The Uninvited (2009/Paramount Blu-ray + DVD)
Picture:
B/C Sound: C/C- Extras: C- Film: D
Here we
go again, yet another remake of an Asian horror film. This time it is A Tale of Two Sisters (reviewed elsewhere on this site) getting the
treatment as The Uninvited. Without delving into much detail and ruining
the films "surprises", Emily Browning and Arielle Kebbel star as
sisters whose mother died of mysterious circumstances, and when one begins
seeing visions hinting that the truth needs revealed, it is their duty to find
out what really happened. Once the movie
begins it hits all the typical PG-13 horror movie clichés. The music level being raised at supposedly
scary spots, the creepy person crawling on the floor, the teen scream, the
complete lack of believability, finished off with the "twist" of an
ending that tries to say the movie had a purpose and was smarter then the
viewer.
Same
formula we have now seen in every one of these bad Asian remakes for the last 7
years, all trying to achieve the success The
Ring had. Unlike The Ring (which I think is a genuinely
good film) this movie has very little going for it. The dialogue is as if it was written by a
teenager in high school, the directing is generic offering nothing fresh, the
two main leads need new careers, and what a waste of talent in David Strathairn
and Elizabeth Banks.
David
Strathairn, so excellent in Blue Car
and Good Night & Good Luck, just
boringly delivers his scenes as if he knows there is no point in putting much
effort here, and Elizabeth Banks is just not convincing as a wicked step mom at
all. Obviously, I am not the target
audience for a movie such as this, but it is hard to even imagine the young
teen crowd enjoying this movie. When it
is not being loud it’s just plain boring and barely held my attention. In these cases the studios could care less
though of the viewers’ opinion and more so about their dollars turning a profit
on cheaply made scary movies that have become a staple each year. Hopefully, Hollywood will run out of Asian
Horror films to remake soon, but note they changed the title of this one from
the original.
The Blu-Ray picture in 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition is surprisingly
very good for such a poor film. It looks
much better then some recent high-caliber movies that were released on Blu-Ray.
The regular DVD is not bad looking
either, but they have a look that holds back performance overall with the DVD
lacking some of the more clear images in the Blu-Ray version of the film, but
ultimately the clearer picture does not add anything. The sound here is not so good. Many of the
"loud" moments just sounded bad. Often hearing echoes and a tin-can like sound,
it comes off as cheap and amateurish.
The extras that appear on both versions are pointless to even watch, adding
nothing to the film, or experience of the film.
You get Unlocking the Uninvited,
deleted scenes and an alternate ending are included on both formats. You are better off seeing the original, which
we covered here:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2080/A+Tale+Of+Two+Sisters+(2003/Uncut
- Nate Rutkus
