The Unborn Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "The Unborn" is graced with a meticulously detailed 1080p/VC-1 transfer that showcases the film's visual prowess, managing to elevate the overall viewing experience despite the movie's narrative shortcomings. Cinematographer James Hawkinson's choice to desaturate the color palette, favoring bleak winter shades over bright primaries, might strip the film of vibrant color, but it doesn’t detract from the transfer's quality. The contrast is robust, the blacks are profound, and shadow detail is excellently rendered, ensuring that even the darkest scenes maintain clarity and depth. While there are moments, particularly a certain post-intimacy conversation, where textures appear less defined, these instances are few and far between. The image maintains a strong fidelity throughout, with CG effects blending seamlessly into the live-action footage. Despite rare artifact sightings in some of the film’s climax sequences, these do not mar an otherwise consistent and polished presentation.

The visual presentation of "The Unborn" on Blu-ray is strikingly clean, displaying a commendable level of detail in various textures—from the crunch of snow underfoot to the roughness of tree bark and asphalt. The deliberate softness of the image hardly interferes with the clarity of facial features or the naturalism of skin tones. The film’s use of shadow and light is noteworthy, offering deep and unwavering black levels without sacrificing detail in low-light conditions. This transfer also avoids the pitfalls of digital compression issues like color banding or obtrusive edge enhancement. The occasional presence of minor grain and negligible white flecks in darker sequences does little to detract from the overall solid visual experience, which remains impressively three-dimensional and immersive.

In summary, while "The Unborn" may not have universally charmed its audience with its story, this Blu-ray release stands out for its technical merits. The thoughtful use of color, contrast, and detail supports the eerie atmosphere intended by its creators, presenting a visually captivating experience. The transfer’s ability to render both subtle details and vast, dark expanses with equal proficiency speaks to the care taken in its encoding. Despite minor imperfections, the visual quality remains unaffected, ensuring that viewers are treated to a consistently high-quality high-definition presentation worthy of their collection.

The audio section of "The Unborn" on Blu-ray is presented with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that both impresses and overwhelms in equal measure. The filmmakers have meticulously crafted an auditory experience that demands the audience's full attention, guiding them through its chilling narrative with a mix that is as aggressive as it is immersive. Dialogue is sharp and clear across various dynamics, from hushed whispers to panicked shouts, ensuring that no plot-critical pieces are lost amidst the sonic onslaught. Low-frequency effects provide a solid foundation, giving weight to the more jarring moments, while the use of rear speakers, though occasionally underutilized, adds a layer of envelopment that enhances key scenes significantly.

The soundscape of "The Unborn" effectively utilizes ambient effects and interior acoustics to immerse viewers, despite the mix being somewhat front-loaded, which might distance some from the intended experience. Ramin Djawadi’s score, primarily situated in the front channels, adds to this effect but leaves one wishing for a richer use of the surround channels. Where the audio stands out is in its delivery of clear dialogue and the strategic use of low-end frequencies that punctuate the film's more terrifying sequences, ensuring that even the most derivative scares possess an auditory impact that is hard to ignore.

Furthermore, the Blu-ray release's inclusion of multiple DTS 5.1 tracks in various languages, along with a broad range of subtitles, ensures accessibility to a wider audience. The mix does a commendable job of elevating what could be considered conventional horror fare, distinguishing itself with a robustness and clarity that surpass many contemporaries in the genre. Overall, while it may not be the most groundbreaking lossless track encountered, it stands as a solidly constructed auditory component that significantly contributes to the film's eerie atmosphere and tense moments.

The Blu-ray release of "The Unborn" leaves much to be desired in terms of its supplemental content, mirroring the film's lackluster reception. Despite a few HD deleted scenes totaling approximately 7 minutes that fail to add substantive value, Universal's package is notably sparse. The absence of expected extras such as commentaries or trailers only exacerbates the disappointment. The inclusion of a My Scenes bookmarking feature and BD-Live functionality does little to enhance the overall package, making this release feel incomplete and underwhelming for those seeking a deeper dive into the film's creation and thematic underpinnings.

