Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Nothing Left to Fear Blu-ray Movie Review

Don't fear that this is just another forgettable Horror film as its cover suggests.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 16, 2013

Nothing Left to Fear hits all of the Religious Horror "high" points, if they can be considered as such. There are demonically possessed individuals with the requisite "black veins" and exaggerated black eyes. There are small town secrets, terrifying and unexplainable visions, ulterior motives galore, mystery individuals, and more of the usual Horror fodder around many scenes. Fortunately, none of it is used to excess, and even if all of those pieces are integral to the story, they never overwhelm. Instead, there's a surprising balance to everything. Nothing Left to Fear certainly doesn't redefine its genre or the sub-genre that focuses on demonic possession, but there's at least a credible flow and presence to it. It's not overbearing but instead presented linearly and never too aggressively. Where other films feel like nothing more than build-ups to "scary" scenes made with sharp music and silly special effects, Nothing Left to Fear sees its scares flow from the story, not the story flow from the scares. It's a welcome change of pace, and even if there's nothing new here, it's presented in such a way as to work a little bit better than the run-of-the-mill Horror movie that fails to develop characters and atmosphere and instead aims only to go for the jugular from the outset.

Welcome to the "don't judge a Horror movie by its cover" club.

The small country town of Stull is preparing to greet its new preacher. Replacing the beloved Pastor Kingsman (Clancy Brown) is Dan Bramford (James Tupper), a younger man with a wife (Anne Heche) and three children: Christopher (Carter Cabassa), Mary (Jennifer Stone), and Rebecca (Rebekah Brandes). They are greeted warmly and the entire church community aides them in moving into their beautiful country estate. Rebecca, however, isn't quite so enthusiastic about the move as is the rest of her family. Her spirits are lifted, however, when she meets Noah (Ethan Peck), a handsome and mysterious local with whom she becomes quick friends with romantic possibilities. Unfortunately, Rebecca begins seeing grisly images and suffering from horrific nightmares. Her problems are compounded when Mary is injured eating food prepared by a local elderly do-gooder. As Rebecca's visions worsen, the secret truths buried deep within the town begin to take shape.

To be sure, Nothing Left to Fear rings familiar on the surface. The difference is that the film strives to paint a more complete picture, to develop its characters beyond type, to create an atmosphere that works beyond the generic. It's more concerned with telling a story and not dotting its landscape with phony scares. Instead, the scares are both largely unique and smartly integrated into the narrative. One character, for instance, envisions herself trapped in black slime and surrounded by sheep, no doubt shaped in part by bearing witness to a sheep's slaughter earlier in the film. It sounds benign but proves contextually terrifying in the greater framework. In that way, this film's scares are significantly more effective, not so much in sending a jolt through the audience but rather in slowly building the pressure along the way towards the disturbing conclusion. The film in its entirety works very well up until its final shot, a shot that the audience can see coming the entire way through the third act. It certainly lessens the film -- it's one of those classic aha! moments -- but not too much. The rest of it is enjoyably moody and steady, two qualities often lacking in today's forced Horror landscape.

The movie is also the beneficiary of a slick and smooth but at the same straightforward presentation. It's not crafty or forced but instead favors a simple narrative presentation that allows the story to unfold naturally, not with the help of unnecessary and overly stylized photography. The film does a tremendous job of painting its atmosphere. There's an obvious sense of unease, subtle at first and growing with time as the film progresses. It meshes well with the establishment of good characters and the portrait of a peaceful, friendly small town atmosphere that's such a strong presence that many in the audience will actively root against the pending doom in favor of maintaining the tranquil and welcoming status quo rather than simply wait for and cheer on the inevitable scares later in the movie. That only makes the buildup to the third act and all of the chaos therein all the more emotionally powerful and satisfying. Nothing Left to Fear also enjoys a collection of great performances. There's not a weak link in the film, though the trio of Rebekah Brandes, Ethan Peck, and Clancy Brown rise above the rest.

Nothing Left to Fear Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Nothing Left to Fear looks quite nice on Blu-ray. The image can be slightly flat and glossy, but it's otherwise colorfully robust and superbly detailed while always squeaky clean and crystal clear. It's very well defined from beginning to end, from the bright, cheery country exteriors to the dark, almost foreboding nighttime sequences later in the film. Details range from great to exacting. Facial and clothing textures never fail to impress, while grass, gravel, and wear on an old beater pickup truck offer true-to-life detailing. Colors are even and vibrant, particularly the beautiful natural greens seen through much of the first half. The palette can get a little warm, at times, inside the church and later on in lower light, but generally the colors look amazing. Blacks are sturdy and flesh tones are fairly even. There are no major instance of noise, banding, or blocking. This is an excellent transfer from Anchor Bay.

Nothing Left to Fear Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Nothing Left to Fear features a high quality Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. There's a very well defined rise to the beginning, a crescendo that builds to a high quality climax of big stage presence and quality bass. Musical delivery on the whole offers a good, balanced presentation, favoring the front but certainly not shying away from making use of the back. Clarity is strong while the low end proves consistently deep and tight but in no way overpowering or rattly at the bottom. The track produces some fantastic country ambience, gently immersing the listening audience with the sounds of sheep and insects. A rolling thunderstorm effortlessly surrounds the listener, as does church music performed by the congregation. Heavier, scarier sound effects are well defined, too, built around positive, deep bass. Dialogue never strays from the center and never loses its natural accuracy.

Nothing Left to Fear Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Nothing Left to Fear contains two supplements.

• Audio Commentary: Producer/Composer Slash, Composer Nicholas O'Toole, and Director Anthony Leonardi III deliver a very well-spoken and even-keeled commentary track. They cover all of the basics and fill in the behind-the-scenes elements effortlessly, particularly with regard to the film's shunning of cliché, its natural flow, its fully developed characters, its slow progression towards the meat of the story, and other ways in which it differs from lesser films. Fans will get a lot of enjoyment form this track.
• Nothing Left to Fear: Behind the Scenes (HD, 16:08): Producer Slash discusses his attraction to the project, what makes it work, the score and his musical influences, and what he hopes the audience will take from the film. Meanwhile, the cast speaks on the film's plusses, the characters, and the picture's metaphors. There are also discussions of Anchor Bay's work on the film and in the greater Horror landscape, assembling the cast and crew, Director Anthony Leonardi III's work, and constructing the special effects.
• DVD Copy.

Nothing Left to Fear Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Nothing Left to Fear isn't a beacon of originality of a bastion of Horror creativity, but it's a surprisingly well balanced film, one built around dependable but seemingly long-lost staples like atmosphere and characterization, not jump scares and lame special effects. Certainly there's no shortage of terrifying moments and visual effects, but they work within the film's context rather than the film's context worked around them. It's a welcome escape from the black hole that has been the religiously themed Horror film and a very enjoyable experience all around. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of Nothing Left to Fear offers rock-solid video and audio. A couple of extras are included. Recommended.