Project-Blu ‘My Bloody Valentine 3D’ Review, by Nate Boss

My Bloody Valentine 3D

By: Nate Boss, 5.31.2009

The Movie Itself:
 Horror remake? Check.
A hot young cast, willing to bare all? Check.
3D? Check.

All of the vital elements were in place. Success was inevitable. My Bloody Valentine 3D took theaters by storm early this year, a bit late for the Halloween horror slate, making over triple it's minimal budget. As a horror buff, I have to admit I had my preconceptions, especially due to the 3D element, a visual tool that is making a comeback in the industry, though is being met with a bit of resistance. I'm glad I went in with low expectations due to the visual gimmick, though, as that made the fun about to be had even better.

On Valentine's Day, a collapse in the Hanniger mine cost 5 men their lives, while one man, Harry Warden, survived. His survival wasn't luck, though, as he used a mining pickaxe to ensure his own air supply, annihilating the other men, before falling into a coma, barely being saved. Perhaps it would have been best if ol' Harry had been left to die, as upon his awakening, he goes apeshit again, going on a murderous rampage. I suppose he felt butchery was like Pringles: once you pop, you can't stop. Warden's kill streak ends with his own death, at the hands of two elderly sheriff's officers.

Now, 10 years later, it seems the cycle is repeating itself, as locals are turning up dead, victims of vicious pickaxe attacks. The owner of the mine has passed, and his son, Tom (Jensen Ackles), is in town to sign over the property. Bad timing, to be sure. With his obvious feelings for his ex, Sarah (Jaime King, of Sin City and The Spirit fame), Tom quickly makes matters a mess, and with the local sheriff Axel Palmer (Kerr Smith), now married to Sarah, quick to assume Tom's guilt in the matter, there is nothing but doubt, accusations, and ruthless murder in the air. Is Warden back, or is there a more sinister game being played?

Is My Bloody Valentine 3D cliche? Sure. It's a pure cheese fest, aimed at genre fans (horror junkies), and the teenage audience alike, with a story that is hardly unique (it is, after all, a remake), but is fresh to the minds of the majority of the audience. The film is surprisingly high on story in between it's grisly murder scenes (and the film is 100% built around the executions, let's be frank), and that is an amazing feat, as My Bloody Valentine 3D is a very fast moving slasher.

As much as I enjoyed the film, in all of it's blatantly violent and sexist glory (let's just say that there is one hell of a prolonged nude shot), I couldn't help but feel that it focussed far too much on the 3D element, in that numerous shots were built around the gimmick, rather than the story being told. The swooping of a gun from right to left directly in front of the camera, the tree branch and pickaxe that go through the windshields, the projectiles, they all are aimed in a way that is meant to spook the audience, rather than tell the tale, and it did get a bit annoying at times. Additionally, due to some good choices in editing the film (see: the deleted/extended scenes extra) to make it smoother and faster, there are numerous MacGuffins and red herrings, beyond the entire "who is the killer?" suspense that are a bit silly.

If you like your horror films intelligent, My Bloody Valentine 3D certainly isn't going to be your cup of tea. People fall down mid chase, make horribly stupid decisions (that benefit the killer, of course), and hardly act like real people. But that made me enjoy the fact that these individuals met such wonderful demises. If you like your gore by the bucket full, with blood squirts, innovative and disturbing uses of random objects to become weapons of murder, and one of the few scenes in film with a midget murder, you will find My Bloody Valentine 3D to be quite the treat!
Rating: 7/10

The Presentation:
3D version:
Wow. As soon as I put on the 3D glasses (let's just say it's been a long, long time), and looked down into my MacBook to take notes, I knew I was going to have a headache. I especially knew it would be a pain wearing glasses AND 3D glasses.

I'm not going to criticize the film or the 3D gimmick in any way, but I can say that wearing those glasses, seeing those sights, I can't recall a time when I wanted a film to be over sooner. And that sucks, as this is a good film.

From the very opening shots, the newspaper clippings (which were all clear and perfectly legible), I knew the effect would be good. Detail is improved still, with many intricacies despite the effect, but I feel this effect may be best used on DVD, as the intent of Blu-ray (read: high definition) is somewhat lost on this effect. The picture gets a bit of a smear at times, many shots have a weird halo/blur effect, and colors can be a real pain, especially red, which is the most important color in any slasher.

I enjoyed the light flares glowing and shrinking, while the best 3D effects are the somewhat discrete ones, like characters approaching a see through glass door, the layering of scenes. The shots in the forest were absolutely brilliant, and were, in my opinion, the highlight of the 3D, way better than the "shit coming at you" type effects that are always advertised. This track may be a gas when loaded (though I do not encourage such behavior), and being a bit wasted may help ease any headaches from the glasses, but it still has a ways to go before I'll personally find 3D to be a worthwhile.

2D version:

I won't lie: if someone is to only view one version of the film, it should be the 3D one. Hell, it's in the title!

That said: the 2D version looks better, from a high def standpoint, and from a non-headache-inducing standpoint.

