6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Driving to a music festival in Ireland, lovers Lucy and Tom become lost on the complex system of country roads and are set upon by a mysterious tormentor, forcing them to fight to survive and also to face their deepest fears.
Starring: Alice Englert, Iain De Caestecker, Allen LeechHorror | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
There's definitely a place for the big, unstoppable, hideous slasher in Horror. The very real and very tangible fear of the menacing brute bearing down on a hapless and hopeless victim, ready to kill and unmercifully so, certainly makes for a frightening genre staple that was the face of Horror for a couple of decades past. The genre then moved away from the likes of Freddy and Jason (with some returns to 1980s glory in films like Hatchet) and focused more on The Ring-inspired Supernatural Horror, Paranormal Activity-inspired paranormal Horror, and "POV" The Blair Witch Project-inspired Horror. No longer was it the boogeyman chasing one through the woods but rather a different kind of unstoppable force bearing down on people, a force that could not seemingly be slowed down, never mind destroyed. Yet for all the money these movies make, for all the scares they engender, for as iconic as so many have become, it's yet a third variety of Horror that's perhaps the most fundamentally frightening, and that's Horror based on some sort of relatable realism. In Fear tells the story of two young lovers caught up in a devilish game of manipulation and terror on Ireland's windy backroads where only a wrong turn might lead to salvation, where even the sunrise cannot guarantee safe passage back out of a manmade hell on Earth.
I don't know about you, but I'm definitely in fear.
In Fear sports a fair-to-good high definition transfer. The image features decent clarity and color, but it never quite finds the exacting precision, definition, and natural shading enjoyed by top-end film and digital presentations. Here, grassy fields, skin and clothing textures, and other fine object details rank in the middle of the pack at best. Grasses in particular fail to showcase that lifelike individuality. Stains and water droplets on the car windshield are nicely revealed early on and before darkness' onset. Colors aren't dull but they aren't bold and precise, either, falling into a slightly murky middle ground which is largely negated by the cover of dark that defines much of the film. Still, bright red blood and other splashes of color enjoy rather accurate presentations. The image suffers from the occasional bout of aliasing and jagged edges. Black levels are fair, never drifting too pale nor too dark, while flesh tones appear fairly rendered. All around, a slightly troubled but consistently fair image from Anchor Bay.
In Fear's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack performs admirably. There's good musical surround usage at the beginning, supported by a deep, heavy low end. The surround speakers are not frequently used but are instead smartly used, helping to provide a more immersive atmosphere to both music and ambient support elements like crunching leaves underfoot, gusty winds, and general country insect ambience. There are several more potent sound effects that are delivered clearly and with strong stage presence and definition, the best, perhaps, being a blaring car horn that passes for real life and floods the soundstage with its shrieking alarm. Much of the film is comprised of simple dialogue exchanges that play with natural stage presence and clarity, whether normal conversation, hushed whispers, or screams. All in all, the track is nothing spectacularly memorable, but it satisfies in every area of concern.
In Fear contains only 'In Fear:' Behind the Scenes (HD, 12:50), a piece that looks at the actors' lack of foreknowledge of how the movie would end, the film's story and themes, the casting process, working without a firm script, shooting chronologically, filming location climate, and more.
In Fear neither redefines its genre nor truly grips its audience, but it's a workable, largely enjoyable little escape from the Horror doldrums into something a little less stylized and lame and a bit more believable and immersive. The film sports a solid atmosphere, a fair story, good pacing, smart direction, and fine performances. Horror fans could do much worse than giving this one a spin. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of In Fear features decent video and audio. Supplements are limited to a single feature. Definitely worth a rental and perhaps a purchase at a more aggressive price.
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