Phantasm: Ravager Blu-ray Review

"Phantasm: Ravager" arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Interestingly heterogeneous, this presentation often suggests the use of varying cameras and capture resolutions, contributing to a somewhat inconsistent visual experience. While close-up shots showcase impressive sharpness and fine detail, other sequences exhibit occasional stability issues, such as slight shimmering during panned shots of tree leaves, and aliasing during certain scenes. The CGI varies in quality, often appearing soft, and darker sequences can look splotchy. The film’s different timelines have clearly been graded separately, yielding a variety of visual textures.

The transfer maintains solid black levels, providing appreciable depth and dimension, yet the overall aesthetic leans towards the dim and dingy. This may serve to mask budget constraints or create a pseudo-cinematic effect. There is a distinct contrast and brightness balance that holds steady throughout, although daylight scenes sometimes show highlights blooming with mild posterization. Color reproduction is mostly vibrant with strong reds especially standing out, although there are moments of bleached-out sequences. Skin tones appear natural, albeit slightly bleached, and facial features such as stubble and makeup are finely detailed in close-ups.

Despite its digital roots and micro-budget origins, the Blu-ray still manages to deliver a clean and well-structured image. Depth work is competent, allowing actors to move fluidly through their environments with good separation from green screen backdrops. Artifacting is minimal, maintaining a largely noise-free visual presentation. While this Blu-ray transfer may not reach exemplary standards, it does offer a respectable display for fans of the franchise, balancing a mix of impressive detail with some technical imperfections.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix of "Phantasm: Ravager" serves its purpose effectively, delivering a sound experience that matches the modest production values of the film. The mix offers some entertaining moments of immersion, particularly evident in dynamic pans during key action sequences such as Reggie's 'Cuda roaring by or the Tall Man's spheres in pursuit. Ambient environmental sounds are also well-incorporated, contributing to a believable soundscape whether in desert scenes or at the mental institution. However, the dynamic range is somewhat limited, rarely pushing into the upper frequencies, resulting in a more restrained soundstage. Despite this, dialogue is clear and well-prioritized, free from damage or distortion.

The audio design occasionally features low-cost Foley effects that are noticeably post-production. Nonetheless, the sound design makes good use of the surround channels, with a variety of background activities and Stone's score effectively bleeding into them for a more engaging presentation. Low-frequency extension provides adequate but not exemplary bass presence, enhancing scenes with shotgun blasts, engine revving, and drilling sounds. While the balance between vocals, effects, and score is commendable, the overall soundfield is somewhat uniform. Dialogue reproduction remains crisp and clean within the five-channel mix, although it can come across as flat at times.

In summary, despite its budget constraints, "Phantasm: Ravager" offers a functional and occasionally delightful audio experience. The surround sound presentation and specific action sequences ensure an immersive audio environment, although the overall dynamic range and low-frequency impact could benefit from further refinement. Fans will appreciate the clarity and cleanliness of the dialogue and the subtle yet effective contributions of ambient sounds throughout the film.

The Blu-Ray extras for "Phantasm: Ravager" deliver a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the film, blending behind-the-scenes insights with light-hearted moments. The Behind the Scenes segment, although typical of promotional content, stands out with heartfelt interviews and memorable anecdotes, particularly those involving the late Angus Scrimm. The Deleted Scenes provide additional context with explanations and production overlays, while the Bloopers and Outtakes reveal the lighter side of the production process. The Trailer offers a concise preview of the film's essence. Central to the extras is an Audio Commentary, where director David Hartman and creator Don Coscarelli delve into the narrative origins, production details, and the franchise's legacy, all peppered with amusing stories from their experiences.

Extras included in this disc:

• Behind the Scenes: Typical EPK with heartwarming interviews.
• Deleted Scenes: Includes explicatory text and production overlays.
• Phantasm: Bloopers and Outtakes: Amusing errors and candid moments.
• Trailer: Concise film preview.
• Audio Commentary: In-depth discussion with Hartman and Coscarelli.

"Phantasm: Ravager" is a curious final chapter in the iconic horror franchise. Directed by David Hartman, with Don Coscarelli on board as a co-writer and producer, the film invites viewers to dive into a dreamlike narrative that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. Reggie Bannister reprises his role as Reggie, wandering through desert landscapes in pursuit of The Tall Man, a character once again portrayed by the late Angus Scrimm, whose performance remains a haunting presence despite being shunted to the side. This installment continues to exploit the franchise’s recurring theme of questioning what is real, but newcomers may find themselves perplexed by its often baffling storyline.

The film's low budget is evident in every frame. The visual effects resemble those of low-tier SyFy productions, and the cinematography is reminiscent of daytime television. The production's chaotic nature is partly explained by its protracted development process, with minimal crew involvement and initial shooting functioning more as camera tests. This has resulted in a haphazard narrative flow, where characters appear and vanish without much justification. The plot is designed to jump between dimensions, reflecting Reggie's mental turmoil and creating a blurred reality that mirrors the protagonist's confusion. While this can be disorienting, it provides just enough engagement to keep fans invested.

"Phantasm: Ravager" feels like a fan film made by people truly dedicated to the original series. Despite its technical shortcomings, minimalistic settings, and CGI that occasionally distracts from the actors' performances, it somehow manages to deliver a respectful and emotionally satisfying conclusion to the saga. It successfully ties in various elements from previous installments and expands on The Tall Man mythology, albeit without entirely avoiding the pitfalls of its predecessors. For longtime followers of Reggie and Mike's journey, this film offers a nostalgic closure. Although not perfect, "Ravager" is a fitting farewell to both the series and Angus Scrimm's unforgettable portrayal of The Tall Man.

"Phantasm: Ravager," the fifth and final installment in the long-standing Phantasm franchise, brings with it a mixture of closure and nostalgia. Notably, the film has been directed by Dan Hartman, a fan whose passion for the series is palpable throughout. This installment may falter in areas such as narrative coherence and overall impact, making it potentially difficult for newcomers to follow. Loyal fans, however, are likely to appreciate the effort put into concluding the storyline. While the film's pacing and thematic elements may leave some feeling underwhelmed, there is still that familiar surreal charm that has characterized the series.

From a technical standpoint, the Blu-ray release of "Phantasm: Ravager" leaves something to be desired. The video presentation is decent but not exemplary, with occasional inconsistencies in visual quality. The audio mix is adequate considering the film’s nature, providing a satisfactory, if not remarkable, auditory experience. However, the supplemental features included with this release are sparse, offering little in terms of behind-the-scenes insight or additional value. This lack of substantial extras might disappoint those who hoped for more comprehensive bonus content to accompany this conclusion.

In summary, while "Phantasm: Ravager" successfully brings the franchise to a close, it does so with notable imperfections that might not satisfy everyone. The Blu-ray’s technical merits are sufficient for fans but fall short of elevating the overall experience. Newcomers would do well to start with the earlier films to fully grasp the storyline and appreciate this final chapter.

Even if no one else (or at least not too many) will remember the passing of Angus Scrimm in 2016, I'll use this review to salute a very distinctive actor and, it seems, a Renaissance man of sorts who commendably had more to interest him than the klieg lights of film fame. As for "Phantasm: Ravager," my personal hunch is this is a film made by a fan (Dan Hartman) for fans, and as such it's probably going to appeal mostly to a narrow swath of folks who have stayed with the Phantasm franchise over the course of a rather long time. Newcomers might do best to start at the very beginning (a very good place to start, after all) rather than try to divine what's going on in this film, since even diehard fans may have a question or two along the way. Technical merits are generally very strong, and for the initiated if for no one else, "Phantasm: Ravager" comes recommended.