Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre" on Blu-ray exhibits a highly textured and filmic quality, true to its 16mm film origins. The 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode succeeds in maintaining an intentionally gritty and grainy aesthetic, which adds to the atmospheric tension of this horror flick. While the grain provides a warm, cinematic texture, it occasionally overloads finer details, resulting in some softness, particularly in darker scenes. The cold and dreary color palette is consistent, with natural-looking hues and boosted contrast that artistically highlights the ocean and sky. Black levels are robust, but some shadow detailing is lost, contributing to an overall dark and murky visual tone.

Despite minor inconsistencies such as sporadic video noise and occasional blur in facial close-ups, the encode handles these issues without introducing additional artifacts like macroblocking or banding. Nighttime sequences below deck can appear excessively dark and dank, which may obscure some clarity, yet this aligns with the film's bleak atmospheric intentions. The transfer impressively avoids studio tampering, preserving the raw qualities of the original footage. Overall, the Blu-ray offers a solid visual experience that complements the grim narrative and eerie aesthetic of this low-budget Icelandic horror film.

The audio presentation on the Blu-ray of "Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre" primarily utilizes a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, delivering a generally robust and engaging auditory experience. The mix excels in particular scenes, featuring an Icelandic metal band that showcases the dynamic range of the track with deep, impactful bass and clear high frequencies. Surround effects, including the ambient sounds of the maritime setting such as crashing waves, rainfall, and seagulls, fill the rear channels, though at times these elements could benefit from more immersive integration to fully convey the isolation and tension of being stranded on a boat with deranged whalers. The LFE channel is effectively employed when needed, adding a palpable rumble during key moments that enhances the overall atmosphere.

Despite these strengths, the audio mix has certain limitations. Dialogue is generally clear and well-balanced in the front channels; however, there were sporadic issues with volume levels, where sudden spikes could disrupt the viewing experience. This inconsistency might lead viewers to adjust their volume controls frequently. Additionally, while the track handles the movie’s diverse soundscape—from club scenes with powerful thumping bass to dramatic action sequences with booming shotgun blasts and explosions—directionality and dynamics are somewhat average, lacking the finesse found in higher-budget horror films. Another notable downside is the absence of optional subtitles; forced translations are present during non-English parts, but English dialogue is left without support for hard-of-hearing viewers or those struggling with heavy accents.

Overall, while the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track for "Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre" isn't perfect, it stands out given the film's low-budget origins and 16mm aesthetics. The robust use of environmental sounds and effective, if occasionally inconsistent, dynamic interplay ensures a solid audio experience that surpasses standard expectations for similar genres.

The Blu-ray extras for "Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre" offer a detailed dive into the film's production, highlighted by Gunnar Hansen's involvement. The "Behind the Scenes with Gunnar Hansen" segment provides captivating on-set footage mixed with insightful commentary from Hansen himself, sharing his unique experience during filming. These extras effectively enrich the viewing experience by shedding light on the behind-the-scenes complexities and efforts to bring the narrative to life. Although some content may seem slightly unstructured, Hansen's contributions add substantial value.

Extras included in this disc:

• Behind the Scenes with Gunnar Hansen: An assemblage of on-set footage intercut with an interview with Gunnar Hansen, discussing his experience working on the film.
• Previews: Includes trailers for The Lost Tribe, Bangkok Adrenaline, and Damned By Dawn.
• Trailer: Features the trailer for "Harpoon: Whale Watching Massacre."

"Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre" (also known as "Harpoon: Whale Watching Massacre") attempts to merge the terror of Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" with the isolated horror of the high seas. The film centers on a group of international tourists stranded on an ill-fated whale-watching tour. When a freak accident kills their captain, desperate for help, they think they are saved by a passing whaler. Instead, they are led into the clutches of a deranged family determined to hunt them down. Horror legend Gunnar Hansen makes a brief but memorable appearance, lending a nod to his "Leatherface" fame in a new nautical setting.

Despite its promising setup, "Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre" struggles under the weight of clichéd character development and a plot riddled with contrivances. This slasher film follows the typical formula: a diverse group of stereotypical characters is sequentially dispatched by homicidal maniacs. The unique Icelandic whaling ship setting does provide an interesting backdrop for the bloodshed, which includes harpoonings, beheadings, and even a kamikaze suicide attack. However, the attempts to address larger social issues, such as homophobia and xenophobia, feel shallow and are overshadowed by the film's primary focus on gore and violence.

While the movie does offer some dark humor and creative kills, it falls into the trap of many post-modern slashers by being derivative rather than innovative. The narrative, plagued by plot holes and lacking coherent structure, fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion. The balance between horror and comedy is poorly managed, leaving viewers confused. Overall, "Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre" may appeal to gorehounds looking for a new setting for their favorite kills but won't satisfy those looking for a refined or groundbreaking horror experience.

"Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre" sails into the niche genre of slasher horror with a unique twist: a gruesome adventure on the high seas. The film's unconventional plot and setting offer a fresh backdrop that might pique the interest of dedicated horror enthusiasts. However, it stumbles in execution, as the inexperience of the production team becomes apparent through uneven pacing and lackluster character development.

This Blu-ray edition presents solid video and audio quality, ensuring that the visual and auditory elements of the film are effectively rendered. Unfortunately, the supplemental materials are rather sparse, leaving much to be desired for those who enjoy delving into additional content. While the movie does have its moments of suspense and twisted humor, it falls short of being a memorable addition to the horror genre due to its inconsistencies and lack of polish.

Conclusively, "Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre" is a deep genre horror flick and horror fans will want to see this regardless of my review. If you were intrigued by the title though not a horror fan—and not easily offended; then I say give it a rent. I dug it and might watch it again someday, just for the off-beat weird-as-hell nature of the whole thing. It's hard to recommend this movie, but to the right crowd I definitely do!