7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Just as Val McKee and Earl Basset decide to leave Perfection, Nevada, strange rumblings prevent their departure. With the help of a shapely seismology student, they discover their desolate town is infested with gigantic man-eating creatures that live below the ground. The race is on to overcome these slimy subterraneans and find a way to higher ground.
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross, Reba McEntireHorror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 9% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
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)
French: DTS 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
D-Box
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 2.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
What makes a Creature Feature a classic Creature Feature? More often than not, it isn't the creature itself; it's the helpless victims and reluctant heroes the film's beastie leaves beaten, battered and bleeding in its wake. Tremors is just such a classic. Its underground monstrosities may get all the attention, but it's director Ron Underwood's wide-eyed, sun-baked Nevada locals that have kept the film fresh for twenty years and helped it thrive in spite of three increasingly unnecessary sequels. Underwood's small-town straight shooters are as indispensable as they are hilarious; as perfectly cast as they are wryly penned; each and every one just as likely to be gobbled up by whatever oversized abomination comes their way. But Tremors doesn't divide and conquer, off its townsfolk one by one, or leave a lone survivor to save what's left of the day. In a rare Creature Feature move, its doomed denizens band together and struggle to survive as one. In a lesser film populated with fatally flawed human fodder, such a risky genre departure would be Tremors' downfall. However, with the help of Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross and, yes, even reigning Queen of Country Reba McEntire, it's these character-driven departures that make Tremors as funny, infectious and thrilling today as it was twenty years ago.
"They're mutations caused by radiation. No, wait... the government made 'em. Big surprise for the Russians."
Tremors' 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer hails from 2007, when standards were a tad lower, expectations were still forming, and videophiles were a bit more generous. Even then, its HD DVD debut drew criticism and average scores (unsightly edge enhancement and glaring edge halos were the eyesores fueling the storm). Three years later, Universal has decided to simply port that same cancerous transfer to Blu-ray -- the studio's modus operandi when it comes to delivering long-awaited catalog titles first released on HD DVD during the Great Format War -- and the results are more disappointing than ever. Edge enhancement remains the biggest issue, lending the crisp details that do grace the image a roughhewn, hyper-digitized appearance. Bearable at times, downright ugly at others, it also outlines actors, buildings and, essentially, any prominent object with thick halos, the vast majority of which will even distract filmfans with smaller displays. At its worst, Bacon and his cohorts look as if they've been digitally inserted into the frame. More distressingly, textures aren't nearly as revealing as they might initially seem. Look closely and you'll see just how many scenes have been subjected to noise reduction. Pores have been largely wiped away, stubble isn't as distinct as it should be, smearing is prevalent (particularly in midrange closeups), and the film's uneven grain surges and relents in tandem. Did I mention the obvious bouts of telecine wobble, the minor print specks and scratches that pop up, the oversaturated primaries that creep into several shots... sigh. I'm beginning to wonder if a 2.5 might be too kind. Tremors is in desperate need of a proper overhaul.
It isn't a complete loss, I suppose. Colors are strong, blacks are deep, artifacting and other compression anomalies are kept to a bare minimum, and almost every aspect of the presentation bests its DVD counterpart (yes, even fine detail). But it's a far cry from catalog perfection and a poor excuse for a Blu-ray release in 2010. Don't be fooled by its over-sharpened wares; both Tremors and its fanbase deserve much more than this mediocre transfer offers.
Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track comes as a much-needed relief, even though it still suffers from one (thankfully insignificant) issue. But we'll get to that in a moment. Dialogue is clean and clear throughout, voices are nicely centered and smartly prioritized, and whispers are as intelligible as screams. LFE output is hearty and tenacious, scrambling to support anything and everything that calls for a display of low-end muscle. Splitting earth splits the soundscape, tremors and collapsing rock are given their just due, and gunshots and explosions pack a wallop. And the rear speakers? Active, aggressive and involving at all times. Directionality is convincing, cross-channel movement is slick and decisive, and the soundfield is rather immersive, particularly for an sci-fi action comedy that hails from 1990. Yes, the film's sound design has the unmistakable tone and tenor of an early '90s genre pic, but as twenty-year-old catalog audio mixes go, it holds its head high. If anything, it favors volume over nuance. And as effective as that may be when worms begin bursting through the ground, loudness doesn't always equal greatness. In that regard, Tremors drops down a notch. Does it spoil all the fun? Nope. Universal's lossless beastie remains, by far, the most impressive aspect of the release.
No U-Control experience, no audio commentary, no fresh material. The Blu-ray edition of Tremors comes up short in the supplemental department. Even so, the hour-long documentary and secondary features on tap are decent enough and should appease anyone who isn't familiar with the film's previous releases.
Despite its age, Tremors retains the charm and charisma that's made it a not-so-cult favorite for twenty years. Its wit and comic timing are infectious, its performances a true delight, and its underground menaces as effective as ever. Unfortunately, its Blu-ray release does show its age. Though Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio track is a blast, its outdated video transfer is undone by a variety of fatal flaws and its DVD-era special features are a letdown. The chances of a newly remastered Tremors release are terribly thin though, at least for the foreseeable future, meaning this is as good as it's going to get for some time. I hate to say it, but approach this gnarled beastie with extreme caution.
Limited Edition
1990
Limited Edition
1990
Special Edition
1990
Tremors: Attack Pack Version / Remastered
1990
Limited Edition
1990
Special Edition
1990
Limited Edition
1990
2001
2004
Limited Edition
1996
1988
1954
1958
1953
1955
Director's Cut
1986
1957
1958
2011
1988
Collector's Edition
2006
1980
1990
2010
Roger Corman's Cult Classics
1978
2013
2011