Dead Rising: Endgame Blu-ray Review

'Dead Rising: Endgame' features a 1080p HD transfer presented in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, offering a technically stable and adequately sharp video experience. The source photography is digital, resulting in a typically flat and glossy appearance that lacks a filmic quality. While the depth is limited and portions of the CGI tend to soften, the overall detail remains steady. Close-up shots exhibit fine textures—showcasing wrinkles, individual hairs, and the intricacies of the practical zombie makeup with impressive clarity. Industrial backdrops add dimensionality through their worn and weathered surfaces, enhancing the viewing experience.

The color palette leans towards a pale, gray, and desaturated look, yet it manages enough vibrancy, particularly in scenes showcasing red blood—both practical and digital. This slightly bleak color spectrum contributes to the decaying aesthetic intrinsic to the zombie genre. Black levels are generally deep, aiding in maintaining adequate contrast, while flesh tones remain consistent within the movie's visual parameters. There are no significant issues with compression artifacts or source noise, making the overall video presentation solid if unspectacular.

"Dead Rising: Endgame" features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that delivers an adequate auditory experience, aligning with the film's mid-tier production values. The soundscape is robust enough for genre enthusiasts, providing solid low-end support during explosive sequences and helicopter scenes. Gunfire, zombie-related gore, and thudding impacts are presented with sufficient depth and impact, ensuring immersive action moments. Ambient sounds such as zombie growls and screaming individuals effectively utilize the surround speakers, although these instances are sporadic.

The soundtrack excels in clarity and prioritization of dialogue for the most part, though some segments suffer from being overshadowed by louder effects, particularly noticeable during intense scenes like the chopper take-off at the movie's climax. Music within the film is clean and suitably expansive but tends to be rather unremarkable in memorability. Despite this, tonal balance is maintained well, and there are no discernible issues like pops, cracks, or hissing that could detract from the viewing experience.

Overall, while "Dead Rising: Endgame" may not match the high fidelity of higher-budget films, its audio presentation is competent. The sound effects—particularly gunfire and explosions—carry a satisfactory punch with a decent bass presence. Ambient noises and action-oriented audio cues fill out the listening environment adequately, contributing to a generally pleasing auditory experience suitable for this action-packed zombie picture.

The Blu-ray extras of "Dead Rising: Endgame" offer a brief yet engaging look behind the scenes with several concise featurettes. While the content is on the shorter side, fans of the franchise will appreciate the insights into character development, special effects, and the adaptation process from game to screen. Each segment provides a focused glimpse into specific aspects of the film's production, from the practical application of zombie makeup to the crafting of imaginative weapons inspired by the video game. This supplementary material, though limited in scope, enhances the viewing experience for dedicated enthusiasts.

Extras included in this disc:

• Bringing Zombies to Life: A short montage of makeup and prosthetic application.
• From Game to Screen: Explores the transition from game to film, including interviews with cast and crew.
• Making the Weapons: An overview of the game-inspired weapons, both real and rubberized.
• Who Is Chase Carter?: Character exploration via interviews and film clips.
• Who Is Jill Ekland?: Brief examination of the character with interview snippets and film clips.
• Who Is Jordan Blair?: Character breakdown featuring interviews and clips.
• Who Is Sandra Lowe?: Insight into the character through interviews and movie snippets.

"Dead Rising: Endgame," a direct-to-video sequel to 2015's "Dead Rising: Watchtower," continues the saga of reporter Chase Carter (Jesse Metcalfe) as he returns to East Mission City. East Mission, the most dangerous infected zone globally, serves as the backdrop for Chase's investigation into alleged trials on prisoners involving a new drug to cure zombie infection, overseen by a sinister scientist played by Billy Zane. The storyline intertwines government conspiracies, corrupt pharmaceutical giants, and a grand plan threatening millions. Joining Chase is General Lyons (Dennis Haysbert), whose role as an antagonist adds a layer of depth to the plot.

Despite the promising cast and thematic potential, "Dead Rising: Endgame" falls short of delivering an engaging cinematic experience. The film fails to capture the how components of its video game origins that could have brought a unique edge to the narrative. The movie's attempt at crafting weapons and incorporating elements from the game feels forced and overshadowed by a tedious plot reminiscent of low-budget genre flicks. The filmmaking process adopted a formulaic approach, featuring drab shooting locations, low-end CGI visuals, and a bland, uninspired script that doesn't deviate from predictable genre tropes.

Moreover, "Endgame" suffers from structural inadequacies that render it devoid of originality and excitement. The film's overreliance on recycled plots around government conspiracies and journalistic heroism results in a dull and repetitive action sequence that fails to create any real tension or engagement. Even with the occasional fun zombie deaths and weapon combinations, the overall seriousness of the film undermines its potential for unpretentious zombie entertainment. Consequently, "Dead Rising: Endgame" is an uninspired sequel to its predecessor and fails to live up to the engaging, over-the-top nature of the Dead Rising video games.

"Dead Rising: Endgame" is a Sony production tailored for its Crackle streaming service, serving as the sequel to 2015's "Dead Rising: Watchtower." The film follows reporter Chase Carter (Jesse Metcalfe) as he returns to East Mission City to investigate suspicious trials conducted on prisoners by a scientist (Billy Zane). These experiments aim to cure the zombie infection and are entangled with government conspiracies and corrupt pharmaceutical giants. As expected from a low-budget, direct-to-video flick, the production values are underwhelming. Despite the presence of notable actors like Dennis Haysbert and Zane, the acting remains flat, and the direction lacks vigor.

The Blu-ray release by Sony offers a reasonable presentation, with good video quality and fair lossless audio. The extras included are minimal and don’t contribute significantly to the film's context or making. The visual effects are on the lower end of the spectrum, which is in line with its direct-to-video nature. While the film fails to distinguish itself within the zombie genre, it does provide notable moments of gory entertainment and creative weapon combinations, often driven by its commitment to zombie gore.

In conclusion, "Dead Rising: Endgame" is best approached with tempered expectations. It is a B-grade zombie flick that will only appeal to die-hard fans of the genre or those who enjoy video game adaptations. Its subpar production, lackluster acting, and minimal extras make it a rental rather than a purchase recommendation. If viewed with the understanding of its limitations, it might offer some entertaining value.