Home Before Midnight Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "Home Before Midnight" on Blu-ray, encoded in AVC and presented in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, leaves much to be desired. The image is notably soft, which detracts from the viewing experience by obscuring fine details. This softness creates a gauzy display that often results in a ghosting effect during particular shots. Unfortunately, the cinematography appears inconsistent, failing to settle on a specific look, thus exacerbating the visual shortcomings. The clarity ranges from acceptable to subpar, particularly in closeups where detail is slightly improved but still lacking. Additionally, the print exhibits notable signs of wear, including speckling and damage that reveal a lack of thorough cleanup.

Color rendering is one of the few strengths of this transfer. The hues are well-saturated, creating vivid cherry lips, natural skin tones, and balanced disco neon lighting that evoke the period effectively. Blacks are reasonably deep and inky but could benefit from improved depth. However, the overall image is plagued by several issues such as banding, aliasing, video noise, and occasional ghosting, which further diminish the visual quality. Period decor and exploitation elements escape some criticism due to satisfactory handling on screen, but the transfers’ rough condition is apparent throughout. Despite its vibrant colors, "Home Before Midnight" demands a more polished and competent video presentation to meet the expectations of high-definition Blu-ray standards.

The 2.0 LPCM audio mix in the Blu-ray release of "Home Before Midnight" presents significant challenges, making the listening experience less than optimal. Dialogue clarity is notably deficient, often making it difficult to follow conversations without frequent volume adjustments. This issue is compounded by a persistent hiss and periodic pops and cracks that detract from the overall sound presentation. The score tends to overpower dialogue, particularly during climactic moments, with high ranges sounding unduly screechy, indicating poor volume management.

Furthermore, the balance of sound effects and ambient noises seems off-kilter, leading to an overbearing and unrefined auditory experience. Accents come across as overly thick, and the highs are occasionally shrill, which can be quite harsh on the ears during more aggressive dramatic sequences. While there's a notable emotional undertone throughout the film and the musical mood is well set, these merits are overshadowed by the cumbersome effort required to endure and parse the mix cohesively. Thus, the audio intricacies needed for a more immersive viewing experience fall short, demanding further fine-tuning to meet modern expectations.

The Blu-ray extras for "Home Before Midnight" offer an insightful, albeit somewhat defensive, look into the film's creation. Director Pete Walker provides a candid interview, openly admitting he wasn't the best fit to helm the project while firmly defending his creative choices amidst critical backlash. Walker's commentary includes a poignant moment of confusion regarding actress Debbie Linden's fate. The inclusion of the theatrical trailer in high definition rounds out the supplementary content, giving viewers a historic glimpse of the film's original marketing.

Extras included in this disc:

Interview: Pete Walker discusses his involvement, the critical reception, and his confusion about Debbie Linden's fate.

Theatrical Trailer: Original trailer for the film in high definition.

In "Home Before Midnight," Pete Walker deviates from his horror repertoire to explore a dramatic courtroom narrative that tackles the taboo subject of statutory rape. The story follows Ginny (Alison Elliot), a 14-year-old girl, and Mike (James Aubrey), a 28-year-old songwriter. Their relationship begins when Ginny hitchhikes and accepts a ride from Mike, despite an unsettling rape joke. As the relationship evolves, it’s marked by sexual exploitation, secrecy, and eventual legal chaos. The film's voyeuristic camera angles often make viewers feel complicit, highlighting Mike’s perverse enjoyment of Ginny’s youth and innocence. When Ginny’s parents uncover the relationship, they manipulate her into accusing Mike of rape, creating a media frenzy that destroys Mike's career.

Walker’s film is provocative yet flawed, oscillating between potential depth and overt melodrama. Walker attempts to create a psychological study through incidents like a father’s uncomfortable behavior or sexually charged conversations, without fully committing to exploring these complex emotions. Instead, he shifts to a courtroom drama where he frames Mike as a sympathetic figure while demonizing Ginny, influenced by her parents’ coercion. The narrative's disjointed transition from personal turmoil to public trial neglects broader psychological exploration, focusing instead on Mike's downfall. Despite moments that hint at deeper themes such as the sexualization of minors and societal judgment, Walker ultimately prioritizes sensationalism over substantive character analysis.

Home Before Midnight presents itself with an initially gripping narrative, swiftly pulling viewers into a whirl of accusation and surrender, driven by commendable performances from James Aubrey and Alison Elliott. Director Pete Walker constructs tension effectively, especially during protagonist Mike's realization of Ginny's true age. This revelation positions the audience to experience a mix of frustration and anticipation. Walker’s grasp seems to falter as the plot transitions into courtroom drama, causing certain narrative threads to be left underdeveloped, impacting the overall momentum.

Despite its promise, 'Home Before Midnight' deviates from Walker's characteristic approach. Known for his bloodier tales, this film takes a somber detour into the realms of forbidden love and consequent punishment. This shift is somewhat mitigated by the visual and auditory presentations, which fall short of modern standards, affecting the immersion. The inclusion of supplementary material offers minimal enhancement, serving more as an intriguing footnote rather than a substantial addition.

In conclusion, Home Before Midnight has its engaging moments, with satisfactory performances from Aubrey and Elliott creating a respectable tug-of-war mood of accusation and surrender. Walker does create participatory moments during Mike's discovery of Ginny's true age, forcing viewers to yell at the screen when the character decides to ditch common sense and continue bedding his dewy piece of jail bait. The picture sets lofty dramatic goals for itself, perhaps a bit too far out of Walker's range as a filmmaker, but even when Home Before Midnight insists on banality, it remains just engaging enough to keep watching the downfall of these two dim characters.