The Boy (2016) - Universal Pictures - Film Review

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

A Montana woman, Greta, gets a temporary job as a nanny and to her surprise is paid to look after a porcelain doll, which is treated like a living child by his parents.

Director William Brent Bell offers a creepy tale with plenty of shock scares. The typical British James Herbert-like setting of a large British aristocratic home with mature gardens adds to the sinister atmosphere. Lauren Cohan's performance is excellent as Greta. As things go bump in the night with objects seemingly moving around reminiscent of Child Play, Dolly Dearest and Annabel to name a few, Cohan sells the fear factor. Bell 's production is polished, aided by its sound design, Bear McCreary's score (who appears to be knocking them out in his sleep) and Brian Berdan's editing add to the pace and atmosphere throughout.

Written by Stacey Menear, Greta's back story and motivations are believable but it leads to a somewhat inevitable Cape Fear-esque appearance by Cole, Greta's ex, played by Ben Robson. Rupert Evans gives a great understated performance as as Malcolm thanks to Delay's dialogue. Still grieving for their son, both Jim Norton as Mr. Heelshire and Diana Hardcastle s Mrs. Heelshire are delightfully creepy and emulate the odd couple in Dolls (1987) as their intentions are tragically revealed. Notable are the scenes where Greta demonstrates Brahms' ability to move by himself to Malcolm and when Greta is locked in the attic by an unseen force.

Although the lath reveals the house is state-side and not British, the excellent interiors and grounds really sell it. As with my incessant mention of other films it covers a lot of horror tropes. Those familiar with Housebound (2014) and an array of others will see the twist coming a mile off. If anything the rushed and jarring reveal takes away the suspense and tension finely built by Bell in the first three quarters with a Halloween masked phantom closing. That said, to Bell's credit the ghoul remains masked retaining The Boy's mystery. But the star of the show is the Brahms doll, which is just plain unnerving.

Those with pediophobia may want to avoid this at all costs but for the rest of us it's a solid horror thriller that works best when its honing the psychological aspect and delivering jump scares.

3/5

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You can celebrate the home entertainment release of 'The Boy' with the Brahms' Rules Quiz!

CAN YOU FOLLOW BRAHMS' RULES WITH

THE BOY

PLAYBUZZ QUIZ!

Celebrate the release of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment's 'The Boy', by taking this quiz to find out if you have what it takes to be Brahms' next babysitter!

Also be sure to read our review of the Blu-ray which is available now.

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The Boy (2016) - Blu-ray Review - Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

MEET BRAHMS. HE'S USUALLY A GOOD BOY.

Blu-ray + Digital HD
Released by: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 10, 2016 
Production Year: 2016
Region Code: A
Running Time: 1:37:47
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1
Video: 1080p (2.40:1 Aspect Ratio)
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

THE FILM - [ 3 / 5 ]:

Greta (Lauren Cohan, TV's The Walking Dead) is a young American woman who takes a job as a nanny in a remote English village. She soon discovers that the family’s 8-year-old is a life-sized doll that they care for just like a real boy, as a way to cope with the death of their son 20 years prior. After violating a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring Greta’s worst nightmare to life, leading her to believe that the doll is actually alive.

That pretty well sums things up. I love killer doll/puppet type films. My great-grandmother had a doll that sat on a chair in her bedroom and as a child, that thing creeped me out. I never wanted to go in to her bedroom and just as you entered the bathroom, you would get a glimpse of the doll as it came in to view from the open doorway. I think I was convinced that one day that doll would get off the chair and sneak up on me. Maybe that is what set me down the path of being fascinated with those types of horror films. I like to think so. Anyhow, in director William Brent Bell's "The Boy" we have Brahms with his milky white face, well-kept hair and oh yes, he is very nicely dressed. For me, there is always something slightly unnerving about that still and never changing face as I wonder what lurks behind those (seemingly) lifeless eyes. 

I couldn't help but completely side with Greta for most of the film in both the emotions she conveyed and the actions she took. At least until late in the film where I would have acted a bit differently. But it's a movie and how often do we ever totally agree with the actions of a character. The house that the Heelshire's live in looks amazing haunting and while we do get a fairly good look at it I would have liked to see even more. I thought the acting in the film was quite good with Jim Norton and Diana Hardcastle coming off very believable in their roles as the parents of Brahms. Lauren Cohan was not only gorgeous as usual but also did a fine job of carrying the bulk of the film on her shoulders. Her reactions to what happens throughout the film help further build tension. Rupert Evans ("Elfie Hopkins") also did a good job in his role as Malcolm, the helpful and mild mannered delivery man. 

AUDIO - [ 4.5 / 5 ]:

The Blu-ray has one audio track which is English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. There are also optional English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles included. The sound quality was incredible. I loved hearing the little noises from the old mansion. The creaks and groans at the right moments help add to the ominous ambiance of the film. The weather effects like the rain also sounded great. I really need to watch the film on a night when it is also raining in real life because I think it would make the movie watching experience even better. I thought the sound levels were balanced really well. I did not notice any technical problems with the audio. I should also note that the film features the haunting music of Bear McCreary whose name may sound familiar from a number of TV shows and films including "The Walking Dead" and "The Forest." 

