Jessabelle
(2014/Lionsgate Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: B- Film: C
From
the producers of Paranormal
Activity
and Insidious...
The
Dead are back for life.
If
you put
The Skeleton Key, The Ring, and
The Conjuring in
a blender you would come out with Jessabelle.
With rising star Sarah Snook of Sleeping
Beauty as
the title character in the lead, the film takes place in the swamp
lands of Louisiana where our story begins with a freak car accident
that paralyzes Jessabelle and kills her fiance. Bound in a
wheelchair and sent back home to live with her troubled Father,
Jessabelle soon discovers a VHS tape with lost footage of her late
mother that sparks a bizarre conspiracy that unleashes a
long-tormented spirit that has been seeking her return - and has no
intention of letting her escape.
The
film is shot well and has a strong first act that builds suspense but
ultimately dissipates in a silly third act that feels like a cross
between The
Skeleton Key
and The
Grudge with
average special effects. The film is atmospheric, however, and is
full of voodoo and haunted house moments that will make you jump but
ultimately becomes too complicated story wise and becomes unscarry.
Picture
and sound are the disc are great, however, with a 1080p high
definition transfer in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, the colors are tones
throughout the film are nice and there is incredible detail in the
close ups of the characters. The blacks in darker scenes are handled
well with minimal noise. The sound mix on the disc is a powerful
English, lossless DTS 5.1 track that doesn't disappoint and an
additional Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Track.
Extras
include an Audio Commentary with Director Kevin Greutert, the writers
and producers, Jessabelle:
Deep in the Bayou
Featurette, Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, and Extended Ending.
Jessabelle
isn't terrible but ultimately a one-time watch.
-
James Harland Lockhart V
www.facebook.com/jhl5films
