Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 10, 2019

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.

After the loss of her mother, Nancy Drew (Sophie Lillis) is forced to move from Chicago to the small town of River Heights, while her father, lawyer Carson (Sam Trammell), struggles with grief. Palling around with George (Zoe Renee) and Bess (Mackenzie Graham), Nancy is compelled to solve mysteries and organize “restorative justice,” but her latest battle has rewarded her with community service, spending the summer picking up trash. Nancy’s boredom and frustrations are relieved by Helen (Laura Wiggins), a rich kid who needs help with her Great Aunt Flora (an appealing Linda Lavin), who reports that ghosts are inhabiting Twin Elms, her kitschy estate where she lives alone. While local police are no help, Nancy elects to join forces with Helen and spend the night inside the home, emerging with an understanding of a possibly supernatural threat, but no real leads, forcing the teen to dig deeper into the evidence, putting herself in harm’s way.

“Hidden Staircase” is listed as the second Nancy Drew story (already adapted into a film in 1939), requiring screenwriters Nina Fiore and John Herrera to do some heavy lifting to help modernize the adventure for the teen detective. They go the obvious route, but non-offensively so, turning Nancy into skateboard thrashin’, wisecrackin’, wildly intelligent girl, and someone who’s compulsively drawn to mysteries. However, before ghosts are introduced, Nancy has to deal with a more current issue facing juveniles, working to help Bess confront a cyberbully, the town rich kid, who’s posted a mean video about her BFF. “Hidden Staircase” uses the situation to identify Nancy’s strengths with mischief and revenge, managing to turn the creep blue to best destroy his ego. The writing deals with these small challenges to social standing, but remains entertaining, with director Katt Shea (a helmer who previously crafted exploitation fare such as “Poison Ivy” and “Stripped to Kill”) keeping the mood bright and the empowerment flowing.

There’s actually a lot going on in “Hidden Staircase,” as Nancy deals with protecting friends and managing exasperation from Carson, who defends his daughter’s actions, but remains wary of her impulse control. Nancy has Aunt Hannah (Andrea Anders) to lean on, and she’s quickly paired with Helen, calling a truce with the classmate, who comes from money, thus making her unwelcome with the detective’s posse. There’s also a subplot concerning the development of a train set to run through River Heights, which, to some, threatens to destroy the quaintness of the area, while others see only progress and money. There’s all that, and the central ghost story, which finds Nancy spending the night at Flora’s mansion, discovering pink footprints and a secret room, and she’s confronted by floating stranger in a pig mask. There are mysteries to be solved, and the production tries to juggle dramatic and genre needs, tracking Nancy’s investigation and personal life, with class resentment playing a large part in the story.

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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.

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "A Sleuth, A Girl, and an Inspiration" (8:58, HD) endeavors to articulate just how the Nancy Drew character has managed to influence generations of girls over the last 90 years. A history of publishing is offered, identifying a critical sense of empowerment from the literary adventures, with Nancy becoming a role model for readers of all ages, showcasing her smarts and tenacity. Personality traits and detective skills are summarized, and the brand name's influence is explored. Cast and crew interviews (including Sophie Lillis, Linda Lavin, and director Katt Shea) are on the programmed side, and it's amusing to watch the interviewees struggle to communicate the same scripted talking points, which grow repetitive, but production pride seems genuine. More interesting is the BTS footage scattered around the featurette, showcasing the production in motion, making the work come alive.

• "Pink Footprints: Touring Twin Elms" (4:44, HD) is a short but educational featurette, with Linda Lavin returning to give a personal tour of the mansion set, pointing out strange, Christmas-themed decorations and secret rooms. Design quirks are noted, but there's also a breakdown of locations and sets, with the titular staircase built inside an elementary school gym. Also of interest is a look at the ghost tricks used in the movie, highlighting special drawers prepared for stunt work from Lillis.

• Gag Reel (3:13, HD) presents an overview of flubbed lines, dizzy spells, giggle fits, and struggles with mouthfuls of baked goods.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"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.