VIDEO - [ 4.5 / 5 ]:

"The Boy" arrives on Blu-ray thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The film is presented in 1080p with a 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio. The video quality looked excellent with an abundance of fine detail in close ups, while still looking very sharp in general. Colors, when present, tends to look very robust against the mostly drab background. Black levels and skin tones both looked good as well.. I'm really hard pressed to find anything to complain about in regards to the video quality. Again I have to talk about the house. It's just amazing looking with lots of character and the picture quality does a nice job showcasing some rich textures whether its wood, stone or the fabrics of the furniture. The hair, faces and clothing of the characters all look wonderful too. Oh and I better mention that Brahms also looked great, since I wouldn't want to make him angry. 

SPECIAL FEATURES - [ 0 / 5 ]:

Unfortunately there are no extras on this Blu-ray release. However, a Digital HD copy of the film is included.

OVERALL RATING - [ 3 / 5 ]

Keep in mind the overall rating takes everything in to account. On technical merits alone for audio and video the Blu-ray would be 4.5 / 5.

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Lauren Cohan Stars in the Chilling Thriller 'The Boy' Available on Digital HD April 26 and Blu-ray & DVD May 10

Lauren Cohan (The Walking Dead) Stars in the Creepy Tale of a Very Unique Boy

AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL HD APRIL 26, 2016
AND ON BLU-RAY AND DVD MAY 10, 2016

FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Universal City, California, March 9, 2016 – A young American woman uncovers the menacing nature of the English family she cares for in "The Boy," a terrifying thriller debuting on Digital HD on April 26, 2016 and on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand on May 10, 2016, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. From Lakeshore Entertainment (Exorcism of Emily Rose and The Underworld Franchise) and STX Entertainment (The Gift, Secret in Their Eyes), the film is a frightening thrill ride directed by William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside) and starring Lauren Cohan (“The Walking Dead”).

Greta (Cohan) is a young American woman who takes a job as a nanny in a remote English village. She soon discovers that the family’s 8-year-old is a life-sized doll that they care for just like a real boy, as a way to cope with the death of their son 20 years prior. After violating a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring Greta’s worst nightmare to life, leading her to believe that the doll is actually alive.


The film will be available on Blu-ray with DIGITAL HD and UltraViolet and DVD.

• Blu-ray unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
• DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
• DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

For more information on "The Boy," visit the following:

Universal Pictures
Facebook
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Twitter

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The Green Inferno (2013) - Blu-ray Review - Universal Pictures

Welcome to the jungle where you won't find any fun or games.

Released by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: January 5, 2016
Production Year: 2013
Region Code: A 
Running Time: 1:40:54
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1
Video: 1080p (2.40:1 Aspect Ratio)
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French


THE FILM - [ 3 / 5 ]:

New York college student Justine (Lorenza Izzo) meets student activist Alejandro (Ariel Levy) when he goes on a hunger strike on behalf of underpaid janitors. Smitten, she agrees to help Alejandro undertake his next project: rescuing an Amazon village from destruction by a greedy multinational corporation. But Justine soon comes to regret her decision when their plane crashes in the Peruvian jungle and the students realize they are not alone. No good deed goes unpunished as the well-meaning students are captured by the cannibalistic tribe they came to save.

The first feature film directed by Roth since Hostel: Part II, The Green Inferno stars Lorenza Izzo (Aftershock, "Hemlock Grove"), Ariel Levy (The Stranger, Best Worst Friends), Aaron Burns (The Stranger, Best Worst Friends) and Kirby Bliss Blanton(Project X, Candy From Strangers). The screenplay is by Eli Roth and Guillermo Amoedo (Knock Knock, Aftershock).

Director Eli Roth gives the cannibal subgenre a spin with "The Green Inferno." If you are familiar with Ruggero Deodatao's 1980 film "Cannibal Holocaust," the title will probably sound familiar. While "Cannibal Holocaust" has a more organically raw feel and look to it, "The Green Inferno" feels more brutal in its violence and gore. The film is a bit of a cautionary tale in that sometimes even though you are trying to do something good and help people, they may not be the ones that end up needing the help. We often hear stories in the news of good samaritans who had something bad happen to them or even lost their lives trying to help someone they thought was in need. 

I thought that most of the main cast in the film did a very good job in their roles. Throughout the film there were a number of times the characters needed to exhibit fear and terror and I feel they did great in that regard. Trying to mentally put yourself in their shoes in certain scenes really makes me wonder what you would do if you were in that situation. Well, we could easily say, I would never get myself in to that type of situation to begin with, but accidents happen and there are unfortunately, other unpleasant pitfalls in life that can be beyond our control. 

The film itself looks beautiful, even perhaps when it should not. The filmmakers could have easily gone the "found footage" route and subjected us to shaky-cam syndrome, depriving us of the terrific gore-fueled scenes that appear during the film. Thankfully we are given a front row look at them in all of their disgustingly fun glory. 

