Beyond Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "Beyond" from Anchor Bay offers a solid and highly detailed visual experience. The 1080p transfer reveals sharp details and natural colors, albeit with a slightly glossy, lifeless appearance. The color palette is deliberately dim, emphasizing cold, gray, and blue tones to fit the Alaskan setting and the film’s bleak mood. Interior scenes maintain warmth with well-rendered secondary hues, while skin tones look appropriate for the climate. The AVC-encoded transfer in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio is highly detailed, with few minor sequences lacking sharpness. Fine lines and intricate textures, such as facial features and clothing, are distinct and resolute.

Clarity is a strong point even in darker scenes or sequences taking place at night, bolstered by brilliant whites that enhance visibility. However, black levels appear muddy and faded throughout much of the runtime. Minor issues like aliasing and banding are present but infrequent, and the image is generally free of excess noise or blocky backgrounds. Although certain aspects like contrast are downplayed to match the film's tone, overall visibility and detail remain impressive.

In summary, "Beyond" on Blu-ray delivers a striking visual presentation with excellent detail and clarity, despite some imperfections in black levels and occasional flatness due to the source material’s nature. The deliberate use of a grayish blue palette effectively complements the movie’s atmospheric setting, ensuring a visually engaging experience.

The audio presentation of "Beyond" on Blu-ray provides a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack that excels in clear and precise dialogue, supported by a robust overall mix. Significant attention has been given to the spatial placement and clarity of effects, enhancing the immersive experience. Ambient background elements, such as the nuanced sounds within a police station or the rattle and rumble of airplane propellers, enrich the soundstage with effective room-filling sensations. While gunshots and certain ambient effects could exhibit slightly more impact and depth, dialogue consistently remains clean and centered without interference from surrounding audio elements.

The rear speaker activity adds substantial depth and envelopment, notably with seamless audio panning, such as overhead airplanes or helicopters, which are executed flawlessly. The musical score also benefits from an expansive surround presence, keeping the listener engaged throughout. Despite occasional artificiality in sound effects, particularly in office settings, the overall mix maintains impressive dynamic range and detail. The low-end response is powerful when needed, delivering deep bass that supports the scenes well without overwhelming other audio elements. While not groundbreaking, this soundtrack provides a surprisingly enjoyable audio experience that pairs effectively with the film's visual presentation.

The Blu-ray release of "Beyond" is profoundly lacking in supplemental materials, providing no additional content for viewers to explore beyond the primary feature. The release can be described as a bare-bones edition, omitting extras that typically enrich the viewing experience and offer deeper insights into the film’s production, cast, and thematic elements. Consequently, fans looking for behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, or commentary tracks will be disappointed by this minimal offering.

Extras included in this disc:

• None

"Beyond" falls short of its aspirations, delivering a mostly predictable experience despite the addition of a supernatural twist. Led by veterans Jon Voight, Dermot Mulroney, and Teri Polo, the film focuses on the search for a kidnapped seven-year-old in Anchorage. The plot's paranormal angle, including a psychic played by Julian Morris, promises intrigue but ends up feeling contrived and out of place. Voight's performance as the determined detective offers some gravitas, but the character depth is limited, rendering the ensemble's interactions somewhat lackluster. Despite the professional production values, the film adheres closely to genre conventions, failing to elevate into memorable or engaging territory.

The narrative structure of "Beyond" adheres closely to established thriller tropes without adding new dimensions or excitement. The supernatural elements, like a self-drawing Etch-a-Sketch and random psychic visions, attempt to inject suspense but result in sequences that feel forced and clichéd. Gregory Gieras' screenplay tries to mix traditional police procedural with ghostly phenomena, but the blend is unsatisfactory, leading to a product that is more mechanical than mysterious. The film's progression is methodical yet devoid of genuine tension or originality, making its 90-minute runtime more of an exercise in patience than engagement.

Despite its shortcomings, "Beyond" is competently assembled with notable cinematography by Eric Maddison. The visual aesthetic presents a beautifully cold and dreary Alaskan backdrop, which stands in stark contrast to the uninspired storytelling. Director Josef Rusnak helms the project with proficiency but cannot overcome the script's limitations, resulting in a film that feels hollow beneath its polished surface. The technical execution showcases a well-constructed facade, but ultimately, the film is undermined by its conventional plot and predictable twists. It functions as an acceptable time-killer but offers little beyond that for audiences seeking substantive thrills or compelling supernatural drama.

"Beyond" attempts to breathe life into the well-trodden path of police procedurals with a paranormal twist, but it struggles to establish a compelling narrative. John Voight delivers an engaging performance that injects energy into the film, yet the stale premise and lackluster supernatural elements leave much to be desired. While the storyline is serviceable, it lacks the dynamism and originality needed to elevate it beyond mediocrity, making it feel more like a stopgap entertainment option rather than a must-watch feature.

The Blu-ray release of "Beyond" surprisingly excels in its technical presentation. The video quality is notable for its clarity and attention to detail, ensuring that the visual experience is crisp and immersive. Equally impressive is the audio quality, delivering a robust and well-balanced soundstage that enhances the viewing experience. However, the Blu-ray package falls short in its lack of supplementary features, offering no additional content that could potentially deepen the viewer’s engagement with the film.

In conclusion, "Beyond" is a competent film that is bolstered by solid performances and excellent technical presentation on Blu-ray. Nonetheless, its uninspired narrative and lack of supplementary content make it a title best suited for a rental rather than a purchase. It’s ideal for filling in downtime but unlikely to leave a lasting impression.