Ladyworld Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Ladyworld Blu-ray Movie Review

"No one needs to be in charge when everyone has a knife!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 23, 2024

Black. A low rumble erupts into the roar of an earthquake. When it subsides, eight teenage girls are left trapped in a house with no electricity, water or escape. Sanity frays as the days pass. Tribes form. News of an invader sparks fear. Civility descends into chaos. "The Lord of the Flies" is arguably one of the most adapted stories of 20th century literature, and here it's given a fresh spin with a decidedly modern edge courtesy of a challenging female filmmaker with a penchant for surrealism and atmosphere. Sound like a good flick? Oh, it is... until it isn't, which unfortunately comes far too early in Ladyworld's runtime. The remaining minutes tick by more and more slowly, even though the lunacy on screen increases to a fever pitch. Things that are meant to evoke claustrophobia, tension and irritation do just that, albeit in the viewer. I didn't feel trapped in a house. I felt trapped watching a mountingly grating film. I didn't shudder in suspense. I couldn't wait to reach the credits. And I didn't experience frustration for the girls, but rather at the teens' erratic escalation of anything and everything, a pressing pretentiousness, and the score, which is comprised mainly of the young actresses hoo-ing, haa-ing and chanting as an omnipresent Greek chorus.

The more traditional synopsis? A group of eight teenage girls find themselves trapped in a house together after an earthquake. All is moderately scary, normal for the aftermath of such an event, but when one of the girls disappears, a struggle for power begins to emerge. It only gets worse when word of an adult male stranger, glimpsed briefly elsewhere in the house, cause the girls to panic and develop rituals meant to protect them from dangers within and possibly without. Ladyworld stars Ariela Barer, Annalise Basso (Captain Fantastic), Ryan Simpkins (Brigsby Bear, The House), Odessa Adlon, Maya Hawke (Stranger Things), Tatsumi Romano, Zoe Casabere and Atheena Frizzell. Written by Amanda Kramer and Benjamin Shearn, and produced by Love & Death Productions’ Leal Naim and Thomas R. Burke alongside Amanda Kramer, the film is a modernized all-girl story inspired by William Golding's 1954 classic novel, "The Lord of the Flies".

Kramer knows how to create a convincing space, sense of crawling dread, and thick atmosphere. But her girls already seem "off" the moment they appear on screen, cueing me into the fact that none of this is meant to be taken literally, and more likely, it serves as an allegory for something along the lines of a fractured teenage girl's mind as she deals with trauma, abuse, puberty... God only knows. The larger problem isn't the possibility that there's more at work here than an earthquake and a situational crisis. It's that Kramer failed to make me care. I didn't care whether it was literal or not. I struggled to attach to anyone on a human level, even those on the side of the angels, and grew terribly conscious of the fact that the girls resort to reptile brain behavior far too soon for anything that transpires to register as believable. I certainly didn't care who ended up in charge, whether or not a male prowler was actually on site, or what happened to what's her face that disappears so early I honestly forget which one she was. Genius move to start the film mid-earthquake. But poor storytelling to introduce each teen as a character already losing touch with reality. If I don't know the girls, if I don't care about the girls, why in the world would I stick with them as they struggle to hold onto the hope of rescue or the splitting edges of their sanity?

The actresses themselves do a fine job, leaping over one another to be the most crazed, the most expressive or the most insane, whatever the scene calls for and Kramer asks. Makeup bleeds and smears, hair becomes knotted, clothes are transformed into tribal armor, and Hawke and her compatriots give their all to their craft and to Kramer's vision. So intense are their performances, though, that things further flatline. Panicked deliveries and cracking voices can only go so far, and Kramer pushes the girls to the limit by the midway mark, meaning the back half of the film grows tiresome and repetitive. The final moments have power, as does a portion of the first act, but there's not much in the way of revelation, plotting or insight into the teenage psyche (or its modern frailties) to infuse the proceedings with a compelling narrative or the aforementioned allegory to resonate. I wasn't haunted by Ladyworld in the days that followed, and this is precisely the sort of film that should stick to the brain long after the credits roll. I wasn't disturbed, unsettled or left uncomfortable either, other than by the photography and soundtrack; both of which may be unique and, in smaller doses, potent, but in practice grow old and annoying fast. Introduce yourself to Yellowjackets on Showtime if any of Ladyworld sounds intriguing. It's a better take on the same concept and has more to offer than the confines of a single house.