The tiny specks from the newspaper opening are sharp, with some nice vintage colorization/dotting effects on the images. In other words, minute detail is sharp. There is a light grain veneer, that is very natural, though in some scenes it spikes to being a bit above the norm, but those shots aren't all that often. Even in 2D, the film has a nice three dimensional feel to it, nothing leaps off the screen (literally), but it is fairly obvious. Colors are sharp and authentic.

I got a kick out of watching the mine sequences over again, as that set is very worn in and natural, and looks fantastic, as the little details jump in this transfer. Hell, even in the first heart valentine, I noticed a big improvement from the 3D version, as before I had no clue what set the police off as to it being an item of ill intent, but now I can see the blood coming off the package! Other than the grain spikes, the only issue with this transfer was a bit of jaggies/aliasing, that were mostly present and obvious on automobiles, the lines between a truck's bed and cab, the edges of an open car door, etc. A very nice transfer, especially for such a low budget film.

As always, Lionsgate brings their A-game in the audio department, with a LOUD DTS HD Master Audio 7.1 mix (yep, 7.1, the next-gen audio mix that Lionsgate supports more than any other studio). The track is aggressive, with a hearty bass that rocks from the very start, with tons of atmosphere and surround usage. The subwoofer throbs at time, pulsing, just like a heartbeat (yeah, I know).

Dialogue is clear, in all it's cheesy glory. The track is mixed fairly evenly, with every element being clear and discernible no matter what else is going on. For some reason, effects, like the slashing of a pickaxe against a door, were much louder than anything else, as though they were prioritized. Surround usage is solid, with some random localized sounds and dialogue, along with a score that hits every speaker, and enough ambiance to fill in the few quiet spots. It's getting tough to talk about Lionsgate's audio mixes, as one can only throw out the same compliments so many times. Another title to add to the lengthy track record of excellent audio performance, for sure.
Rating: 8/10 ( 8/10- video- 2D, 7/10- video- 3D, 9/10- audio)

The Extras:
3D Glasses
There are 4 pairs of 3D glasses included inside the packaging (which is why it is a bit heavier than normal releases). They were a bit uncomfortable, but with the low low price of FREE, it's hard to complain.

Audio Commentary
With director Patrick Lussier and Todd Farmer. Lussier sounds gleeful as he witnesses and describes the kill scenes, which is somewhat funny. Farmer and Lussier have a solid back and forth that is very free flowing, that is informative (there are some very interesting tidbits in this track), though it does go into the EPK realm a few times. Lussier says "misdirection" a few times too often, many times calling throw-away plot points "misdirections," but hey, the man loves this film that he made. I'd rather see someone be happy and enjoy their work, than be pissed off in a dispute with the distributor over editing issues. A solid track, full of fun anecdotes and a friendly, lively conversation.

Deep Inside My Bloody Valentine (SD, 7 min)
The cast and crew discuss the filming in the real life (though no longer in use) mine. The set is very much a character in the film, and I found it to be wonderfully (naturally!) dressed and realistic, so I think giving this portion of the film it's props is great. After the set, the characters, script, and director are given a once over.

Sex, Blood, and Screams (SD, 5 min)
A look at the make-up/visual effects, and due to the massive amounts of blood sprays, this is an important part of the film. This feature looks at the jaw death, the shovel death, the head impale, the nasty variation of the stomp death (American History X's curb stomp will always be remembered as the penultimate stomp kill, but this one wasn't too shabby!), and the heart pull. I found the detail that this feature went into with the prosthetics to be superb. A solid extra, that doesn't fluff it up, or dilly dally, this is straight to the red red gravy!

Deleted/Extended Scenes (SD, 20 min)
A compilation of deleted/extended scenes. Most of these were character driven, and would have slowed the film down too much, as it goes for a very brisk pace. Very few involve the killer, which surprised me.

Alternate Ending (SD, 1 min)
An inferior ending to that found in the film. Not a big deal.

Gag Reel (SD, 2 min)
A series of flubs, mistakes, mostly involving props, rather than forced "gags." A very realistic compilation, rather than the ones that are quite forced.

Trailer (HD, 1 min)
A short and sweet trailer. I found the tubetop add in to be hilarious considering the scene it is in (ratings in trailers, what'ya gonna do?), while the focus on an audience reacting to the 3D has always annoyed me.

Molog
Lionsgate's feature where you can add shapes or text to the picture and send it to friends.

Bookmarks
Bookmark your favorite scenes!

LG-Live
Those fun little gadgets (the clock, weather (damn, it's bloody 96 right now!), downloadable trailers, and a news marquee are on the menu for this disc. Again, just like the first time I saw it, I found this extra to be a hit. Also, this time around, they didn't stall any menu loads, so it was the best of both worlds!

Digital Copy
Rounding out the extras, there is a digital copy on disc 2.
Rating: 7/10

Overall:
My Bloody Valentine 3D was a box office success, sure to have a cult following due to it's extreme violence, flashy 3D gimmick, and all out fun story. With a neat 3D version, solid 2D version that has a bit more clarity, and the Lionsgate speciality, the kick ass DTS HD Master Audio 7.1 mix, this disc is as much a hit as the film was in theaters. Easily worth at least a rent, but a blind buy may be in order, as there is some replay value, too, a rarity for horror films.
Rating: 7/10