Rabid Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "Rabid" on Blu-ray showcases an engrossing level of detail thanks to the AVC encoded image with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. This particular encoding is beneficial for a narrative heavily focused on the transformation of looks, allowing the viewer to appreciate both the inherent beauty of the cast and the grotesque evolution of illness portrayed through meticulous makeup effects. The interiors maintain a rich level of decorative offerings while the exteriors preserve dimensionality. Costuming, particularly in high fashion scenes, retains its intended textures. While delineation wrestles with solidification occasionally, it remains mostly communicative. The color grading is quite engaging, often entering lighting extremes with scenes set in clubs and medical facilities showcasing washes of red and blue. Skin tones manage to stay natural throughout these transitions.

Scream Factory’s 1.85:1 presentation effectively renders "Rabid’s" shifting, oversaturated palette, providing a sharp definition and revealing quality in the goriest moments. The 1080P video stands out with nice, sharp details, although it doesn’t reach the ultimate limits of what Blu-ray can offer. Flesh tones exhibit a sickly yellow push due to stylized color grading but remain consistent with the narrative's requirements. The steady AVC encode maintains an impressive performance with no noticeable compression issues, and consistent black levels support above-average clarity and contrast. Although shadow delineation could see slight improvements, there are no significant issues with rampant crushing, ensuring "Rabid" deserves its Blu-ray format.

This presentation ensures that "Rabid’s" visual storytelling is enhanced through sharp detail and effective color grading, making for a visually engaging experience that supports the thematic elements and horror aesthetic intrinsic to the film.

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix of "Rabid" delivers an impressive audio experience, maintaining crystal clear dialogue throughout both intense and quieter moments. Scoring cues are precise, enhancing the film's menacing and suspenseful atmosphere. Surround channels are effectively utilized to create a palpable sense of environment, especially heightening the tension during scenes of violence and chaos. The low-end frequencies, although not overly pronounced, provide adequate support during moments of aggression and turmoil.

The lively surround mix ensures excellent atmospheric immersion and meticulous discrete channel separation, with rear action being particularly noteworthy. Claude Foisy's discordant score significantly enhances the gruesome visuals with its eerie and unsettling tones. Notably, high-impact scenes such as car crashes are rendered with suitable intensity across the front soundstage, underlining the film’s dramatic beats. Overall, the audio presentation on this Blu-Ray is a stellar accomplishment for indie horror, reinforcing the film's haunting narrative. Optional English SDH subtitles are available, presented in a clear white font for added accessibility.

The Blu-ray extras for "Rabid" are a mixed bag with notable highlights and a few technical hitches. The directors' commentary by Jen and Sylvia Soska stands out, providing an engaging and thoughtful discussion on themes, inspirations, and their experiences as twins working together. However, the "Behind the Scenes" featurette, while insightful in its coverage of Cronenberg influences, stunt work, and casting, suffers from frustrating sound issues that detract from its overall value. Paul McEvoy quietly moderates, though his role and presence remain inadequately explained. The brief interview with actress Laura Vandervoort is similarly hindered by its short duration, lacking depth despite her evident passion for genre films and admiration for the Soskas. The included theatrical trailer rounds out the offerings with solid promotional content.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary: Directors Jen & Sylvia Soska discuss inspirations and themes with great enthusiasm.
• Behind the Scenes With Jen & Sylvia Soska: Insights into filmmaking challenges, albeit plagued by audio issues.
• An Interview With Actress Laura Vandervoort: Brief discussion on her character and experiences.
• Rabid Trailer: Promotional content showcasing the film.

Jen and Sylvia Soska deliver a provocative reimagining of David Cronenberg’s cult classic "Rabid," injecting contemporary relevance while preserving the essence of the original film. Known for their command over grotesque narratives, the Soska Sisters excel in balancing homage with innovation, crafting a tale rife with macabre imagery. The narrative shifts seamlessly into the high-pressure world of fashion, thereby modernizing the unsettling themes of beauty, identity, and transformation. Laura Vandervoort embodies Rose, a scarred and timid fashion designer who undergoes a miraculous but sinister stem cell treatment following a disfiguring accident. This transformative procedure propels her into newfound beauty but also triggers horrifying consequences, as Rose battles increasing cravings for flesh amidst a growing city-wide pandemic.

The screenplay, co-written by John Serge, adeptly updates the 1977 narrative without attempting to mimic Cronenberg’s seventies hysteria. Instead, it focuses on transhumanism, setting a stark juxtaposition between Rose’s outward transformation and her internal monstrosity. The Soskas include effective nods to Cronenberg’s original work—such as the homage to "Dead Ringers" during Rose’s surgery scene—while maintaining their distinct stylistic imprint. Rabid’s special effects are top-notch, resulting in vividly realistic sequences of gore that are not for the faint-hearted. The depiction of infected individuals echoes B-movie magic in its finest form: shocking yet deeply engaging.

Vandervoort's performance is compelling, transitioning from a haggard look to a strikingly confident persona—courtesy of transformative makeup. As Rose’s life seemingly improves, she experiences nightmarish cravings and disturbing visions, exploring themes of identity and humanity’s relationship with technology. Offering a dark social critique grounded in viral hysteria and body horror, the film also sports vivid aesthetics and irony, ensuring it stands robust as both a respectful remake and a striking standalone piece in modern horror cinema.

The Soska Sisters' reimagining of David Cronenberg’s "Rabid" masterfully balances respect for the original with innovative additions, making it a worthwhile watch for both new audiences and fans of the 1977 classic. Laura Vandervoort stars as Rose, whose transformation into a relentless predator effectively captures the essence of body horror. The character's descent into bloodlust is compellingly portrayed, leading to a vampiric flu that masquerades as a rabies epidemic. The onscreen violence is both intense and imaginative, with the directors amplifying the gore and panic to underscore the film's underlying themes.

Visually, "Rabid" maintains a certain slickness with updated cinematography, though it occasionally resembles a high-budget television movie more than a cinematic masterpiece. Despite this, the film excels in its portrayal of visceral horror, from Rose's gruesome bodily transformations to the frenzied attack scenes. The Soska Sisters' decision to lampoon the fashion industry provides an unexpected yet fitting commentary, blurring the lines between human superficiality and monstrous nature. They stay true to the spirit of Cronenberg's vision while incorporating modern aesthetics, thus contributing their unique touch to this body horror narrative.

Of course, comfort isn't the case, with the blood cravings soon overpowering Rose, who begins to feed on select men, turning them into carriers of a vampiric flu that's reported as a rabies epidemic. The Soskas dial up the gore and panic, creating vivid attack scenes with crazed predators, and they poke fun at the fashion industry, finding little difference between the professionals and the diseased. There are a few production shortcomings, including a lack of cinematic presence, as most of the picture resembles a hard R-rated television movie, but the Soska Sisters remain committed to the gruesome aspects of the story and its wild, bodily transformation extremes. There's no topping Cronenberg, but the helmers deliver their own grim take on Rabid, offering newfound glossiness while still tending to the fleshy horrors of the original endeavor.