Extras included in this disc:

• Deleted Scenes: A collection of scenes removed from the final cut.
• My Scenes Bookmarking: Feature allowing viewers to bookmark their favorite scenes.
• BD-Live Functionality: Online content accessible through the Blu-ray disc.

"The Unborn," directed by David S. Goyer and produced by Michael Bay, emerges as a film that straddles the line between cliche and novelty, ultimately failing to leave a significant mark on the horror genre. With a narrative hastily stitching together elements of Americanized Asian horror sans the remake tag, it dredges familiar territory. Odette Yustman stars as Casey Beldon, plagued by ghastly visions and a haunting realization related to her deceased twin—a premise ripe with potential yet marred by its execution. The ensemble cast, including performances by Gary Oldman and Idris Elba, brings a measure of gravitas to the screenplay, yet cannot salvage the film from its trappings of predictability and uninspired dialogue. The storyline, while initially intriguing with its references to dybbuks and spiritual warfare, becomes bogged down by its reliance on genre tropes and an array of underdeveloped characters.

Technically, the film does not suffer from lack of polish; Goyer's direction and the cinematography present a visually sleek production. Yet, the very sheen of its presentation contrasts starkly with the absence of a compelling or coherent narrative thread, leading to a viewing experience that is both visually engaging yet emotionally hollow. Notwithstanding Goyer's previous successes and the potential for innovative horror cinema, "The Unborn" is emblematic of the issues plaguing contemporary American horror: a glossy exterior masking a core that lacks originality and depth. The inclusion of high-profile names such as Oldman and the production sheen suggests a missed opportunity to redefine or challenge genre norms.

In sum, while "The Unborn" might have aimed to offer a fresh take on the supernatural thriller, it instead reinforces the genre's ongoing struggles with innovation and meaningful storytelling. The film's reliance on tried-and-true horror clichés—ranging from malevolent spirits seeking vengeance to exorcism as a narrative resolution—underscores a broader industry trend towards safety and familiarity over risk-taking. Although its technical aspects, from cinematography to special effects, are commendable, they are insufficient to elevate "The Unborn" beyond the realm of mediocrity. As such, it stands as a testament not to the rebirth of horror cinema but to its lingering malaise, wherein genuine scares and originality are all too often sacrificed at the altar of commercial viability.

"The Unborn" attempts to navigate the treacherous waters of the supernatural thriller genre but ultimately fails to deliver the spine-tingling experience it promises. Despite its ambition to conjure an atmosphere filled with leering corpses and disturbing visions, the film succumbs to a formulaic narrative, lacking both the ingenuity and the shock value required to stand out. The narrative plods along predictably, primarily targeting a teenage audience that might find its slow pace and familiar scares underwhelming. In this regard, "The Unborn" feels like a missed opportunity to inject new life into its genre, settling instead for being an easily forgettable addition to the supernatural chiller category.

On the technical front, Universal's Blu-ray presentation of "The Unborn" shines in contrast to the film's narrative shortcomings. The Blu-ray disc boasts an excellent video transfer that captures the film's visual nuances with clarity and precision. Accompanied by a DTS-HD Master Audio track, the auditory experience is relatively impressive, offering crisp and immersive sound that somewhat enhances the viewing experience. However, the release is marred by a lackluster supplemental package, which offers a mere seven minutes of additional content—a disappointing effort that does little to enrich the overall package.

In conclusion, while "The Unborn" struggles narratively and fails to leave a memorable mark on its audience, Universal's Blu-ray release partially redeems this supernatural outing through superior audio-visual quality. The sharp video transfer and commendable audio track stand as highlights, making it a potentially satisfactory acquisition for die-hard genre fans or those with modest expectations. Yet, the woefully inadequate bonus content and the film's inability to genuinely terrify or surprise render it a rental at best, primarily appealing to younger viewers in search of a mild ghost story thrill.