Awake Blu-ray Review

The 1080p, AVC-encoded video presentation of "Awake" on Blu-ray delivers a visually striking experience that balances hyper-real imagery with a robust, clinical aesthetic, elegantly captured by Russell Carpenter's distinguished cinematography. The transfer is free from compression artifacts or other issues, showcasing an excellent level of sharpness in textures and facial details. The distinct tonalities crafted for different sections of the film—ranging from the warm, autumnal hues with vibrant highlights in pre-surgery scenes to the stark, clean white of hospital hallways and the cool blue tones of the operating room—are rendered with precision. This visual treatment not only enhances the narrative's intensity but also contributes to a deeply immersive viewing experience. The color grading is spot-on, with particularly accurate flesh tones and the occasional, yet effective use of vivid colors in costumes, adding layers to the film’s sterile atmosphere.

Furthermore, the deep blacks and clean contrast throughout the film enhance the chilly, foreboding atmosphere intrinsic to its hospital settings, without ever compromising on detail or depth in the image. Shadow delineation is commendably executed, allowing for an appreciable level of detail even in the darkest scenes. A subtle layer of cinematic grain throughout ensures that the film retains warmth and prevents it from veering into overly clinical territory, thus maintaining the director's artistic intent. The AVC encode handles the film's visual nuances deftly, avoiding edge enhancement, motion artifacts, or excessive noise, resulting in a pristine and highly effective transfer that respects both the clinical and emotional dimensions of "Awake."

This Blu-ray presentation underscores the technical prowess behind "Awake," highlighting both its clinical precision and its deeply human story through its meticulous video quality. It's a testament to the care taken in transferring this film to home media, ensuring that viewers are treated to a visually seamless and engaging experience that mirrors the film's thematic richness and cinematographic excellence.

The audio track of "Awake" on Blu-ray, featuring an English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround (48kHz/24-bit), offers a landscape that is at once dynamically stable yet instances of engaging depth punctuate its somewhat subdued presentation. Early on, the track seems conservative, primarily leveraging front channels and leaving much to be desired in terms of rear speaker activity, save for subtle ambience and the unnerving creep of the film’s score. This score, sinister and sprawling, brilliantly utilizes the surround sound capabilities, enveloping the viewer in an atmosphere thick with impending dread. The track displays a competent handling of the audio spectrum with voices prioritized with clarity and a richness that adds to the narrative immersion. Low bass tones are tight and mid- to high-range frequencies clean, ensuring even the metallic click of surgical instruments is distinctly audible.

As the storyline twists into the surgical nightmare, the TrueHD track blossoms into a more chaotic and immersive experience. Sounds of surgical horror, from screeches to eerily reverberating voices, exploit the full potential of home theater systems, presenting a cleverly designed soundscape that dramatically enhances the viewer's engagement during these intense sequences. Despite this, the majority of the film returns to a quieter mix, focusing on the strength of its dialogue and maintaining a moody albeit front-heavy mix that occasionally feels like a missed opportunity to further utilize its surround capabilities.

In summary, 'Awake's audio presentation marries subtlety with brief flares of auditory intensity. The mix overall supports the film’s atmosphere effectively—featuring well-defined lows and crisp highs which ensure both dialogue and discrete effects are rendered with precision. Yet, it's within moments of calculated chaos where the audio truly shines, providing an enveloping sense of immersion that's as terrifying as it is technically impressive. While perhaps not consistently aggressive in its use of the surround sound field, when it does tap into its full potential, it elevates the tension and horror of the narrative in a manner that's both commendable and memorable.

The extras on the "Awake" Blu-ray are a mixed but fundamentally informative lot, mostly geared towards fans of the film and those with a specific interest in filmmaking from a debut director’s perspective. The solo commentary by writer-director Joby Harold is technically insightful but suffers from moments of dryness and a lack of engaging delivery, which could have been alleviated with the inclusion of cast members. "Under the Knife & Behind the Camera: The Making of Awake" offers a glossy glimpse into the making of the film, albeit with a promotional veneer that only sporadically delves into genuinely interesting behind-the-scenes content. The deleted scenes, with Harold’s optional commentary, present what could have offered more depth to the final cut, though their omission is understandable. The storyboard to film comparison provides a straightforward, visual insight into the film's creative process. While each component has merits, especially in high definition, the entirety of the extras feels like a somewhat missed opportunity to deeply explore the unique thematic elements and production challenges of "Awake."

