Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

House of Wax Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 9, 2021

For their fifth release, Dark Castle Entertainment returns to remake territory with “House of Wax,” which takes its inspiration from a 1953 Andre DeToth film, which was a remake of a 1933 picture, “Mystery of the Wax Museum.” Looking to capture some 2005 energy, the new “House of Wax” gathers young stars of the day to provide a fresh sense of peril for viewers, while director Jaume Collet-Serra (making his helming debut) invests in the oily, sludgy textures of the titular gunk, attempting to generate a more claustrophobic sense of danger for his take on the material (scripted by Chad and Carey Hayes). “House of Wax” isn’t particularly well-acted or tightly edited, but it does have a visual presence that impresses, with Collet- Serra delivering a pleasingly ruthless nightmare that does especially well with creepy visuals and bodily harm, resulting in one of the best Dark Castle Entertainment offerings.

Off to catch a football game down south, Carly (Elisha Cuthbert) and Wade (Jared Padalecki) are working on their relationship while joined by Carly’s troubled brother, Nick (Chad Michael Murray), and his buddy, Dalton (Jon Abrahams). Tagging along is Blake (Robert Ri’chard) and Paige (Paris Hilton), with the gang hitting the road, soon finding themselves in the middle of nowhere. When car troubles arrive, a stop in Ambrose is made, with Carly and Wade exploring a ghost town that features a seemingly abandoned house of wax. Hoping mechanic Bo (Brian Van Holt) can help with repairs, Carly and Wade explore their surroundings, finding the strangeness of the wax world and its shadowy inhabitant more horrifying than previously imagined.

“House of Wax” offers a first act devoted to character introductions and backstory, with the writing in charge of generating something interesting about six characters before things start getting ugly for the visitors. The Hayes Brothers aren’t quite up for that challenge, working in some clumsy exposition as they prepare these personalities for the slaughter. “House of Wax” gets a little lost in early scenes as Collet-Serra tries to keep tabs on everyone, laboring through tedious conversations meant to humanize these formulaic creations, who deal with sibling and separation issues before trouble arrives once the group makes their way to Ambrose.

Design elements are most impressive in “House of Wax,” with Ambrose an eerie town that stopped time in the 1960s, with Wade and Carly the first to enter the danger zone, taking in the sights, including the house of wax, which proves to be quite literal, as everything is molded out of the stuff. The production provides plenty of technical achievements during the viewing experience, with house tours exposing strange surfaces and haunting imagery, creating a mystery out of the stalker who lives there, with the masked ghoul emerging as the primary threat in “House of Wax,” eventually collecting a few more figures for display as macabre events start occurring in the film’s second half.

“House of Wax” does the same old slasher thing, but it does it relatively well, with threats facing all of the characters as they gradually put together what’s going on in Ambrose. Collet-Serra arranges some interesting kills and torturous events, even following one character through the wax figure preparation process, which is pretty intense. Violence is interesting in “House of Wax,” which is a credit to the helmer’s imagination for this goopy world, managing to keep the iffy story as supported as possible while providing plenty of gruesome encounters, hammering away on the characters for added surprise. Collet-Serra also deals with a less-than-skilled cast, with most of the young actors better seen than heard, and even that’s not enough at times, though Cuthbert is enjoyably invested in her performance, adding pluck and visceral pain to the endeavor.

House of Wax Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Initially released on Blu-ray in 2006, "House of Wax" returns to disc courtesy of Shout Factory, who offer an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Information isn't on the packaging, but early reports list a "2K restoration from an interpositive," and Shout delivers a reasonably detailed, more film-like viewing experience for a movie that's almost completely about goopy, bloody textures. Facial surfaces retain their natural and unnatural appearance, with the wax figures showing off their smoothness. Town particulars are open for study as the characters march around the area, and distances are acceptably dimensional. It's a darker transfer, and while solidification isn't a widespread problem, some scenes struggle with delineation. Colors retain some vibrancy with signage and neon greenery, along with costuming. Grain is nicely resolved. Source is in good condition.

