The Old Ones Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

The Old Ones Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 22, 2024

“The Old Ones” is an adaptation of stories from H.P. Lovecraft, whose dark imagination remains potent in the world of literary horror. However, after watching writer/director Chad Ferrin’s take on Lovecraft, you’d think the author was working in comedy. There have been several Lovecraft-inspired films over the decades, and intensity is generally driving these productions, with many of them trying to conjure a fear factor on a limited budget. Ferrin turns his take on monster happenings into something silly, and perhaps not always intentionally. A sequel(?) to 2020’s “The Deep Ones,” Ferrin returns to Lovecraft Country with a real goofball creation, which often tries to blend the shock of strange encounters with character buffoonery, making for a confusing tone.

The story follows Russell (Robert Miano), a 155-year-old man pulled out of the water by young Gideon (Benjamin Philip), who’s fishing with his father. Russell’s looking to avoid The Old Ones, using a human rib to defend himself and Gideon from monster activity. He’s hunting for Tillinghast, who’s in possession of a Resonator machine, capable of returning Russell to his original time. Standing in the way are creatures and contacts, putting the two men on the run as they try to avoid being captured by agents from the Esoteric Order of Dagon.

There’s so much exposition to sort through in “The Old Ones,” along with a whole bunch of names being thrown at viewers without any time to really process what’s going on. There’s a goal to find the Resonator, but the rest of the feature is basically a grab bag of villains and stops on the road, including time spent with the red-caped Nyarlathotep (Rico E. Anderson), who offers the command of a god while also cracking wise during his thunderous declarations.

The Old Ones Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation periodically struggles with compression issues, as banding flares up and moments of posterization occur. Detail does fine for the HD-shot feature, exploring the weathered faces of the cast and the monster uprising, which offers some rubbery textures. Clothing is fibrous. Interiors are clear, exploring decorative additions and crazy machines. Exteriors offer dimension. Color is stable, with a cooler look for the picture, including some aquatic blues. Costuming supplies brighter primaries, including the sharp redness of Nyarlathotep's red cape. Human and creature skin tones are natural. Delineation is passable.

The Old Ones Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix maintains sharp dialogue exchanges throughout the listening experience, handling human concerns and monstrous commands. Scoring supports with a decent synth sound, flaring up with suspenseful moments. Surrounds aren't commanding, handling some atmospherics and musical moods, with the track mostly frontal. Low-end isn't active, but some violence registers with weight. Sound effects are distinct.

The Old Ones Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Chad Ferrin.

• Deleted Scenes (8:46, HD) are included.

• Making Of (18:18, HD) examines the creation of "The Old Ones," which takes the production team to California to make a horror movie mess of things. This is a fly-on-the-wall viewing experience, watching the professionals deal with the elements and technical challenges, with cast and crew interviews sprinkled throughout the featurette. Perhaps most interesting is a chance to watch the thinning of patience throughout the group, with director Chad Ferrin trying to keep his cool during the low-budget shoot.

• "Effects of 'The Old Ones'" (6:07, HD) provides a look at the creation of the monsters from the film. It's not entirely clear what this is, but the clips appear to be work-in-progress video messages sent from SFX makeup artist Joe Castro and special effects Jeff Leroy to director Chad Ferrin.

• Image Gallery collects BTS snaps, publicity shots, and poster art.

• And Fest Trailer #1 (1:32, HD), Fest Trailer #2 (1:03, HD), and Theatrical Trailer (1:40, HD) are included.

The Old Ones Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Again, "The Old Ones" seems to be a comedy, but it also contains plenty of gore and attempts at disturbing events. Ferrin doesn't seem to understand what kind of movie he wants to make, merely working to survive the shoot, which is often plagued by no-budget technical offerings and amateurish performances. Maybe those well-versed in the ways of Lovecraft will find something to like here, while everyone else is left with basically a backyard production starring a cast of LARPers.