Spellbinder Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Spellbinder Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 3, 2016

1988’s “Spellbinder” is a chiller with a sensual edge, exploring how temptation is often the most dangerous weapon evil can wield. Directed by Janet Greek and scripted by Tracy Torme, the feature carries a strange energy of suspense, weaving between the ridiculous and the inspired, but it retains a strong focal point in Kelly Preston, aptly cast as the object of desire. “Spellbinder” is a B-movie with limited scope, but it handles itself relatively well, delivering a few strong performances and a steady pace as it samples satanic powers and strange moments of intimidation. At the very least, it’s fine genre entertainment, delivering on beats of seduction and panic with refreshing clarity.

A lawyer with back troubles and an unfulfilling domestic situation, Jeff (Timothy Daly) finds himself coming to the aid of Miranda (Kelly Preston) late one night, helping her recover from a brutal incident with shadowy companion, Aldys (Anthony Crivello). Taken by her beauty and mystery, Jeff soon falls in love with Miranda, asking her to move in with him and start a life together. Swept up in the moment, Jeff ignores disapproval and confusion from outsiders, but weird incidents begin occurring that he can’t deny, including additional run-ins with Aldys and a standoff with Mrs. White (Audra Lindley), who enigmatically demands the return of Miranda before all hell breaks loose. Learning that his lover is actually a witch on the run from an evil coven, Jeff receives help from cop Lee (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) and pal Derek (Rick Rossovich), eventually realizing that he alone must confront a dark, omnipresent power to truly save his girlfriend from ritual sacrifice.

Teases of evil activity tend to work the best in “Spellbinder,” setting up a mystery of sorts as Jeff explores Miranda’s sketchy history, absorbing her story of witchcraft gone wrong. Of course, he’s an immediate believer, gallantly saving the cowering woman during a parking lot beating, offering her sanctuary in his home where they bond over mutual interest in art and smooth jazz. However, Miranda is no ordinary one-night-stand, repaying Jeff’s heroism not with sex (that comes a little later), but with healing powers, using black magic to fix the lawyer’s ailing back. Instead of sleaze, the production tries to subvert a few expectations, but it’s not long before bedroom activities make Jeff a true believer, ready to settle down with a woman he barely knows. “Spellbinder” utilizes Preston’s thickly defined allure expertly (she’s all big hair and doe eyes), keeping Miranda a question mark as she displays innocence and practices seduction, pulling Jeff’s deeper into a fight he isn’t prepared to understand.

“Spellbinder” gets substantial mileage out of the pairing of Jeff and Miranda, with the lawyer eager to show his girlfriend off to friends and co-workers. A mid-movie highlight comes during a house party vetting process, where Grace (Diana Bellamy), Jeff’s secretary, seems aware of the strange woman’s powers, skillfully detecting her resistance to extraordinary heat and ability to read minds. Jeff, however, can’t see the truth, blinding by his swirling feelings, which are soon challenged by threatening behavior and wild visions, with his prized car seemingly destroyed by Aldys, and there are heated moments with Mrs. White, who visits the law firm armed with vague threats. Little is truly unnerving in “Spellbinder,” but Greek stages compelling confrontations, working to motivate Jeff into action.

Jeff’s mission takes him all over Los Angeles, trying to keep Miranda safe from harm. Detours into police protection are undercooked, with Lee introduced as a power player in the story, only to watch him take off for the rest of the effort. And clue gathering doesn’t have enough heft, reduced to the discovery of a necklace with a special satanic symbol Miranda happily wears. “Spellbinder” doesn’t wind up as tightly as it could, but select moments are pulled off with care, finding Torme channeling “The Wicker Man” as Jeff encounters forces he doesn’t understand, focused intently on his mission to defend his love. Daly deserves credit for committing entirely to the picture, which retains its fair share of silly business, including a showdown around Jeff’s home as Satanists gather outside, peering and bending the windows. And there’s Preston’s commitment to goofy incantations and assorted witchery, with noticeable awkwardness deflating scenes that require complete surrender to directorial choices. Still, Daly and Preston have chemistry, and the lead actor certainly captures the fury of a man who will stop at nothing to protect his lone shot at romancing a gorgeous woman.

Spellbinder Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation retains most cinematographic intentions, leading with compelling, bright primaries that celebrate fashion and interior decorating interests from the 1980s. Skintones are equally natural. Detail is generally encouraging throughout, capturing facial textures and distances, while costuming retains fibrous and sheer qualities. Horror sequences are also boosted with ghoulish particulars. Grain is fine and filmic. Delineation is helpful overall, but a few moments are threatened by solidification. Source remains in a fine shape, with some speckling detected. Minor judder appears periodically.

Spellbinder Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix supports to satisfaction, with clean definition and activity, finding satanic influence represented wonderfully here, adding rich atmosphere to help set the unsettling mood. Dialogue exchanges are crisp and purposeful, handling a wide range of panic reactions and hushed exposition. Scoring is comfortable without being remarkable, but it does the job when called on to lubricate suspense. Sound effects are sweetened adequately, bringing some stings and explosions to the listening experience.

Spellbinder Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Janet Greek.

• Interview (28:52, HD) with Anthony Crivello is actually quite illuminating, with the actor openly discussing post-production conflicts on "Spellbinder" that led to a re-edit Greek didn't approve. Talk of casting is included, with Crivello yanked off Broadway to participate in the picture, and the labor of special effects is recalled with a degree of awe. Crivello also discusses his time on the set of "Shakedown," where he had to negotiate fight choreography with Sam Elliot while riding on the front of a Coney Island roller coaster.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:24, HD) is included.

Spellbinder Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Spellbinder" has its fair share of stupidity and stiffness, but it's also respectful of darkness, bravely exploring the true price of Jeff's dedication to heroism. Sure, Greek sneaks in some halfhearted martial arts and casts the supremely limited Rossovich in a crucial supporting part, but the story, which eventually ends with a violent beach encounter, doesn't waver from its only true resolution. There are a few sucker punches left in "Spellbinder" to keep it interesting and sinister, making it the rare genre picture to actually follow through on initial promises. It's a twisted little movie with more than a few highlights to hold attention, but it's the ending that's most memorable, leaving viewers with something to chew on instead of simply feeling numbed by excess.