Poison Ivy: The New Seduction Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		2.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.5

Poison Ivy: The New Seduction Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 18, 2019

Trying to keep a profitable business motoring along, New Line Cinema returns to an unlikely franchise with 1997’s “Poison Ivy: The New Seduction.” There’s actually an effort made to connect the sequel to the series, but the third installment of the franchise is mostly interested in doing its own thing, with director Kurt Voss realizing that aiming for any sort of realism when it comes to an assessment of trauma is pointless at this point, moving ahead with a fairly basic revenge movie that fulfills most erotic thriller needs.

Jamie Pressly joins the party as Violet, a young temptress out to right a few wrongs with her old friend, targeting her loved ones for seduction as she slowly seeks to disrupt life for a wealthy group of troubled people. “Poison Ivy: The New Seduction” isn’t advanced work from screenwriter Karen Kelly, but she creates a passably engaging game of sexual chess, with Violet using her physical appeal to wreak havoc on a household, filling the movie with coupling scenes and strange humor concerning the character’s job as a dominatrix.

“Poison Ivy: The New Seduction” is presented in two versions: a Theatrical Cut (92:42) and an Extended Cut (94:17).

Poison Ivy: The New Seduction Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Continuing the "Poison Ivy" experience on Blu-ray, "Poison Ivy: The New Seduction" also hasn't been refreshed for its HD debut. The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is taken from an older scan of the movie, making fine detail difficult to come by. Softness reigns during the viewing experience, losing textures on clothing and the sizable amount of exposed skin, while mansion interiors don't produce a sharper sense of depth. Colors are muted, though brighter shades of red manage to make an impression, giving eveningwear and lipstick some lift. Skintones are reddish, but not excessively so. Delineation is quick to solidify. Some banding is detected, along with speckling. As with the other "Poison Ivy" releases, additional sex and nudity on the Unrated Cut is sourced from upscaled SD footage, showcasing diminished resolution, but not jarringly so.

Poison Ivy: The New Seduction Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix doesn't do anything outrageous, remaining in line with the modest production effort of the film. Dialogue is clear, bringing out performer range and intensity, while Pressly's purr is maintained. Scoring is inherently thin, delivering a synth push that's typically paired with this type of DTV cinema. Violence isn't especially aggressive, but sound effects are understood.

Poison Ivy: The New Seduction Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Trailer (1:39, SD) is included.

Poison Ivy: The New Seduction Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Performances aren't strong, finding Pressly visibly nervous in her acting debut, and suspense isn't felt in the least, with most of the entertainment value of "Poison Ivy: The New Seduction" emerging from Violet's attempt to ruin lives while preying on vices, and there's camp value in the antagonist's battle with maid Mrs. B (Susan Tyrrell), pitting an acting veteran against a pouty novice. "Poison Ivy: The New Seduction" isn't a good film, but the production isn't swinging for the fences here, focused more on displays of skin and mild trembles of horror as yet another dangerous young woman uses her outward appeal for evil.