Ladyworld Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Dim by design, Ladyworld's photography makes it difficult to track what time of day the girls are facing. It's quite the effective visual trick, although it doesn't do much for the film's 1080p/AVC-encoded wow factor. No matter. Cleopatra's high definition presentation is true to its source and free of any nagging technical issues. Skintones are warm and lifelike, even when the surrounding house is a drab, dull affair largely devoid of color. Contrast and black levels are lacking, but again, it represents the vaguely dawn-turned-dusk aesthetic Kramer and cinematographer Patrick Meade Jones intended. Detail remains strong regardless, and while it may not be apparent at first glance, fine textures are revealing and naturally resolved, edges are crisp and clean, and a faint veneer of grain is present and intact throughout. Moreover, I only noticed a small (very small) number of instances where banding was visible in the darkest portions of two poorly lit scenes. Otherwise I didn't catch sight of any other banding, blocking or errant noise. This is a deceptively noteworthy presentation of a low budget indie film that won't immediately jump out and impress you. Keep your eyes peeled, though, and you'll be most satisfied with the results.

Ladyworld Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The highlight of Ladyworld's Blu-ray release is undoubtedly its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. I took my swing at the film's sound design earlier, but whether you find it irritating or effective is irrelevant. Cleopatra's lossless offering does every beat and scream of the soundscape proud. Dialogue is crystal clear and intelligible at all times, even when voices are hushed or when the nature of the space is given permission to pull lines away from the center channel. LFE output is utilized sparingly but when it kicks it kicks, adding room-rattling power to the earthquake early on and, later, wince-inducing brutality to some of the physical assaults. The real standout, though, are the rear speakers, which not only forge a convincing, immersive soundfield but also create a claustrophobic house that sounds as authentic as it should. It's even possible to detect subtle nuances and differences between the rooms; larger or smaller, cramped or vacant, full of chaos or quiet and calm. Ambience is terrifically detailed, pans are swift and smooth, and each directional effect originates and arrives precisely where it's meant to. The music -- divisive as it will prove -- also spreads the girls' chants and intonations around each space, surrounding the listener with oppressive and aggressive vocalizations and chorus runs (as is intended). All told, Ladyworld's lossless audio track sounds fantastic.

Ladyworld Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary - With director Amanda Kramer and co-writer/editor Benjamin Shearn.

• Alternate Opening (HD, 2 minutes) - Less effective and incomplete.

• Deleted Scenes (HD, 6 minutes) - Five wisely cut quick-hit deleted scenes.

• Paris Window (HD, 86 minutes) - A 2018 feature film from Kramer with a DTS-HD MA 2.0 mix.

• Bark (HD, 11 minutes) - Kramer again, with a 2016 short film.

• Intervene (HD, 12 minutes) - And another Kramer short film, this time from 2018.

• Rejected Ladyworld Teaser (HD, 3 minutes)

• Final Ladyworld Trailer (HD, 2 minutes)

• Paris Window Trailer (HD, 2 minutes)

• Booklet - With an essay and analysis from film critic Alexandra Heller Nicholas.

Ladyworld Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Oh, Ladyworld. I wanted to love ya. I really did. I'm a sucker for a good "Lord of the Flies" adaptation and an even bigger sucker for modern twists on classic conflicts. Alas, that's not you. You're difficult, annoying and kind of a bore. Hope you have a good summer but no need to catch up later. See ya. But Ladyworld's Blu-ray release? BFFs thanks to an excellent video presentation, a fantastic lossless audio experience, and a solid supplemental package that even includes an additional feature film from director Amanda Kramer. Lots of value here, if that is you enjoy the film...