Out of the Dark Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Out of the Dark Blu-ray Movie Review

Out of the Dark is a supernatural comedy-thriller. Produced by Mona Fong (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Avenging Eagle), Out of the Dark is in part a spoof of Luc Besson’s Leon: The Professional. Featuring dark comedy, Out of the Dark stars Stephen Chow, Karen Mok, Yat-Fei Wong, Kin-Yan Lee, Lik-Chi Lee, and Hung Lu.

Ghostbusting comedy ensues at an apartment complex in Hong Kong. Leon (Stephen Chow) is a tough paranormal detective helping to look into matters at the ghost-ridden complex. Leon also enlists help from Kwan (Karen Mok), a girl carrying a house-plant. Leon and Kwan end up working alongside the security guards at the Hong Kong apartment complex and put themselves to the ultimate test in the world of paranormal ghostbusting.

Stephen Chow delivers a terrific performance. Chow’s performance has a lot of energy and he has clear enthusiasm for the role. Karen Mok is also impressive in her role as Kwan. The dynamics between these actors plays well throughout the film. The supporting cast of characters includes Tit Dam (Yat-Fei Wong), Fat Cat (Kin-Yan Lee), Security Guard (Lik-Chi Lee), and Captain Lu (Hung Lu).

The production features solid art direction by Andrew Cheuk (Casino Tycoon, Legend of the Liquid Sword). Cheuk created a compelling aesthetic for the production design. There is a great style to showcase with the production merits of Out of the Dark.

The score composed by Wai Lap Wu (From Beijing with Love, Iron Monkey) is well-done. The music adds to the whimsy of the feature-film. Wu made a fun score that capably serves as a solid backdrop to the action and comedy. The ghostbusting element is well emphasized by the score.

The cinematography by Chi Wai Wong (Escape from Brothel, The Dragon from Russia) is one of the most impressive aspects of the production. The cinematography is creative and visually inventive in so many ways. The color grading of the cinematography looks fantastic and creates an evocative style for the film.

Edited by Kit-Wai Kai (Chungking Express, Shaolin Soccer), Out of the Dark is a well-cut feature. The editing is solid. The pace and rhythm of the filmmaking helps create a solid experience.

Written and directed by Jeffrey Lau (A Chinese Odyssey: Part One - Pandora's Box, A Chinese Odyssey: Part 2 – Cinderella), Out of the Dark is well-directed. Lau is a great action director with an incredible visual style and sensibility as a filmmaker. The visual style is one of the strengths of the film.

Unfortunately, the screenplay could be better. There are some gags with the security guards making various rape jokes – moments that I wish were missing and could be removed altogether. I have seen similar such jokes in other Hong Kong comedies over the years & never appreciate that type of comedy. Some of the other comedy falls flat, too. Mixed results with the script.

Even despite a problematic screenplay, the visuals are superb and the style of the filmmaking and direction makes up for some of the shortcomings. Out of the Dark is a beautiful looking film with impressive performances and the spoof elements referencing Leon: The Professional are fun. An imperfect but worthwhile action-comedy. Stephen Chow fans who also appreciate Leon: The Professional should see it.

Out of the Dark Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, Out of the Dark is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.86:1 widescreen. The high-definition video is crisp and pleasing. The scan provides a pleasing presentation of the cinematography. The cinematography provides great color reproduction and overall detail. The scan isn't as robust as a new 4K remaster potentially could have provided but the filmic scan looks pleasing overall.

Out of the Dark Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. Out of the Dark features solid lossless audio. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand throughout. The score is well reproduced. English subtitles are well-done and are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Out of the Dark Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary With Film Critic James Mudge

A Different Shade of Dark – Interview with Author Daniel O'Brien (HD, 11:57)

Original Theatrical Trailer (HD, 00:48)

Celestial Trailer (HD, 1:14)

Image Gallery (HD, 1:16)

Out of the Dark Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Out of the Dark is an entertaining action-comedy. The comedy is inconsistent but the action delivers and Leon: The Professional is spoofed in an entertaining way. Stephen Chow is fantastic and delivers a great performance in the lead role. The Blu-ray release features a solid high-definition transfer and lossless audio encoding. The release also comes with a nice selection of bonus features. Recommended.