds and deadly encounters.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative. "Grave Robbers" is almost entirely set during nighttime, but delineation is strong throughout, while shadowy encounters remain open for inspection. Detail delivers on facial surfaces and horror makeup additions, highlighting all manner of rotting and sliced skin. Locations are dimensional, offering well-lit adventures around nature and deep into the crypt set. Colors enjoy some heft with costuming, with powerful primaries, and police lighting has some pop. Creature decay and muddy areas are defined, and skintones are natural. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in excellent shape.
"Grave Robbers" features an enormous amount of screaming, and the 1.0 DTS-HD MA offers an expectedly hectic listening experience. Dialogue exchanges have some difficulty with explosive highs, hitting fuzziness at times, and sibilance issues are periodic. Scoring is acceptable, supporting with a louder synth sound.
"Grave Robbers" takes on too much with the titular gang, a handful of campers, a sheriff, an undead executioner, a priest, and a fiancé who specializes in restoring Uzis. Perhaps a more streamlined screenplay was in order, but Galindo, Jr. goes all in, only to lose concentration on pace and hellacious happenings, soon giving the movie over to semi-sleepy slasher formula that's passably grisly but also incredibly noisy.
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