Psychotica Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		0.5
Video		1.0
Audio		2.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		1.5

Psychotica Blu-ray Movie Review

Film school punishment.

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 7, 2014

“Psychotica” is a backyard horror effort that’s utterly inept, with writer/director Jonathan Wright caught up in a delusion that his tiny, gory commentary on sinister government control and drug addiction is going to carry any weight after enduring a painful no-budget production approach.

Deep in the heart of the city, a group of preppy junkies are chasing after the new heroin high on the street -- a deadly concoction sponsored by the government to wipe out addicts. After witnessing the brutal suicide of one of their own, the gang retreats to an abandoned house in the country to continue the party, only to discover the demonic wrath of the drug, which takes out the kids one at a time. On the hunt is a scientist in charge of distribution, tasked with taking out survivors before a refined product makes its way to the public.

With crummy visual effects, a lackluster cast, nondescript sets, and a weird obsession with characters having sex with their underwear on, “Psychotica” aches for a drop of professionalism. Instead of generating frights, the picture is aimless schlock soaked in cliche, watching Wright flounder with a basic haunted house premise as the junkies battle with one another in the dark corners of the remote dwelling. Dependent on bloodshed (most of it CGI -- oof) and nudity to keep attention on the screen, the production could’ve used a filmmaker with a vision for this type of bottom-shelf distraction. Wright is merely holding on for dear life.

Psychotica Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation is disastrous, showcasing just about everything that could go wrong with a BD release. You name it, it's here: banding, noise, motion lag, diluted colors, milky blacks, and the general appearance of an upconverted DVD. Detail is gone, leaving minimal texture and depth, while skintones are devoid of human qualities. The cinematography itself is fussed with to a point of no return, yet the disc makes matters worse by providing such a lousy viewing experience.

Psychotica Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix has the unfortunate task of sorting through the picture's amateurish audio recording, which favors echoed environments and distortion when it comes to group activity. It's a shrill track, with incredibly sharp highs that take some volume riding to control, while lows are generally rumbly, but without crisp definition to lend weight to the suspense. Scoring is thin but serviceable, creating a presence without overpowering the muddy dialogue exchanges.

Psychotica Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Behind the Scenes Featurette (7:34, SD) is a quick run through of inspiration and execution from Wright, who seems unnervingly proud of the film, pointing out its prescient screenwriting and make-up accomplishments.

• "Terror Eyes" (2:21, SD) is labeled a short, but it appears to be some type of film school exercise showcasing suspense techniques. Its inclusion on this disc is never explained.

• And a Trailer (1:48, SD) is included.

Psychotica Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Psychotica" is a creatively barren, moronic exercise in threadbare horror craftsmanship, painfully unprofessional and uninspired for 78 incredibly tedious minutes of screen time.