6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A bit of an outsider struggling to fit into her new surroundings, Nancy and her pals set out to solve the mystery, make new friends, and establish their place in the community.
Starring: Sophia Lillis, Zoe Renee, Mackenzie Graham, Andrea Anders, Laura WigginsFamily | 100% |
Teen | Insignificant |
Coming of age | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The history behind the young detective Nancy Drew is vast, dating back to her literary debut in 1930. Every now and then, Hollywood endeavors to revive the franchise, with many television and film adaptations striving to update the character for modern audiences, giving old-fashioned sleuthing a trendy twist. “Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase” is no different. The production works to keep things current to best engage an easily distracted audience, and they have a special star in Sophie Lillis, who contributed greatly to the monster success of 2017’s “It.” Lillis picks up the flashlight and unstoppable curiosity for this fresh round of clue gathering, and she’s the brightest thing in the feature, which is best appreciated with lowered expectations, offering mildness for the target demographic, while Lillis comes ready to play.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a bright, clean look for "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase," delivering deep color throughout, working well with the lead actress's red hair and blue eyes. Visits to Twin Elms also enjoy some pop, emerging in the form of pink flamingos and a ghostly pig mask, and greenery is striking at times. Skintones are natural. Detail is satisfactory, surveying facial particulars and household decoration, with Twin Elms once again a source of HD goodness, securing tchotchke age and design. Delineation has a few patches of solidification, but frame information isn't threatened for any sustained amount of time.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track isn't built to overwhelm the listener, respecting the core demographic with less intense blend of drama and ghostly mystery. Dialogue exchanges are precise, securing Lillis's chipper performance and clarifying adult concern. Scoring is satisfactory, and while the dramatic support isn't memorable, instrumentation comes through with precision. Soundtrack selections offer a bit more power. Surrounds aren't especially active, offering appealing outdoor atmospherics and interior creaks and groans, helping to set the spooky mood. Low-end isn't taxed, delivering slight weight with door slams and assorted action beats.
"Hidden Staircase" is intended for a pre-teen audience, and Shea doesn't push her luck, keeping action minimal and conflicts muted. Excitement isn't prioritized, but smarts are valued, with Bess using her gift with chemistry to help answer some sensorial questions, and Nancy is always ready for problems, getting a charge of out solving mysteries and poking at authority figures. Mercifully, Lillis doesn't turn Nancy into a brat, instead bringing an impish spirit to the screen, delivering charm and lightness to a movie that needs it. "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase" stays low to the ground, never giving its audience too much, and while such reservation robs the feature of energy at times, there's care with messages and relationships, delivering PG-rated entertainment directly to those who will appreciate it the most.
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