 AUDIO - [ 4.5 / 5 ]:

"The Green Inferno" Blu-ray provides an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track which sounds great from start to finish. The sound levels of the Blu-ray were consistent and the dialogue, score and often grisly sound effects had a nice balance. From the squishy sounds of eye gouging to the voices of the natives, the audio sounded great. English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles are also included. 

VIDEO - [ 4.5 / 5 ]:

"The Green Inferno" explodes on to Blu-ray thanks to Universal Pictures. The film is presented in 1080p with a 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio. "The Green Inferno" looks brilliant. Whether it is the college backdrop or the jungle itself, the film looks extremely lifelike as though you could walk right in to the picture. The jungle looks absolutely amazing with its lush foliage and deep green colors befitting the title of the film. Color is represented quite well and look deep and rich. The film has a fairly sharp appearance and shines in many of the close up shots of the cast or surroundings. Black levels looked nice and skin tones were excellent with the contrast between our college students and natives looking wonderful. I did not notice any real issues with the video portion of the Blu-ray. Viewers should be quite pleased with how well the film appears.

SPECIAL FEATURES - [ 2 / 5 ]:

Audio Commentary with Co-Writer/Director/Producer Eli Roth, Producer Nicolas Lopez and Stars Lorenza Izzo, Aaron Burns, Kirby Bliss Blanton and Daryl Sabara - This was a great commentary. First off, yes there is some patting on the back among the participants and some may find fault with that but I don't see anything wrong with it. I found this to be fascinating to listen to as it was chock full of information regarding the cast, many of whom Eli Roth has worked with before, the crew and the production of the film. You will learn some interesting tidbits from behind the scenes. This commentary does sort of make up for not having a 'making of' documentary since that sort of information is provided. If you like the film or if commentary tracks are your thing, give this one a listen.


Photo Gallery - Well over 100 pictures from the film including some behind the scenes photos.

IN CONCLUSION:

"The Green Inferno" feels like a film out of place since nobody really makes this type of cannibal film anymore. It looks terrific and sounds great as well thanks to the Blu-ray from Universal Pictures. While light on extras it does feature a great commentary track with a number of participants. This release also includes a Digital HD copy of the film in addition to the Blu-ray.


OVERALL RATING: [ 3.5 / 5 ]

 

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Enter to Win a Copy of 'The Green Inferno' on Blu-ray from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment - Available on Digital HD December 22nd 2015 & Blu-ray and DVD January 5th, 2016

The generous people at Universal Pictures Home Entertainment are also giving the chance for one lucky person to win a Blu-ray copy of "The Green Inferno" - available on Digital HD December 22nd 2015 & Blu-ray and DVD on January 5th, 2016. 

To enter for a chance to win, all you need to do is send an e-mail to contests@bcrising.com with "The Green Inferno" as the subject and include your full name and shipping/mailing address. 

Please note that this contest is open to U.S. residents only and your information will not be used for any purpose other than shipping you the prize if you are the winner. 

This contest will be remain open until ***CONTEST CLOSED***

Good Luck!

Check out our review of the Blu-ray.

FROM THE MIND-BLOWING IMAGINATION OF THE WRITER AND

DIRECTOR WHO BROUGHT YOU HOSTEL AND CABIN FEVER

THE GREEN INFERNO

AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL HD DECEMBER 22, 2015 

AND COMING TO BLU-RAY AND DVD ON JANUARY 5, 2016 

FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

An international goodwill mission goes terrifyingly wrong in The Green Inferno, the highly anticipated return to classic cult horror from iconic director Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel 1 & 2 ), available on Digital HD December 22, 2015 and Blu-ray and DVD as well as On Demand on January 5, 2016, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The Green Inferno is a gruesomely spectacular journey into the heart of darkness that will have audiences on the edge of their seats.

New York college student Justine (Lorenza Izzo) meets student activist Alejandro (Ariel Levy) when he goes on a hunger strike on behalf of underpaid janitors. Smitten, she agrees to help Alejandro undertake his next project: rescuing an Amazon village from destruction by a greedy multinational corporation. But Justine soon comes to regret her decision when their plane crashes in the Peruvian jungle and the students realize they are not alone. No good deed goes unpunished as the well-meaning students are captured by the cannibalistic tribe they came to save.

The first feature film directed by Roth since Hostel: Part II, The Green Inferno stars Lorenza Izzo(Aftershock, “Hemlock Grove”), Ariel Levy (The Stranger, Best Worst Friends), Aaron Burns (The Stranger, Best Worst Friends) and Kirby Bliss Blanton (Project X, Candy From Strangers). The screenplay is by Eli Roth and Guillermo Amoedo (Knock Knock, Aftershock).

Blu-ray and DVD Special Features:

• Audio Commentary by Co-Writer/Director/Producer Eli Roth, Producer Nicolas Lopez, and stars Lorenza Izzo, Aaron Burns, Kirby Bliss Blanton, and Daryl Sabara
• Photo Gallery

 

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