6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
An ancient supernatural spirit wreaks murderous vengeance on anyone coming within its powerful gripof rage in this terrifying tale of horror.
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, KaDee StricklandHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 51% |
Supernatural | 36% |
Mystery | 23% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English, English SDH, French
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Region free
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The whole time I was in that house, I felt something was wrong.
The Grudge and The Ring began what has
become an irksome-at-best and loathsome-at-worst fad of remaking Asian Horror films for the U.S.
audience, and the truth is that few of them really work. Offering up little more than cheap thrills,
loud musical cues, and split-second flashes of odd-looking characters that move like some sort of
animatronic doll just doesn't cut it anymore and, subjectively speaking, never really did. The
Grudge is
often hailed as one of the better
of the bunch, but considering its dull performances, barely cohesive plot, and sluggish pace, one
must wonder what it is about the film that earned it $110,000,000 at the domestic box office?
Perhaps it was the novelty of the experience or a trailer chock-full of the above-referenced cheap
scares that punctuate the film, but either way, The Grudge wears out its welcome rather
quickly and devolves into a movie that offers nothing of substance, save for the opportunity for a
good nap.
Boo!
The Grudge comes to Blu-ray with a bleak 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer. The transfer appears incredibly noisy at times, and also generally appears dreary and soft. Colors often look faded, though there is no absence of color throughout the film. From the outdoor greenery to the warm interiors, the disc sports a myriad of colors that take on a slightly dark tone that seems to reflect the nature of the film. Detail is moderately high at best; various objects scattered about many frames look nice enough, though the film seems to inherently offer a subdued look that doesn't make for a visual feast for the eyes. Blacks and flesh tones appear solidly rendered throughout. The Grudge does not appear to be a "pretty" film, but it seems this Blu-ray release captures its intended look well enough.
The Grudge features a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack that appropriately enhances the film's creepy atmosphere. The subtle music heard over the opening credits sequence plays with a crisp, lively presence, with a bit of information coming from the rears in support of the smooth, melodic, lifelike reproduction heard across the front. The soundtrack makes a point of creating a blood-curdling atmosphere, placing eerie sounds all over the soundstage. It's become something of a generic and terribly overused device, but it works rather well here. Bass also rumbles quite a bit with this one, much of it subtle yet effective and deep. Sound effects often travel all across the soundstage, this track making good use of every speaker in its arsenal. Some play as incredibly realistic, a cat meowing or a phone ringing off to the side, for example. Supported by strong dialogue reproduction, The Grudge makes for a solid lossless soundtrack from Sony.
Fans should have no grudge with this large selection of bonus materials, headlined by a theatrical
cut commentary track with Writer Stephen Susco, Producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, and
Actors
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, Clea Duvall, Kadee Strickland, and Ted Raimi. Recorded in
2004,
the track plays as lively and generally engaging, the participants sharing a good camaraderie as
they
discuss cultural differences, language barriers, humor from the set, shooting certain segments of
the film, and more. There are several moments of silence, a surprise considering the number of
participants, but fans should be satisfied with the effort. Next is an extended cut
Japanese-language commentary track
with Director Takashi Shimizu, Producer Taka Ichise, and Actress Takako Fuki. With the provided
subtitles, fans are treated to an enthusiastic and informative track where topics of discussion
include the sets, the actors' adaptations to the language barrier, changes in dialogue due to
cultural differences, some of the film's popular scenes, shooting locations, and more. Fifteen
deleted
scenes follow the commentary tracks (480p, 33:35) with optional Japanese language (and
English subtitled) commentary.
Next up is A Powerful Rage: Behind 'The Grudge', a five-part standard-definition
making-of feature that includes the following segments: The Birth of 'The Grudge'
(10:09), Myth of the Ju-On (11:47), Culture Shock: The American Cast in Japan
(11:27), Designing 'The Grudge' House (9:22), and A New Direction: Understanding
Takashi Shimizu (8:34). Moving on, viewers will find Under the Skin (480p, 12:26),
a piece featuring Joseph LeDoux, Ph.D., discussing how and why effective Horror movies work.
The 'Grudge' House: An Insider's Tour (480p, 3:58) takes audiences inside the set
constructed for the film. Sights and Sounds: The Storyboard Art of Takashi Shimizu
(480p, 3:13) showcases a series of storyboards, accompanied by music and sound effects from
the film. Production Designer's Notebook: The Sketches of Iwao Saito (480p, 2:26)
features a series of sketches set to music. Video Diaries allows user to view 480p
behind-the-scenes video footage from Sarah Michelle Gellar (9:02) and Kadee Strickland (13:31).
Ju-On Short Films allow viewers to watch both 4444444444 (480p, 2:58) and
In a Corner (480p, 3:23). Finally, this set of supplements includes BD-Live (Blu-ray
profile 2.0) functionality and 1080p trailers for Resident Evil:
Degeneration and Zombie Strippers.
The Grudge represents the perfect example of a film that will work for some but not for others. While one may find the film enthralling, frightening, and well-paced, another may find it a complete drag with little in the way of structure and forgettable-at-best scares. That's one of the reasons that there are multiple studios out there that are kind (and smart) enough to deliver many varied pictures for consumption. Regardless of one's subjective opinion about the quality of the film, there is no doubt that Sony has delivered a suitable Blu-ray release for it. Although the transfer is visually uninteresting, it appears to mimic the film's intended bleak appearance. The lossless soundtrack engages from corner to corner, and the included supplements are many. Fans of The Grudge should be pleased with this release, and to them it comes with a solid recommendation.
2006
2009
The Untold Chapter
2020
2012
Unrated
2007
2002
2015
2005
Theatrical + Unrated Alternate Cut
2007
Unrated
2008
Unrated Director's Cut
2010
2000
2023
2013
2010
2008
Unrated
2008
25th Anniversary
1999
2012
1986