The Vatican Tapes Blu-ray Review
Score: 51
from 2 reviewers
Review Date:
The Vatican Tapes' flounders in execution, leaving viewers disappointed despite its excellent Blu-ray technical presentation.
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Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 74
The Blu-ray of 'The Vatican Tapes' features an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1, revealing excellent fine detail and natural color modulation, especially in well-lit scenes. However, its digital quality can feel sterile, and low-lit interiors often appear flat due to post-production tweaks.
Audio: 74
The Vatican Tapes' DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix delivers exceptional fidelity and a wide dynamic range, featuring clean dialogue and responsive LFE. However, the front-heavy mix and sporadic surround usage undermine its suspenseful intent, relying heavily on Joseph Bishara's dynamic musical score to build atmosphere.
Extra: 49
The Blu-ray extras of 'The Vatican Tapes' feature a reasonably engaging audio commentary by the director, cinematographer, and lead actress, exploring technical production aspects, a detailed 29-minute behind-the-scenes featurette with cast interviews, and over 27 minutes of extended and deleted scenes.
Movie: 37
The Vatican Tapes struggles with a stylistic mishmash and underwhelming execution, failing to generate chills and falling into clichéd territory. Technical attempts at found footage and traditional narrative intertwine awkwardly, while the film’s supplements and religious iconography add minor interest in an otherwise lackluster horror.
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Video: 74
The Blu-ray presentation of "The Vatican Tapes" by Lionsgate Films boasts a 1080p/AVC encoded video transfer in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, presenting a visually diverse experience. Captured on high-definition cameras, the film exhibits a level of digital clarity that, while impressive in showcasing fine details, can sometimes lack the texture and organic feel seen in more traditionally filmed pieces. Notable sequences are heavily manipulated to mimic lo-fi elements like television broadcasts or security camera footage, which undermines the immediate visual impact. When lighting conditions are favorable, the levels of detail are superb, allowing viewers to see every pore and hair with remarkable precision.
The contrast levels are generally excellent, with crisp and clean whites and true black levels, though some dimly lit interiors may appear flat and lose their depth. Despite extensive color grading in scenes such as hospital or psychiatric ward interiors, the overall palette maintains a natural appearance. Outdoor scenes, in particular, benefit from this approach with well-modulated flesh tones and visually pleasing, realistic colors. Although some sequences take place in darker environments where detail clarity is compromised, the stationary camera shots with adequate lighting exhibit excellent fine detail, maintaining a visually engaging viewing experience for the audience.
Audio: 74
The audio presentation of "The Vatican Tapes" on Blu-ray is delivered through a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, boasting excellent fidelity and dynamic range. Low-frequency effects (LFE) are deployed effectively throughout, contributing to a subliminal sense of dread. This is particularly notable during scenes where Angela exhibits aggressive, possessed behavior, although the track prioritizes raw power over subtlety. Dialogue is consistently clear and well-prioritized, ensuring intelligibility even amidst chaotic scenes of exorcism and panic.
Interestingly, the sound mix predominantly favors the front channels, which is somewhat unorthodox for a horror film. While the front-heavy mix offers great channel separation and smooth movement across the soundstage, it somewhat undermines the potential for building suspense. Occasional atmospherics expand into the rear channels but fail to sustain a spooky environment effectively. Joseph Bishara's musical score stands out, intrinsic to the overall audio design as it dynamically flows into all speakers, enhancing the mix's depth and engagement. This musical integration succeeds in generating a more immersive auditory experience. Despite some missed opportunities in creating a genuinely eerie atmosphere, the weighty and responsive LFE does add ominous undertones in a few key moments.
Extra: 49
The Blu-ray of "The Vatican Tapes" offers a solid package of extras that delve deep into the production's nuances and provide intriguing behind-the-scenes insights. The Audio Commentary features Director Mark Neveldine, Cinematographer Gerardo Mateo Madrazo, and Actress Olivia Taylor Dudley. This commentary weaves an engaging narrative focused on technical production aspects, set anecdotes, and Dudley’s approach to her role. The Tale of the Tapes is an in-depth featurette brimming with cast and crew interviews, loaded with behind-the-scenes footage, providing substantial insights into the filmmaking process. Additionally, the disc includes Deleted Scenes and Extended Scenes, offering fans a glimpse of unraveled narratives and additional content that did not make the final cut.
Extras included in this disc:
- Audio Commentary: Director, Cinematographer, and Actress discuss technical aspects and set anecdotes.
- Tale of the Tapes: Cast & crew interviews with behind-the-scenes footage.
- Deleted Scenes: Unused scenes from the film.
- Extended Scenes: Lengthier versions of existing scenes.
Movie: 37
"The Vatican Tapes" struggles with stylistic coherence and narrative focus, showcasing an intriguing premise hamstrung by its inconsistent execution. The film flirts with the found footage format, hinted at in its opening montage of historical exorcism clips from the Vatican archives, yet quickly abandons this approach for a traditional narrative style. This abrupt shift undermines the tension it initially establishes. Despite attempts to intersperse the plot with unsettling footage from security cameras and personal devices, the disjointed presentation disrupts rather than enhances the story's suspense.
Peter Andersson and Djimon Hounsou lend gravitas to their roles as Vatican exorcists grappling with an uptick in demonic activity, yet even their performances can’t save the film’s sagging middle. Olivia Taylor Dudley as Angela Holmes, the possessed protagonist, delivers a performance bordering on parody during the climactic exorcism scenes, which lack the visceral impact of classics in the genre. The screenplay by Christopher Borrelli and Michael C. Martin, replete with religious iconography, fails to deliver a coherent narrative or profound thematic exploration, relying instead on worn-out horror clichés.
