5.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 1.5 | |
Overall | 1.5 |
After a college student is tapped to join the elite secret Skulls fraternity, he witnesses a girl's death and his life starts falling apart.
Starring: Robin Dunne, Nathan West, Ashley Tesoro, Lindy Booth, Aaron AshmoreThriller | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 2.0 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 1.5 |
This Mill Creek Blu-ray release of 'The Skulls II' is currently only available as part of a three-film bundle with 'The Skulls' and 'The Skulls III.'
Mill Creek releases The Skulls II to Blu-ray as part of a three-pack with the other two films in the series. All three films share a single BD-50 disc, so compression is likely to immediately come into question and indeed the compression shortcomings immediately reveal themselves. Backgrounds are blocky, extremely so at worst and bothersome at best: essentially, every scene reveals some level of chunky digital backgrounds. Long gone is the naturally smooth and organic, purely filmic look of the original source, replaced by the heavily compressed morass that permeates the experience. Worse, textures only skirt by on the level of "HD acceptable;" oftentimes one might rightly mistake the image for a decent upscaled DVD. Core facial and clothing definition is OK, but the picture lacks the organic complexity and natural sharpness the film medium provides to Blu-ray transfers up to spec. Worse, colors are very drab the film is dark by design, but even more forgiving light reveals a depressed and depleted palette. An outdoor chase scene around the 72-minute mark is about as good as the movie looks; it's adequately colorful and clear, but even then it can't escape that feeling of absolute mediocrity, and that is at its best. At least the print is relatively clean and free of distracting splotches and speckles. This is watchable, more or less, but don't expect anything more.
The included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is very front heavy. The presentation lacks the ability to even mildly immerse the listener into the material, including even during driving rain at the 34-minute mark. It's the most obvious example of the complete lack of surround integration and sense of immersion. It also demonstrates a lack of full clarity and command of its sound elements, lacking distinction and definition. Music is capably wide, at least, and decently clear, but don't expect a lifelike audio reproduction. Lighter atmosphere lingers along the front as well, and a few action-type effects, limited though they may be, deliver only serviceable definition. Dialogue is at least moderately clear and grounded in the front-center channel.
As it ships as part of the above linked Mill Creek three pack, no supplements are included. Further, no DVD or digital copies are included.
The Skulls II isn't a bad movie in terms of technical production, acting, or even story. It's just not very original, not by itself and particularly against the similarly structed original picture. There's not a whole lot of draw to this picture, not much of a reason to call it worthy of a first watch, never mind repeat viewings. And with stumbling video and lackluster audio, it's difficult to recommend this release in any form or fashion.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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1976
Slipcover in Original Pressing
1985
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Slipcover in Original Pressing
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Unrated Director's Cut
2018