Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.0
Audio		2.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		2.0

Kill Katie Malone Blu-ray Movie Review

Budget Horror that lacks scares but shows a lot of heart.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 28, 2011

We all get a share in Casper.

Kill Katie Malone represents low budget filmmaking done fairly well. Director Carlos Ramos Jr.'s film superficially looks like it was done on a shoestring budget, shot with equipment purchased from Best Buy and populated by actors selected from an upper level college Drama class, but for all its general weakness, the filmmakers have managed to create a steady, competent, even somewhat entertaining little movie from next to nothing. This certainly won't be mistaken for big-budget Summer blockbuster fare, but Kill Katie Malone manages to improve on "bigger" large-studio-backed movies like One Missed Call thanks to an underlying spunk that elevates rather generic material to passable heights, even considering that it lacks the production values of typical mid grade genre fare. This is a fine example of a movie coming together MacGyver-style, making something out of nothing that everyone involved should be proud of. Audiences coming in and knowing that the movie isn't up to the visual fluff standards of big-dollar fare and who choose to watch for the spirit (no pun intended) it exudes should appreciate what the movie has to offer, even if that is what amounts to little more than a good old fashioned campfire Horror story brought to life on the small screen.

Don't by a demon on the Internet.

Best friends Jim (Stephen Colletti), Ginger (Masiela Lusha), and Dixie (Jonathan 'Lil J' McDaniel) are college students who spend most every moment together and pretty much act as a group. But one evening, Jim stumbles upon an Internet auction for a "ghost." He wants to take a shot and bid on it, but when the asking price jumps, he's forced to mooch off of his doubting friends to make sure he has enough to make the purchase, in essence making them all three "owners" of the box. As soon as they receive their prize, things begin to go awry. Their rooms become cold, strange noises haunt them, and they begin receiving whatever they wish for, whether a beautiful red rose or a way out of a nasty problem with a strict English professor. Soon, the ghost begins acting on the three's behalf, carrying out deadly missions against faculty and fellow students who interfere with Jim's, Ginger's, and Dixie's lives. As the casualties and body counts around school rise, the three must figure out how to stop their ghost -- whom they learn is the spirit of a long-deceased Irish girl named Katie Malone -- before she turns her vengeful ways on them.

Kill Katie Malone will work best for most audiences if they choose to go in with an open mind and watch the movie for content rather than style. If this one were graded on style points and production values alone, it would receive a failing mark, but considering just how many movies out there ooze style but absolutely lack substance and heart, one certainly cannot and should not judge most films on style alone. Kill Katie Malone doesn't exactly produce much in the way of substance, either. The film is patently unoriginal, recycling old Ghost Story clichés, even if it does update such things for the Internet age with its whole "virtual marketplace" angle that plays an important role in the movie. That leaves Kill Katie Malone working pretty much on heart and determination alone. The film oozes these positives with every frame, and even when it lacks vision and novelty, Ramos Jr.'s film nevertheless remains determined to make something of value, even if it has nothing of value to work with. That's not enough to make a great or even good movie, but considering the filmmakers' adequate technical know-how, ability to work things out on a limited budget, and the film's general structural competency, Kill Katie Malone at least works as passable, time-killing fare that should satisfy the basic cravings of the openminded Horror fan.

From a story perspective, the movie is built around the old "things spiral out of control" concept of Horror storytelling. Odd events that begin innocently enough -- a chilly air in the room, a blanket taking the shape of a body, a bed flipped over, odd scribblings carved into the wall -- turn into very real problems of the death and the maiming of various individuals. But whether during its introductory stages or its kinetic final minutes, Kill Katie Malone moves at a decent clip. Its middle stretch is a bit slower, however; once the idea of the three lead characters' wishes coming true in the form of grisly attacks on their enemies is introduced, the film launches into its predictable second act that sees various teachers and rivals taken out, usually off-camera and only some of the time with the aid of budget special effects. Ultimately, however, Kill Katie Malone is a character drama; it's the story of how three friends choose to cope with the presence of the ghost and, ultimately, getting it under control and preventing further chaos at their school and in their lives. The three primaries seem nicely paired and exude an obvious chemistry, even if their characters are painfully flat and lacking in terms of back story and general development.

Kill Katie Malone Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Kill Katie Malone's oddly-framed 1080p Blu-ray transfer has two major problems, but Phase 4's image is otherwise smooth and proficient. The movie seems to have been captured on very low grade digital equipment. It's very glossy and flat, yielding heavy banding throughout the film. Black levels are also prone to crush; black and darker surfaces, objects, and backgrounds tend to melt into one indistinguishable glob. Colors -- even bright Halloween oranges -- are somewhat dim, though much of the movie is made of cold grays and blues. On the other hand, fine detail can be quite good; facial and clothing textures are solid from beginning to end, and decent clarity allows viewers to enjoy the fine touches around the characters' dorm rooms. While the image is never razor-sharp, it's never absolutely soft and undefined, either. The banding and the crushed blacks are there worst offenders here; otherwise, the movie looks fairly good on Blu-ray, especially when considering its innate limitations.

Kill Katie Malone Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Kill Katie Malone features a shaky DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack that, like the video, is far from the Blu-ray format's best presentations but is fair considering the source. Music is adequately spaced and suitably clear whether light score over the opening titles or heavier beats as heard during two loud party sequences. Bass is rumbly and unkempt, reverting to a loud pounding sensation rather than presenting listeners with something tighter and more realistic. Ambience is light and limited mainly to those party sequences where the sound spreads out but never plays with much distinction or spacial clarity. The film's finale does produce some interesting high pitched "ghost sounds" that spread out nicely and immerse the listener into a fairly terrifying sonic environment. Dialogue is generally clear and balanced, lost to that heavy bass only on a few occasions. This track could have been more with an increased budget and added TLC, but as it is it's an acceptable companion to a low budget movie.

Kill Katie Malone Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

All that's included is the Kill Katie Malone trailer (480p, 1:35).

Kill Katie Malone Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kill Katie Malone probably won't become a staple in even the hardest of the hardcore Horror junkie's movie rotation, but it's a competent little go-getter that manages to pull its audience in for a shallow but fun ride through Ghost story clichés. What the film lacks in production values and polish it more than makes up for in heart, not to mention fair technical know-how and decent acting from the three main characters. There's nothing new here, but this one is worth checking out, if only to see a low-budget Horror movie done fairly well. Phase 4's Blu-ray release of Kill Katie Malone features decent video and audio presentations but no supplements outside of a trailer. This one is easily worth a rental, and Horror aficionados might want to add it to their collections when the price is right.