3.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
After Christopher Robin abandons them for college, Pooh and Piglet embark on a bloody rampage as they search for a new source of food.
Starring: Richard D. Myers, Amber Doig-Thorne, Maria Taylor, Danielle Scott (XII)Horror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 1.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
In 2022, the world of A.A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain, allowing anyone to use the iconic literary characters, opening the floodgates for imitators and opportunists. Writer/director Rhys Frake-Waterfield is the first to try something with this new Pooh order, electing to avoid the family film circuit and plunge right into horror, concocting “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey,” which reimagines the silly old bear as a Leatherface/Jason type, determined to consume and kill as many helpless victims as possible, joined by his pal, Piglet. If you’re thinking, “that sounds horrible,” you’re right, with Frake-Waterfield going the ultra-cheap, quickie route with the production, hoping to cash-in on a beloved brand name with the least amount of moviemaking effort possible. “Blood and Honey” isn’t silly or fun, it’s a dreary viewing experience with slapdash technical credits and no discernable story, turning time in the Hundred Acre Wood into a punishing viewing experience.
The AVC encoded image (2.40:1 aspect ratio) presentation does reasonably well with detail, especially when up close on the humans and the monsters, capturing a textured feel for skin particulars and mask work. This is a dark feature, with the production keeping screen elements obscured to hide severe budget limitations, but some sense of depth is found with forest tours, and getaway interiors are open for inspection, along with neglected 100 Acre Wood housing. Delineation is acceptable, with some mild solidification at times. Color is largely muted to maintain spookiness, but style choices show some life on costumes, offering bright primaries. The orange glow of fire is secure, and creature appearances are appropriate, including a mild yellow on Pooh. Skin tones are natural. Artifacting is present, with flare ups on banding, and some brief posturization as well. No-budget technology also results in a blockier image at times, but this may be an inherent issue.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix delivers clear dialogue exchanges, capably handling accents and performance hysteria. Scoring is crisp, with a sharp synth presence and heavier beats, adding to the low-end. Electropop on the sound carries definition. Musical moods are pushed into the surrounds, which also do fine with atmospherics, registering weather changes and outdoor activity. Sound effects are distinct.
Suspense isn't present in "Blood and Honey," with a good portion of the brief run time devoted to characters creeping around in the dark, with Pooh also in the shadows (to cover the subpar mask work). He's a monster, happy to eat humans and torture Christopher, with the production skipping a campy vibe to get ugly, which gets old quickly, especially when there are no personalities present in the writing, and technical achievements are inspired by the speed of the shoot, not screen perfection. "Blood and Honey" isn't the first to make a mess of a treasured literary icon and it won't be the last (a sequel is already set for release), but it certainly wouldn't kill Frake-Waterfield to put some genuine effort into his features, giving the curious something more to enjoy than simplistic exploitation sold with a lunch money budget.
Unrated Collector's Edition
2007
2017
2015
2016
2015
The Burning / Op de Drempel van de Gruwel / La casa del terror / Pyromaniac / Maniac 2: Non andare in casa / Nie chodz do tego domu / Das Haus der lebenden Leichen
1980
2012
2015
2018
2018
2012
2008
Limited Edition
2009
2019
Unrated Edition
2008
2016
2019
1991
2016
Collector's Edition
2013