Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Villains Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 16, 2023

Writer/directors Robert Olsen and Dan Berk put viewers in a difficult place with “Villains.” The intent of the material is to create a semi-romp with horrible situations of imprisonment and torment, doing so with a darkly comedic tone as wacky characters encounter dire situations of threat and survival. While that approach works in spurts here, most of the feature struggles to make sense of the characters, offering the audience time with two sets of horrible people. Olsen and Berk make their sympathies clear, but it’s not so easy for outsiders, with “Villains” pitting morons vs. morons, making it a struggle to cheer on anyone’s perseverance when the screenplay doesn’t make a clear case for noble intent. It’s all meant to be a macabre ride with unpleasant developments, but the fun factor is extremely limited here, with Olsen and Berk skipping most of the fine details as they focus on supplying genre highlights.

Jules (Maika Monroe) and Mickey (Bill Skarsgard) are deeply in love, planning a bright future together in Florida, where life near the ocean beckons them. Unfortunately, the pair are also hopeless drug addicts, barely managing to score cash while robbing a convenience store, speeding away in a car that quickly runs out of gas. Left in the middle of nowhere, Jules and Mickey hope for a miracle. Instead, they find a home, breaking into a dwelling that seems perfectly appealing, hunting through rooms to find things to steal. What they actually encounter is Sweetiepie (Blake Baumgartner), a child chained to a pipe in the basement. Determined to set the kid free and take her with them, Jules and Mickey’s plans are quickly shut down by the homeowners, with George (Jeffrey Donovan) and Gloria (Kyra Sedgwick) managing to subdue and imprison the home invaders. Desperate to find a way out of this bad situation, Mickey and Jules work to outwit George and Gloria, only to be exposed to the full volume of their insanity.

Masked and clueless, Mickey and Jules are introduced as nitwits looking to score cash and drugs in the opening sequence of “Villains,” rampaging through a convenience store without a plan, trying to open a register and threaten employees. To Berk and Olsen, these two are the heroes of the picture, with the pair soon stuck on a rural road after Mickey forgets to check the gas gauge, leaving them stranded. Inspiration comes in the form of white powder to snort and a “car wash” (where Jules drapes her hair around Mickey’s face to encourage inner peace), and view of a mailbox soon appears, giving the twosome a home to invade.

“Villains” complicates life for Mickey and Jules once they explore the dwelling, finding stale food and an ominous basement. Sweetiepie is located in the darkness, with the mute and chained-up kid becoming a source of honor for the couple, as Jules refuses to leave without the child, forcing the twosome to come up with a plan to free her. George and Gloria eventually return home, changing the power dynamic of the story, as the older couple takes command of the criminals, offering them a view of their severe psychological decline. This involves sexual “mommy” fantasies, the care of a porcelain doll, and control of a gun, with George a salesman prone to monologuing about his skills. Being twisted is the point of “Villains,” watching Jules and Mickey process all that’s happening to them, mounting a few escape attempts along the way.

Excitement is periodic, as Berk and Olsen have the tight confines of the house to work with, putting their effort into characterization, which is confused. One minute, Mickey is a strung-out goon who can’t tell when his car is low on gas, the next he’s a master manipulator trying to outwit his captors. It doesn’t make much sense, but the filmmakers offer the usual thriller roadblocks along the way, hoping to distract with near-misses involving police and release.

Villains Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.40:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Villains" secures decent facial particulars, examining the textures of these unsettled characters and their battered bodies. Detail is also adequate inside the house, with decorative additions distinct. Costuming is fibrous. Colors are alert, with nice primaries throughout the viewing experience, especially around the household setting. The redness of blood remains. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Compression issues are periodic, with mild banding present.

Villains Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA is primarily a frontal affair, with dialogue exchanges defined, capturing heated exchanges and whispered plans with comfortable balance. Scoring offers musical emphasis with sharp instrumentation. Soundtrack selections are lively, with a crisp beat. Surrounds have their moments with music and atmospherics, but aren't dynamic. Low-end isn't challenged in full.

Villains Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary 2022 features writer/directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen.

• Commentary 2019 features writer/directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen.

• Deleted Scenes (6:51, HD) can be viewed with or without commentary from writer/directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen.

• "Partners in Crime: Killer Couples Throughout Cinema" (14:30, HD) is a video essay.

• Interview (4:45, HD) is a chat with actor Bill Skarsgard, who discusses his early interest in the role, attracted to the wild tone of the material. Characterization challenges are detailed, and he examines his relationship with co-star Maika Monroe. Favorite scenes and a personal summary of the story close out the discussion.

• Interview (3:47, HD) with actor Jeffrey Donovan, who offers his take on the plot, and his approach to the character. Performance challenges are detailed, along with his relationship with writer/directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen. Donovan closes with his feelings on the connection between George and Gloria.

• Interview (5:34, HD) with actress Kyra Sedgwick examines her response to the material and her efforts to find the character. Time with writer/directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen is recalled, and the interviewee gives her own take on the relationship between Gloria and George.

• Interview (4:35, HD) with actress Maika Monroe highlights characterization challenges and her approval of writer/directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen. Monroe also supplies her insight into the relationship between Mickey and Jules, along with Sweetiepie.

• Interview (6:36, HD) is a discussion of "Villains" with costume designer Stacey Berman, who examines her creative inspirations for the picture, displaying some early design art for the movie. The interviewee also delves into her relationships with the actors, working with them to find character looks.

• Interview (7:59, HD) is a look at the visual presence of "Villains" with production designer Annie Simeone. The interviewee explores creative decisions involving locations and personal inspirations, offering examples of ideas and concepts on her laptop.

• Makeup Application Timelapse (:34, HD) highlights the work involved to turn actor Jeffrey Donovan into a bloody mess.

• T.V. Spots (1:50, HD) collect three commercials for "Villains."

• And Theatrical Trailer #1 (1:55, HD) and Theatrical Trailer #2 (2:02, HD) are included.

Villains Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Villains" isn't an effective nail-biter, offering viewers more questions than answers, dealing only vaguely with behaviors, preferring mild shock value instead. Sure, it's a thrill ride at times, but one only paying attention to superficial details, with Berk and Olsen siding with Mickey and Jules, asking viewers to sympathize with two people making their own problems, put in charge of saving a child when they will likely do more harm to the kid than the monsters who've imprisoned her.