Urban Legends: Final Cut Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "Urban Legends: Final Cut" from Scream Factory offers a substantial upgrade over its previous DVD edition, though it falls short of exemplary high-definition standards. The film is presented at a 1080p resolution using an MPEG-4 AVC encode, and maintains its original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.40:1. The newly minted 2K DI provides a satisfactory base, offering decent clarity and sharpness overall, though it exhibits a noticeable inconsistency in detail and texture across varying scenes. Outdoor scenes, in particular, display a certain softness that contrasts with the slightly better-defined indoor settings.

The video transfer delivers reasonably well on color reproduction and black level performance. Colors are rendered naturally, if slightly subdued, fitting the late 90s and early 2000s aesthetic with earthy, ruddy tones. Black levels are solid, avoiding any significant crush and preserving details within the darker scenes, which constitute a large portion of the film. The film’s use of filters adds a commendable vibrancy to certain scenes, ensuring they pop off the screen nicely. Additionally, the contrast is a bit on the darker side but acceptable, and skin tones remain true to life throughout the majority of the presentation.

In terms of technical specifications, the encode features a decent video bitrate of 31991 kbps spread across a BD-50 dual-layer disc. The film's transfer is clean, with no evident print flaws or digital artifacts to mar the viewing experience. Despite occasional lapses in sharpness and a somewhat inconsistent depth of field, the Blu-ray release provides a competent cinematic presentation that faithfully retains much of the original film's visual integrity, making it a worthwhile upgrade for those familiar with its DVD predecessor.

The audio presentation of "Urban Legends: Final Cut" on Blu-ray comes equipped with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround mix and a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo track. While the LFE channel stands out with its dynamic bass response, delivering impactful moments of gory action and elevating the orchestral score, the overall mix tends to be front-heavy. Dialogue, although clear and precise, is recorded slightly lower than average, occasionally necessitating volume adjustments which, unfortunately, can lead to an overpowering ambient score.

Surround channels are moderately utilized, with notable activity during sequences such as airplane turbulence scenes. Nevertheless, their contribution to background noises and overall ambiance is less prominent than expected, often losing out to the activity at the front of the room. This delineates a sound design that, while competent in tracking front action and delivering intense low-frequency effects during jump scares, remains fairly restrained in its use of surround sound.

While the mix may not garner accolades for innovation, it proves serviceable for a viewer looking for clean dialogue reproduction and robust action during thrilling moments. The sound design also benefits from its balanced dynamics, ensuring that no element overwhelms another, albeit primarily anchored in the front soundstage. Optional English SDH subtitles are readily available for accessibility, noting another point in favor of the presentation's user-friendly approach.

The Blu-ray extras for "Urban Legends: Final Cut" provide a comprehensive dive into the film's production. The highlight is the Audio Commentary with Director John Ottman, which, originally recorded for the 2001 Columbia Tri-Star DVD, offers insightful details about his directorial debut, from shooting locations to editing nuances. The NEW The Legend Continues: Urban Legends: Final Cut featurette includes candid discussions from key producers, the CEO of Phoenix Pictures, the writer, and notable actors, reflecting on the film's standing compared to its predecessor. Jessica Cauffiel's interview is especially engaging as it details technical aspects of her role and personal experiences on set. Additional content such as deleted scenes, a vintage making-of featurette, a gag reel, and the theatrical trailer round out an impressive collection of extras, enriching the viewing experience.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary with Director John Ottman: In-depth track on Ottman's directing and scoring.
• The Legend Continues: Urban Legends: Final Cut: Interviews with key cast and crew.
• Interview with Actress Jessica Cauffiel: In-depth discussion about Cauffiel’s role and experiences.
• Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director John Ottman: Contextual insights on cut scenes.
• Vintage Making-of Featurette: Brief look at the film’s production.
• Gag Reel: Humorous behind-the-scenes moments.
• Theatrical Trailer: Original promotional trailer.

"Urban Legends: Final Cut" serves as a follow-up to the modestly successful "Urban Legend," and while it doesn’t reach the quality of the original, it stands out as a respectable sequel in a genre notorious for lackluster follow-ups. The film dives into the lives of film students competing for the prestigious Hitchcock Award at Alpine University. With Jennifer Morrison leading as Amy Mayfield, the movie threads a meta-narrative involving a thesis film centered around urban legends, adding a layer of self-referential filmmaking that, while not entirely fresh, helps this entry distinguish itself.

The direction by John Ottman, his debut feature, showcases competent technical skills with thoughtful cinematographic touches and an impressive creation of a film-within-a-film experience. Despite its lower budget, the production values remain relatively high, contributing to an engrossing ambiance reminiscent of classic ’80s slashers. However, Ottman’s focus on the filmmaking process sometimes detracts from delivering effective suspenseful sequences and memorable kills, which feel secondary to his thematic explorations.

The cast primarily consists of B-level actors whose performances are serviceable but not outstanding. While not as experienced as the original cast, talents like Eva Mendes and Anson Mount provide notable support. The character dynamics and interactions often highlight the competitive nature of film school but also suffer from occasional wooden performances. Notably, the gore is dialed up, providing some creative and gruesome kills that will satisfy genre fans. Overall, "Urban Legends: Final Cut" is self-aware trash that achieves entertainment through its nostalgic homage to ’80s slasher films and serves as an intriguing, albeit flawed, sequel.

Urban Legends: Final Cut is a quintessential 2000s slasher film that channels the essence and spirit of the 1980s horror genre. Its narrative is far from flawless, with motivations of the serial killer bordering on the absurd and college student characters making bafflingly poor choices. Despite these narrative flaws, the film delivers a gooey, gory, and creepy experience that maintains a fun, albeit trashy, charm. Jennifer Morrison, Matthew Davis, and an early Eva Mendes lead the cast in performances that vary in effectiveness but ultimately deliver enough to support a horror fan’s appetite.

Scream Factory’s Blu-ray release of Urban Legends: Final Cut does justice to this cult classic. The video transfer is above average, presenting the film in 2.39:1 AVC with decent clarity and detail, though it does not exceptionally stand out. The audio tracks, including English DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0, provide a robust and immersive experience. New special features such as interviews and commentary from director John Ottman enrich this collector’s edition, supplementing a solid array of previously available DVD extras. However, dedicated collectors might lament the absence of a slipcover for this edition.

While Urban Legends: Final Cut is not a cinematic masterpiece, it offers an enjoyable nostalgic trip for fans of the slasher genre. Scream Factory's release ensures a worthwhile experience with its package of competent audio-visual presentation and engaging special features. This film finds its place on the lower rungs of slasher horror but owns its imperfections with aplomb. Recommended for those seeking a fun, goofy horror watch that reminisces the spirit of 80s slashers.

Technical Specifications: Starring: Jennifer Morrison, Matthew Davis, Hart Bochner, Loretta Devine, Joey Lawrence, Eva Mendes, Anthony Anderson, Michael Bacall Directed by: John Ottman Written by: Paul Harris Boardman, Scott Derrickson, Silvio Horta (characters) Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 AVC Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Subtitles: English SDH Studio: Scream Factory Rated: R Runtime: 97 Minutes Blu-ray Release Date: November 20th, 2018