6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Emerging from the mind of writer/producer Stephen J. Cannell, 'It Waits' stars Cerina Vincent as a young woman plagued by guilt over the death of her friend. Trying to escape these thoughts, Danielle seeks solace at a home in the wilderness. But peace is not what she finds when an ancient spirit starts to torment her in an attempt to drive her out of the woods it has haunted for years.
Starring: Cerina Vincent, Dominic Zamprogna, Greg Kean, Eric Schweig, Miranda FrigonHorror | 100% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
There's some kind of evil darkness closing in.
Low budget, low shock, low value Horror. Know it, live it, love it. That's It Waits,
a movie that features pretty cool packaging (reminiscent of that old style skull-with-eyes cover art
for
Evil Dead 2, even
going so far as to sport a very similar blood-red font) but
doesn't offer anything of substance inside the box
and on the Blu-ray disc. Just another fly-by-night direct-to-video Chiller, It Waits is about
as
unassuming as they come and not all that scary to boot. What's the point, then? There really
isn't
one, truth be told; It Waits plods along with an absence of thrills, clumsy editing, stale
direction, minimal gore and violence, a bland plot, and uninteresting characters, all of which keep
this from being
little more than, at best, a serviceable Horror/Thriller with zero replay value but just enough good
-- but good that's not fully realized -- to
keep the viewer watching from beginning to end.
Waiting...
It Waits arrives on Blu-ray with the sort of 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer that's as-expected of a release of this nature. It's a good effort -- no surprise from Starz/Anchor Bay -- but it's not perfect, again no surprise considering the picture's small budget. Still, viewers will enjoy a fair image that often boasts adequate detailing and good color reproduction, the latter in particular a strength as evidenced by the nicely-rendered greenery that's so abundant in the film's daytime scenes, helping to build some convincing environments. Fine detail never brings with it that "wow" factor, but only a few shots appear downright sloppy or devoid of at least a passable level of detailing, even though the image on the whole takes on a somewhat flat appearance and intermixes several softer shots into the fold. Black levels, despite a hint of crushing here and there, prove to be one of the transfer's strengths, and flesh tones consistently appear fresh and natural. The source is clean -- mostly free of distracting pops and scratches -- though a bit of noise is visible in some of the darker recesses of the screen. A slight bit of edge enhancement and occasional banding bring the image down a notch, but given that this is a budget release of an inconsequential Horror film, it's hard to dwell too much on the negatives.
It Waits leaves fans waiting for a lossless soundtrack; only a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is included, and while it gets the job done, it proves to be somewhat lacking in several areas. A few explosions heard early in the film are presented with an honest and natural tone but lack in power, even at reference level. That's a theme that defines this track; it's generally clear and precise but absent a more substantial feel, certainly a cardinal sin for an Action/Horror movie like It Waits. Some effects are accompanied by a fair sense of spacing, but the several songs that play in the movie sound awfully cramped and jammed into the center channel. Atmospherics are decent; the track never builds a convincing aural environment, but sounds of nature -- singing birds, rustling leaves, and the like -- are at least present and accounted for and sometimes even work towards building an honest ambience. Dialogue occasionally lacks in authority but there are never any times where it's a struggle to understand what characters are saying. This is a hit-or-miss track that's not all that great but never subpar, either. It's about what one should reasonably expect of a title like It Waits.
It Waits contains no special features.
It Waits is pretty average for what it is; some DTV flicks are better, some are worse, but few are as inconsequential as this. Horror buffs certainly won't find much of value here, and at this stage in the game they're not likely to give a movie like this a spin when there are so many better options out there, DTV or otherwise. The best thing that can be said of It Waits? It's not an embarrassment. The film is structurally sound, acted well enough, and even the special effects manage to look better than those found in some larger-budget films. Otherwise, this one's just forgettable, a serviceable picture with a good premise that's never realized, ultimately making for a decent enough time killer but nothing more. Starz/Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of It Waits doesn't contain any special features, but viewers will enjoy a modest 1080p transfer and a decent, albeit lossy, soundtrack. Interested parties will want to stick with a rental.
2019
2016
Slipcover In Original Pressing
1974
Slipcover in Original Pressing
1985
2017
2016
2016
The Woods
2015
2015
Land of the Minotaur
1976
2014
2014
1980
2013
2006
1982
Collector's Edition
1988
2012
2019
2018