6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
The horrific account of 6 year old Martin Bristol, abducted from his backyard swing and forced to witness the brutal crimes of a deranged madman.
Starring: Alexandra Daddario, Michael Biehn, Brett Rickaby, Spencer List, John SavageHorror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
Perhaps ironically lost in all the mayhem of Stevan Mena’s 2003 opus Malevolence is the fact that there’s a child abduction at the heart of the story. That film in fact begins with some text supposedly offering statistics of how many kids are taken, giving the film a kind of unsettling aspect from the get go. Malevolence 2, which is also known as Bereavement, is a prequel tracing the slow, steady descent into madness of the abducted child at the core of Malevolence, Martin Bristol (Spencer List as an adult, Chase Pachacek as a child).
Malevolence 2: Bereavement is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Mena Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. The IMDb lists a 35mm source and a 2K DI, but this release, like Malevolence, features a grain field that to my eyes doesn't always look natural and in fact is not very evident at times, which could either be due to filtering or compression issues, or a combination of the two. The palette here is rather vivid and detail levels can be very good, even in some of the darker moments that take place in the central "killing location".
As was also the case with Malevolence, this release features only lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 tracks. The film sports a rather spooky and effective sound design, including a well done score by Mena himself, and so some audiophiles may be as disappointed as I continue to be with Blu-ray releases lacking lossless audio (as I've repeatedly stated, I frankly expect Blu-ray releases to include lossless audio at this point in the format). Surround activity is noticeable throughout the presentation, and dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout.
Mena knows how to stage an unsettling horror sequence, and there are certainly viscerally unsettling moments in this prequel. Fans of the first film may well want to check this out, though the Blu-ray's technical presentation may leave some wanting more. Supplements include some enjoyable material.
Limited Edition
2009
2009
2017
Limited Edition
2001
2015
2014
1989
The Burning / Op de Drempel van de Gruwel / La casa del terror / Pyromaniac / Maniac 2: Non andare in casa / Nie chodz do tego domu / Das Haus der lebenden Leichen
1980
Legions of the Dead
2011
2012
2011
Un gatto nel cervello | Glow in the Dark Cover & Mini Portrait of Lucio Fulci Limited Edition to 3000
1990
2013
20th Anniversary Edition
2003
1972
Theatrical Cut
2006
Unrated Collector's Edition
2007
2018
2016
2015