Damned By Dawn (2009/Image Blu-ray)
Picture:
B- Sound: B Extras:
C Feature: C
The
overcrowded Horror market is finally seeing the decline of the torture porn
cycle, which was long overdue, so one would hope to see the return of suspense
and good writing for starters.
Sometimes, having product from another country other than the U.S. can give a
Horror title and edge when the import is not trying to do a bad imitation of
the many bad imitations in the states.
Writer/Director Brett Anstey’s Damned
By Dawn (2009, released 2010) is one of the potentially better monster
entries until it runs out of ideas.
A
thunderstorm in Australia (where the film was made) not only wakes up the
people of a small farming town, but the living dead itself as an evil spirit
intends to take the soul of a visiting young woman (Renee Willner) that will be
taken over by the evil spirit known as The Banshee. At first, there is some suspense and the set
up is as interesting as the little-used locations, but this soon starts to rely
on its make-up effects and too much formula instead of the promise it began
with and slowly, sadly falls apart. The
actors are not bad and even the make-up is decent, but it could not even make
it through a short 81 minutes before it was obvious that it had lost its way in
about the first 25 minutes. Some fans
might enjoy it for what it is, but I had hoped for more considering the
potential and ambition. However, I would
like to see Anstey try the genre again.
The 1080p
1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot in HD and looks it with motion
blur, gutted color (in part to accommodate the digital visual effects) and the
result is very mixed. The DTS-HD MA
(Master Audio) lossless 5.1 mix is much better with a good, solid soundfield
and warm recording, making this the default highlight of the disc. Extras include a trailer, making of piece and
two feature-length audio commentary tracks one by the cast, the crew.
-
Nicholas Sheffo
