Krull Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Krull Blu-ray Movie Review

Mill Creek has released 'Krull' to Blu-ray for the second time, both times in individual packaging, a surprise considering the studio is perhaps best known for its low cost multi-movie bundles (and full series TV show releases as well). 'Krull' was first released in 2014 to good reviews for its video and audio presentations. The film is also amongst the first wave of titles to feature "Retro VHS" slipcovers which mimic the look of classic 1980s rental copies (which often had vastly superior artwork compared to today's Photoshopped messes, though Mill Creek used the vintage artwork for the original release). See the 'Special Features and Extras' section below for more on the slipcover. The Blu-ray inside is identical to the disc Mill Creek released a few years ago.

Krull Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For a full Blu-ray video review as well as an expanded selection of 1080p screenshots, please click here.

Krull Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For a full Blu-ray audio review, please click here.

Krull Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Finally, a purpose for slipcovers! So often the collectible outer shell features the exact same artwork, front, back, and side as the Blu-ray case inside, making them largely ornamental at best. Occasionally embossing/debossing work adds a little variety but this reviewer has always pitched them in the trash, partly for that reason and partly because doing so saves precious (albeit finite) shelf space, critical when one's collection is in the thousands. Mill Creek has taken a step to make slipcovers a little more meaningful with this line of "Retro VHS" slipcovers that offer a shrunken-down approximation of a vintage rental store copy and also feature a portion of a VHS tape extending from the side of the case, even if most VHS covers were open at the bottom.

For Krull, the cover features a red border, reminiscent of classic Columbia/TriStar VHS releases. A bit of fake wear (creases, edge frays), a peeling genre sticker, and a warning sticker stating that the VHS tape will melt if left in the sun or a (presumably) hot car appear on the box. The VHS tape features the film's title mostly visible as it's partially pulled out from the side of the box. The sticker shows some handling wear, too, and a "be kind, rewind" notice sticker has also been slapped on, though it is only partially visible. Of course these are not real stickers but rather part of the print, and there's no texture to the cassette, either. Still, it's pretty nifty overall. In this instance the Blu-ray case underneath shares the same artwork, minus the little VHS touches. The rear side is a little less neat, keeping up with the vintage look at the top but showing a few necessary tech details on the bottom that correspond to the Blu-ray. The bottom side of the VHS tape is also visible. Humorously, a handful of Blu-ray disc logos appear on the front, rear, and spine to break the illusion (though not entirely); the one on the front, situated at the top, in large print, and in red coloring, is the worst offender.

What would be really cool would be if the entire box art mimicked the VHS cover and the Blu-ray artwork underneath entirely mimicked the VHS tape, which could have easily been accomplished. That would offer more of a seamless illusion of actually pulling a VHS tape out of the package rather than it simply appear printed on part of the slipcover.

As far as on-disc extras, there are none. No DVD or digital codes are included, either.

Krull Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Krull blends Fantasy and Science Fiction rather well, favoring the former and only making use of the latter as a plot propellant, not a major factor in every scene. It's not great, but it's not bad, either, favoring the better end of the spectrum by quite a bit but never truly excelling to the point that it'll be remembered as a bonafide classic outside of its comfortable cult hangout. It's well acted and none of the visual effects are insulting. The finale is a little too easy and straightforward, but it's otherwise a fun little journey with enough replay value to make it a viable option for a weekend movie marathon.

Mill Creek might very well have a hit on its hands with these "Retro VHS" slipcovers, and that each of them has its own character, even if they all follow a similar pattern, is definitely a plus. They look cool but accomplish nothing else, and the concept might have worked better had the entire slipcover replicated the VHS box and the interior Blu-ray sleeve replicated the look of the VHS tape on both sides and the spine, but alas, it was not meant to be. This is a good way to own these films, the price is right, and those who don't normally care about slipcovers just might find these to be worth keeping. It goes without saying that slipcover fans and collectors will want to add these to their libraries. Recommended.