The Cured Blu-ray Review

"The Cured" on Blu-ray offers a highly detailed and atmospherically rich 2.40:1 AVC encoded 1080p transfer. The presentation excels at maintaining clarity particularly in the film's darker scenes, which primarily utilize natural lighting to retain necessary frame information for the more monstrous encounters. Facial surfaces are sharp as the film oscillates between infected and healthy characters, while signage around Dublin is crisp and easily discernible, enhancing the overall atmosphere. Costuming is well-defined, with minute details such as fabric textures remaining visible.

Color reproduction is stable, supporting natural skintones and providing authentic hues for the film’s setting. The generally subdued palette with heavy greens, grays, and dull whites creates an effective, moody aesthetic akin to a WWII film. This subdued approach is punctuated by occasional primary colors—particularly highlights of the virus in infected eyes—adding to the grim visual style without straying from accuracy. The lush greenery during Dublin tours offers a notable contrast within this desaturated environment, enhancing the sense of place and mood.

The transfer also impresses with its handling of blacks, which are deep and inky, fostering eerie scenes where infected figures lurk just beyond the light. The image remains pristine, free from compression artifacts and banding, ensuring a clean and consistent visual experience. Overall, "The Cured" Blu-ray provides a technically strong, hauntingly immersive viewing experience that is both clear and atmospherically faithful to its source material.

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix for "The Cured" is robust, with selective but effective use of the surrounds to create an atmospheric experience. The audio mix leans toward a frontal listening approach, where dialogue exchanges are crisp and clear, expertly handling varied accents and maintaining intensity. This clarity ensures that actors' performances come through precisely, preserving every nuance and emotional inflection. While the audio mix delivers many of its shocks through substantial low-end rumbles during explosions and stampedes, the film's scoring by Rory Friers and Niall Kennedy provides a moody backdrop that fits seamlessly with the film's tone.

Sound effects in "The Cured" are more subdued, matching the quieter, more contemplative nature of the film. However, there is plenty of activity in critical scenes, such as bustling streets with protestors or the chilling environments of hospitals housing the uncurable infected. The use of heavy breathing in these scenes adds to the tension, making the audio experience highly engaging. Scenes involving crowd chaos are lively and detailed, providing excellent ambient sound that supports the visual experience without overshadowing it. Levels are meticulously balanced, ensuring that there is no need for continual volume adjustments throughout the film.

Overall, the audio presentation on this Blu-ray is strong and well-suited to the film's demands. It may not offer a deeply immersive surround sound experience throughout, but it compensates with precise dialogue, compelling low-end moments, and a well-matched score that enhances the film's emotional impact.

The Blu-ray release of "The Cured" contains a modest selection of extra features, providing a compelling but brief insight into the film's production. Highlighted by the "Behind the Scenes" segment, this feature offers an informative overview that touches on the film's original title "The Third Wave," and delivers engaging commentary from the cast and crew about character motivations, thematic elements, and the challenges and atmosphere of shooting in Dublin. Although concise, Ellen Page's humorous reflections add a unique charm to the piece. The included theatrical trailer rounds out the extras package, maintaining technical precision throughout. Overall, these features, while succinct, effectively enhance the viewer’s understanding and appreciation of the film.

Extras included in this disc:

• Behind the Scenes: Overview of production achievements, character motivations, and Dublin shoot with cast insights.
• Theatrical Trailer: Preview of the film.

David Freyne's directorial debut, "The Cured," offers a refreshing twist to the familiar zombie genre by blending high-stakes horror with nuanced socio-political commentary. Set in Ireland, the film explores the aftermath of the Maze Virus, which transformed infected individuals into cannibalistic monsters. Remarkably, a cure is found—but it’s only effective for 75% of the population, leaving those healed to grapple with guilt and traumatic memories of their violent actions. This unique narrative twist elevates "The Cured" above standard zombie fare, focusing on the survivors' struggle for reintegration and acceptance in a society that remains deeply mistrustful and hostile.

"The Cured" is populated by a compelling cast where Sam Keeley’s portrayal of Senan adds depth as he battles his haunted past while under the virus’s influence. Ellen Page adds emotional weight as Abbie, a single mother torn between familial duty and fear for her child’s safety. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor's Connor provides a notable contrast as a former monster turned radical leader, instigating further tensions amidst an already strained social fabric. The film's political allegory extends to reflections on Ireland's historical conflicts, adding layers of meaning to Connor’s revolutionary fervor and the state’s draconian measures against those deemed irredeemably infected.

Technically proficient despite its budgetary constraints, Freyne's film manages to sidestep typical genre clichés, resonating more closely with the socially-driven narratives seen in "28 Days Later." The story employs the virus as an addiction allegory, highlighting the lifelong struggle of the cured against their gruesome memories. However, the film occasionally stumbles when overreaching into civil rights analogies, which sometimes feel rushed and slightly tangential to the core plot. Nonetheless, "The Cured" delivers compelling performances and an innovative take on zombie lore, making it a thought-provoking and thrilling entry worthy of attention.

"The Cured" offers an innovative approach to the well-worn zombie genre, centering on the aftermath of a zombie outbreak and the reintegration of cured individuals back into society. Director David Freyne's poignant exploration of guilt, societal forgiveness, and psychological trauma provides a refreshing perspective. The narrative's tension is propelled by Senan's struggle with his dark history, leading to powerful scenes underscored by compelling performances from Keely and Page. Freyne skillfully blends apocalyptic visuals with intimate character studies, crafting an environment steeped in both physical dread and emotional resonance.

From a technical standpoint, "The Cured" is presented on Blu-ray with a commendable audiovisual transfer. The film maintains a crisp image quality, effectively showcasing the bleak and moody atmosphere integral to its storytelling. The sound design complements the visual intensity, immersing viewers in the film's dire ambiance. Unfortunately, the Blu-ray release falls short in the extras department, which might disappoint enthusiasts seeking deeper insights into the filmmaking process.

Much like last year's "The Girl with All the Gifts," "The Cured" locates a fresh way to manage old business. The pressure on Senan to resolve his tortured past and expose secrets leads to some uniquely charged scenes, brought to life through feeling performances from Keely and Page, who's rarely this vulnerable onscreen. Freyne has a good grip on visual needs and apocalyptic escalation. While the feature isn't interested in arranging truly terrifying encounters, it effectively cultivates unease by exploring intimate areas of remorse. For this kind of film, such patience with psychological details is welcome, generating a dire environment where threat emerges not only from physical frights but also from memories collected while completely out of control.

In conclusion, "The Cured" may not breathe new life into the lumbering zombie genre, but it's a welcome addition proving there is some interesting territory worth traveling. Strong performances and a smart script with intricate themes elevate the material beyond being another humdrum dramatic take on the walking dead. While its central premise isn't exactly new, writer/director David Freyne smartly paces the film to lead to a fitting payoff. It may not be the scariest horror film out there, but it’s impressive enough to engage even the most cynical zombie fanatic.