Director Mark Neveldine’s background in high-octane action films like "Crank" does not translate effectively to the horror genre. Neveldine misses the mark in building genuine scares or a sustained atmosphere of dread. The exorcism set pieces, intended as the film's high-stakes moments, often verge on unintentionally comedic due to over-the-top performances and clunky dialogue. Michael Peña’s role as Father Oscar Lozano feels underutilized and his character arc remains shallow, adding little to the overall narrative depth. In sum, "The Vatican Tapes" is a patchwork of missed opportunities and unrealized potential, ultimately making for an unsatisfying viewing experience.
Total: 51
"The Vatican Tapes" Blu-ray delivers a visually and aurally competent package but falters considerably in its storytelling and execution. Directed by Mark Neveldine, known for his previous work on the 'Crank' series, the film attempts to weave a supernatural horror narrative that leans heavily on tired clichés and overused tropes. The movie struggles to find a coherent identity, oscillating between a found footage style and traditional cinematic techniques, which results in a disjointed viewing experience. This lack of direction undermines any potential for genuine suspense or terror, relegating the film to an unsatisfactory mess.
From a technical perspective, the Blu-ray release excels in presenting clear and sharp video quality that highlights the film's high production values. The audio mix is equally impressive, providing crisp, immersive soundscapes essential for the horror genre. Unfortunately, these technical merits cannot mask the underwhelming narrative and the film's heavy reliance on melodramatic elements masquerading as horror. The limited collection of supplements does little to redeem the overall package, making it difficult to justify a purchase based solely on the disc's technical prowess.
In conclusion, with Halloween 2015 approaching, many viewers will be on the lookout for classic demonic possession flicks. While "The Vatican Tapes" checks the boxes for demonic possession and old-fashioned scares, it falls short of being a genuinely good film. For a more fulfilling experience, consider revisiting "The Exorcist." Though the Blu-ray offers excellent audio and video quality, this ultimately serves only to highlight the disappointing narrative and execution of the film.
Blu-ray.com review by Jeffrey KauffmanRead review here
Video: 80
While some environments have been fairly heavily color graded (notably some of the institutional interiors like a hospital and a psychiatric ward), overall the palette is actually very natural looking,...
Audio: 80
Rumbly, tumbly LFE spills through the surrounds at various times to create a (supposedly) subliminal feeling of angst, and when Angela starts showing disturbing signs of aggression and possession, the...
Extras: 40
Tale of the Tapes (1080p; 29:19) is a fairly in depth featurette which offers quite a few interviews and lots of behind the scenes footage....
Movie: 30
Neveldine, who is seen in some of the supplements on this Blu-ray zinging around the set on roller blades and who is also described as having ADD by one of the producers (in an apparent half-joke), nonetheless...
Total: 30
The Vatican Tapes simply never seems to know whether it wants to exploit its found footage element totally or not, something that leaves the film in a kind of stylistic purgatory that never makes a lot...
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 80
This is largely due to the movie being shot entirely on high-def cameras, arriving with the sort of sterilized digital quality that's frankly unappealing and ultimately makes the entire production look...
Audio: 80
Not only is this the strongest aspect of the lossless mix, but it succeeds in generating a wider and more engaging design....
Extras: 20
Tale of the Tapes (HD, 29 min) — An assortment of cast & crew interviews talking endlessly about the production and applauding the work of others, intermingled with a variety of BTS footage....
Movie: 0
The Vatican Tapes' amounts to nothing more than a patchwork mess of every cliché imaginable, from a body contorting and twisting accompanied by the nerve-wracking sounds of bones braking to a pair of dogmatic...
Total: 40
From the same mind that brought us the 'Crank' movies, director Mark Neveldine demonstrate a lack of talent and unfamiliarity with the genre, banking on the most overused tropes and conventions for producing...
Director: Mark Neveldine
Actors: Olivia Taylor Dudley, Michael Peña, Dougray Scott
PlotAngela Holmes is an ordinary 27-year-old woman living in the suburbs when she begins to experience unsettling and dangerous disturbances. Her bizarre behavior escalates from harmless oddities to violent episodes that harm those around her. Angela’s boyfriend, Pete, and her father, Roger, are deeply concerned and seek medical advice, but doctors are stumped by her symptoms. After a car accident and a bird attack further complicate matters, Angela is placed under psychiatric care where her condition only deteriorates further. As occurrences of intense blackouts and supernatural phenomena increase, it becomes evident that something more sinister is at play.
Father Lozano, a local priest, is called in to offer spiritual guidance and soon suspects that Angela may be dealing with a demonic possession. Together with Vatican officials who specialize in exorcisms, Father Lozano attempts to determine the nature of the evil inhabiting Angela. During their investigation, patterns tied to historical events and prophecies emerge, suggesting that Angela’s possession could have far-reaching consequences. Torn between faith, medical science, and the safety of the people involved, Father Lozano and his team must race against time to confront the ancient force within Angela before it brings about cataclysmic destruction.
Writers: Christopher Borrelli, Michael C. Martin, Chris Morgan
Release Date: 22 Jul 2015
Runtime: 91 min
Rating: PG-13
Country: United States
Language: English, Aramaic