House of Wax Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix provides a reasonably immersive listening event for "House of Wax." Surrounds detail atmospherics around the town and inside buildings, increasing in activity as suspense unfolds. Dialogue exchanges are secure, with clear performances and balanced moments of panic and screaming. Scoring supports with defined instrumentation, also handling with a circular presence. Low-end isn't a mighty force, but soundtrack cuts add some bass, and explosive incidents are appreciable.

House of Wax Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Die, My Darling" (8:04, HD) is an interview with actress Paris Hilton (who's probably the most made-up and carefully lit Blu-ray supplement participant I've ever seen), who discusses her initial hiring, handed a script by producer Joel Silver, who wanted her in the "House of Wax" remake. Hilton details the life casting process and the shoot in Australia, with the actors offered an entire faux town to explore. Positive memories of a few co-stars are shared, and Hilton reveals her hesitation when it came time to scream on-screen, needing help from the production. Amusingly, the interviewee wanted to perish while wearing "hot" heels, and her death sequence is recalled, with Warner Brothers creating a "See Paris Die" marketing campaign to help attract attention to the movie.

• "The Tale of Blake and Paige" (5:22, HD) is an interview with actor Robert Ri'chard, who was bluntly asked by producer Joel Silver if he was okay with the idea of working with Paris Hilton in Australia. Ri'chard happily accepted the part and spends a few moments exploring his character and the Australian experience. Most of the conversation is devoted to Hilton, with the interviewee enchanted by his co-star, getting a taste of her mega-fame when paparazzi would follow the cast around town.

• "To Me They Live and Breathe" (9:02, HD) is a video conference interview with effects master Jason Baird. The interviewee details different figure construction, using some wax, but also silicone to mass produce bodies, while certain scenes featured extras in masks. Baird shares his memories of the town built for the production, and recalls his favorite figures, with two offering a bit more realism than others. He closes with a recollection of a fire accident that burned down a key set, forcing his team to replicate all that was lost in just two weeks.

• "Organ Grinder" (6:01, HD) is a video conference interview with composer John Ottman, who recalls his choice to skip a synth score, using his paycheck to hire an orchestra for a fuller sound. Themes are analyzed and instrumentation is identified. Ottman also reveals the use of his own voice in the final mix, lacking funds to hire a proper choir.

• "B-roll and Bloopers Video Cast" (26:31, SD) offers a split-screen viewing experience, with actors Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Paris Hilton, and Jared Padalecki sitting on a couch commenting on footage collected during the making of "House of Wax."

• "Wax On: The Design of 'House of Wax'" (7:25, SD) is a featurette focusing on the creation of the town setting and the titular museum, also exploring the manufacturing of the wax figures in the picture. Interviewees include producers Susan Levin, Joel Silver, and Herb Gains, actor Jared Padalecki, production designer Graham Walker, cinematographer Stephen Windon, director Jaume Collet-Serra, and effects master Jason Baird.

• "A House Built on Wax: The Visual FX of 'House of Wax'" (10:11, SD) provides an overview of the practical effects used to bring the feature to life, while CGI was used sparingly to augment certain visuals. Interviewees include producers Joel Silver, Susan Levin, Herb Gains, and Richard Mirisch, miniatures supervisor Greg Tuckwell, visual effects supervisor John Breslin, and director Jaume Collet-Serra.

• EPK Interviews (19:45, SD) include actors Elisha Cuthbert, Chard Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt, Paris Hilton, Jared Padalecki, Jon Abrahams, and Robert Ri'chard, producers Joel Silver and Susan Levin, and director Jaume Collet-Serra.

• Alternate Opening (1:29, SD) presents an introductory kill.

• "From Location" (1:32, SD) is a promotional video starring producer Joel Silver, who comments on the "stars of tomorrow" in "House of Wax" while on the set of "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang."

• Gag Reel (4:42, SD) is offered.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:21, HD) is included.

House of Wax Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"House of Wax" builds to a fiery finale, which is more enjoyable than watching these characters communicate with one another. After a static start, liveliness eventually arrives, introducing chases and general horror movie chaos, giving the feature a boost in genre appeal, offering a decidedly messier, meaner take on the central premise than previous incarnations. Mistakes are made by Dark Castle Entertainment as they pander to the youth market, but "House of Wax" is certainly an inspired effort when it gets moving in the right direction.