They're Inside Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

They're Inside Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 23, 2019

As the marketplace gradually fills with home invasion thrillers, “They’re Inside” initially seems like another installment of the masked maniacs subgenre, pitting hapless twentysomethings against the unnervingly composed might of creeps who’ve recently shopped at Dollar General to avoid being identified. Co-writer/director John-Paul Panelli isn’t aiming for complete originality with the picture (especially on a visual level), but he’s ultimately going for something Haneke-esque instead of rehashing “The Strangers.” It’s not a huge diversion from the norm, but it’s something to disrupt expectations.

The documentary aspect to “They’re Inside” follows a group of filmmakers, led by Robin (Karli Hall), who’ve come to a remote dwelling to make a movie. Panelli orders up a found footage style to the effort, creating the central nightmare from various cameras around the property. However, when the masked ghouls arrive, “They’re Inside” starts to change in different ways, distancing itself from a mindless slaughter to give the audience a more psychological viewing experience, switching perspectives as malevolence increases, slipping into areas of dehumanization.

They're Inside Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.89:1 aspect ratio) presentation preserves the low-budget look of "They're Inside," which primarily uses commercial-grade equipment to create its version of reality. Colors are exact, dealing mostly with warmer interiors, and costuming offers more powerful hues. Violence offers deep reds, and mask design goes for brighter primaries. Skintones are natural. Detail is also acceptable, capturing facial surfaces and housing interiors, offering textures on decoration and clothing, while exteriors retain woodsy particulars. It's poor compression that repeatedly returns to the viewing experience, with banding a common sight.

They're Inside Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 Dolby Digital mix is largely frontal, dealing with performances as actors run through scenes of camaraderie and panic. Voices sound exact. Scoring fills up the soundspace, with orchestral cuts surrounding the listener, presented with sharp instrumentation. Surrounds are also employed for some atmospherics during spooky encounters, with some exaggeration on crunchy footsteps. Low-end isn't utilized in full.

They're Inside Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features writer/director John-Paul Panelli and writer Schuyler Brumley.

• Commentary #2 features John-Paul Panelli.

• Behind the Scenes (HD) includes "Aaron Mask Time Lapse" (:31), "Joanna Mask Time Lapse" (:23), "Original Ax Chop" (1:55), and "Alex Rinehart Audition" (5:01).

• Short Films (HD) from John-Paul Panelli include "Loop" (5:00) and "Paranormal Ex-Tivity" (11:08).

• And a Teaser Trailer (:40, HD), Trailer #1 (1:10, HD), and Trailer #2 (1:37, HD) are included.

They're Inside Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"They're Inside" doesn't avoid all the dangers of found footage, finding the cast largely eager to be seen with broad performances, limiting reality with pronounced behaviors. Camerawork is also jumpy, reflecting the making of a documentary, but quakes and blunt edits lose their meaning in a hurry. Despite some shortcomings, "They're Inside" retains some disturbing imagery and Euro-style intensity, hitting intended beats of torment and horror- stained psychoanalysis.