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary by Writer/Director Joby Howard: Solo track by Harold, detailed but somewhat monotonous.
• Under the Knife & Behind the Camera: The Making of Awake: A featurette focusing on Harold’s directorial debut, contains standard EPK content with highlights on the film's medical aspects.
• Deleted Scenes: A collection of seven scenes with optional directorial commentary, illustrating potentially deeper narrative paths.
• Storyboard to Film Comparison: Visual comparison for one of the operation scenes, showcasing creative translation from storyboard to screen.
• Theatrical Trailer: The film’s trailer in full HD.

"Awake," directed by Joby Howard in his debut outing, emerges as a psychological thriller with a premise that is both intriguing and terrifying in equal measure. The film articulates the horrific concept of anesthesia awareness, where the protagonist, Clay Beresford (played by Hayden Christensen), finds himself painfully conscious during a heart transplant surgery, unable to move or cry out. This narrative alone promises an intense cinematic ride, leveraging a real-life medical anomaly that apparently occurs in 1 out of every 700 patients. Despite its grand setup, echoing shadows of psychological depth akin to "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "Awake" struggles to maintain the gravitas its premise demands, primarily due to plot convolutions and a failure to fully exploit its central horror.

The storyline weaves through Clay's opulent but constrained life as a young billionaire, secret romances, and familial conflicts, culminating in a night that promises new beginnings but swiftly descends into nightmare. The inclusion of seasoned actors like Lena Olin and Terrence Howard adds weight to the cast's performance, albeit the film's ambitious narrative reach—attempting to mesh elements of a character study, art film, and horror thriller—often exceeds its grasp. Notably, the film's visual aesthetics, alongside some genuinely squirm-inducing surgical scenes (especially highlighted in the Blu-ray presentation), stand out as commendable elements amidst an otherwise cluttered plot.

However, it's the film's dive into the realms of metaphysical exploration and memory manipulation coupled with anesthesia awareness that sets an ostensibly unique stage, albeit one that stumbles over its complex narrative structure and occasional lapses into incredulity. Critics and audiences alike might find themselves ensnared by the film's conceptually fascinating yet flawed execution. "Awake" ultimately presents a mixed bag of potent psychological fear mingled with narrative excesses that somewhat dilute its impact. The portrayal of medical procedures attracts scrutiny for inaccuracies, further distracting from the immersive experience. In sum, while "Awake" showcases promising elements and a noteworthy premise, its potential is marred by overarching ambitions and a muddled plot landscape that detracts from a tighter, more focused horror thriller experience.

"Awake" arrives on Blu-ray with a presentation that, while not without its flaws, showcases director Joby Howard's potential in the horror-thriller genre. The film itself struggles under the weight of its ambitious plot, losing focus on what could have been a compelling gimmick by attempting to straddle the line between grindhouse-style B-movie and art-house aspiration. This ultimately undermines its effectiveness, leaving the viewer with a sense that a simpler approach might have served the story better. Despite these narrative hiccups, the Blu-ray offers an excellent technical presentation, boasting high-quality video and audio that will satisfy purists and enthusiasts alike.

The appeal of "Awake" on Blu-ray may be somewhat niche due to its faltering execution and the uneasy viewing experience it may provide to the more squeamish audience members. One anecdotal account describes a viewer needing to step away for a moment of reprieve, underscoring the film's potential physical impact on its audience. However, this same intensity, bolstered by the Blu-ray's sharp audio-visual quality, could appeal to aficionados of the genre looking for a visceral experience. The special features included are described as decent, suggesting there might be added value for fans or those particularly intrigued by Howard's directing approach.

In conclusion, while "Awake" may stumble narrative-wise under an overly complicated plot and an uncertain tone, the Blu-ray edition shines in its technical merits. It may only be halfheartedly recommendable as a piece of cinema, with a caveat for the faint of heart. However, for collectors and fans of horror-thrillers who appreciate solid picture and sound quality—and are curious to witness Joby Howard's directorial choices—"Awake" might warrant cautious consideration for purchase, or at least a rental.