6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
A fancy garden party turns into upper class prey when a colony of killer wasps mutates into seven foot tall predators.
Starring: Clifton Collins Jr., Lance Henriksen, Jessica Cook, Matt O'Leary, David MastersonHorror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Mention the phrase “garden party” to a Baby Boomer, and chances are he or she will start warbling Rick Nelson’s “comeback” hit from 1972. The late Mr. Nelson probably would have been ditching his guitar and begging for the world’s largest economy size of Raid had he been invited to the garden party that’s at the center of Stung, an occasionally amusing but haphazard so-called “horror comedy”. In what some may see as a loving throwback to the works of the inimitable Bert I. Gordon (Earth vs. the Spider, Beginning of the End, Empire of the Ants), Stung deals with mutant insects who threaten a gaggle of folks who have gathered for, yep, a garden party. The film is kind of analogous in a way to Bloodsucking Bastards, another recent Scream Factory release that tries to ply both comedy and horror, to fitful results. Both films take a lot of time to set up various interrelationships before really letting the mayhem spill loose, and therefore both films tend to start somewhat slowly, finally building up a bit of momentum as they progress. Stung has the more impressive visual effects, with some very nicely done (and in many cases exceedingly gruesome) insect attacks, as well as some downright silly hyperbolism as the film stumbles toward a cataclysmic climax. Unfortunately as is also the case with Bloodsucking Bastards, Stung’s humor never really finds much traction, and often comes off as mere snarkiness, overly arch and self aware.
Stung is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of IFC Midnight and Scream Factory, an imprint of Shout! Factory, with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. This digitally shot feature benefits by not being a CGI-fest, with many of the creature effects seemingly done practically. That gives the textures of the film some startling presence at times, with elements like bug hair almost palpable, and other, perhaps more uncomfortable elements like pieces of human or animal bodies that used to "host" the giant wasp hanging off of their appendages with bits of blood and gore attached also looking extremely vivid and well detailed. There's a running gag (perhaps an appropriate description) with crushed wasps leaving a slimy paste in their wake. Some of the film has been somewhat unusually color graded, with an almost orange-yellow or blue-green ambience added to both exterior and interior shots. A long interior sequence is swathed in darkness and shadow detail is minimal. When CGI is utilized, it looks a bit soft at times.
Stung's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is one of the most consistently immersive and aggressive horror film outings in recent memory. The sonic aggression begins "innocently" enough, with some great panning buzzes as the first wasps annoy Paul during set up. But when a little dog digs a hole in the yard and a horde of stinging insects emerges, all bets are off and the soundtrack pretty much just explodes into a low frequency throb-a-thon from that point forward. There are occasional respites for supposed character beats, including a longish sequence in the mansion's basement, but this track is pretty aggressive and loud virtually the entire running time of the film. Fidelity is top notch and dynamic range extremely wide.
There's a certain gonzo sensibility to Stung that carries it through some rough patches, and when there are just flat out goofy moments like a huge flaming wasp attacking the heroes in a food service van, things manage to find the right balance between horror and comedy. Unfortunately that particular scene comes at virtually the end of the film, and the balance before that sequence is frequently off kilter. Still, those looking for a "modern" Bert I. Gordon film might get a kick out of this, at least in dribs and drabs. Video is excellent and audio outstanding for those considering a purchase.
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