5.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A group of medical students discover a way to bring dead patients back to life.
Starring: Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Sarah Bolger, Evan Peters, Donald GloverHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 44% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
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 SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
Someone wasn’t paying attention to what happened after the good Doctor Frankenstein screamed, “It’s aliiiiive!” on that stormy night in the castle oh, so long ago. Needless to say, Frankenstein’s reanimated monster didn’t exactly go gentle into that good night, or in fact into that good day, for that matter, instead wreaking havoc (unintentionally, it must be added) and causing a general panic in the pitchfork and torches equipped populace. Men playing God, and specifically attempting to bring folks back from the dead, has been a long running trope in all sorts of media, and film is certainly no exception. While films like Frankenstein may revolve around a “monster,” other, more contemporary, fare like Flatliners have tended to exploit both a more putatively scientific as well as (subtextually at least) religious aspect in exploring this provocative concept. Alas, The Lazarus Effect is largely content to whip up scattered scares with hoary clichés like booming low frequency bombasts erupting on the soundtrack unexpectedly at any given moment. Otherwise, this largely forgettable feature is in fact dead on arrival.
The Lazarus Effect is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. According to the IMDb, The Lazarus Effect was shot digitally with a Sony CineAlta F65, with a 4K source format (downscaled to a 2K DI), and the results are very nice looking, especially considering the fact that this was a rather low budget affair and one bathed in a lot of shadows quite a bit of the time (perhaps to help mask that miniscule budget). The image is typically sharp and clear, and close-ups offer some excellent fine detail. There are a number of "found footage" type moments that are supposedly culled from video feeds and the like (see screenshots 3, 6, 10 and 15) and those offer intentionally tweaked imagery that at times does not match the clarity of the bulk of this presentation. Other sequences, including a trip to "hell" for one character, have been graded rather aggressively, with some highlights clipped and slight blooming in evidence (see screenshot 4). Shadow detail is actually quite commendable for the most part, but occasionally shows signs of slight murk (see screenshot 17). There are no issues with image instability and no compression problems.
While filled to the brim with hoary LFE, The Lazarus Effect's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is undeniably effective, often provoking startle responses when little actual on screen visual information is frightening at all. Sound effects are well placed throughout the surround channels, despite the somewhat claustrophobic confines of the laboratory where almost the entire film takes place. Dialogue is similarly well rendered and is also well prioritized even in some effects heavy sequences. Fidelity is top notch and dynamic range quite wide on this problem free track.
A game cast and appealing (if derivative) premise can't overcome a too predictable screenplay and a production which trades on booming sound effects for actual earned scares. Stick to Boris Karloff if you want to see some beast stumbling around after having been raised from the dead. Technical merits are first rate for those considering a purchase.
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