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The Uninvited
By: M. Enois Duarte, 5.1.2009
The Movie Itself:
In yet another string of American transformations of well-crafted Asian horror movies, The Uninvited arrives with well-crafted and stylish intentions, but lacks the bug-eyed shock delivery of its predecessor. Based on the Korean atmospheric shocker, A Tale of Two Sisters, by Ji-woon Kim (whose other credit comes by way of the very fun and entertaining homage, The Good, the Bad, the Weird), the movie delivers on chills, creeps, and scares, however light they may be. But at the end, logic settles in and there lies the really scary realization that it's all smoke and mirrors, as it cuts and adds to the original source in an effort to hide its failures and appear more complex than it really is. Then again, it satisfies when the mood is just right for a decent popcorn-filled spook-fest.
Young and beautiful Anna (Emily Browning) is finally going home from a psychiatric ward, where she spent some time after the accidental death of her ill mother in a fire. Her father (David Strathairn) meets her on the day of her release and drives her to their secluded New England home by the coast. There, she is greeted by a new addition to the family. Her father's new girlfriend, Rachel (Elizabeth Banks), who also use to be her mother's former caretaker. But seeing her older, misbehaving sister, Alex (Arielle Kebbel), makes the drastic changes more bearable and the place feel like home. The girls' dislike of Rachel convinces them that she is hiding something and not the woman she claims to be. (Boy, Google search really is the best resource tool.) Soon, Anna is visited by ghosts with warnings of the evil stepmother and the mystery deepens to a nail-biting showdown.
Hailing all the way from England, Charles and Thomas Guard (another brother duo credited as The Guard Brothers) make their feature film debut in this polished supernatural flick with enough panache to keep us interested. While nowhere near a threat to the Coen brothers, let alone the Wachowskis, this pair of directors do a fine job at keeping pace and maintaining suspense once things get rolling. However, with almost thirty minutes trimmed from the original script, the entire narrative relies too much on sudden cheap scares than on creepy atmosphere like its superior precursor. To their credit though, it's not easy making a horror/thriller these days, as they are easy prey to convention, and the brothers do a classy first effort. Only, I would have liked to see them with a stronger and more original script.
In spite of the excellently eerie photography by Dan Landin and the twisted surprise ending, the entire movie builds upon it own convoluted-ness until it falls victim to typical Hollywood tinkering. A two-minute montage that recounts the entire movie as if we're too stupid to figure it out on our own and one last bit of information at the end which ruins the logic of the beginning. Producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald (The Ring) have also gone on about the Freudian aspects within the story, as if that really adds any depth to such a straightforward tale about not trusting your gut instincts. The closest thing this tale comes to Sigmund Freud is Rachel and her coveted pearl necklace (oops, did I just say that?), a gift from a former patient meant to add to the mystery.
In the end, its the cast that sells this project and draws us in for the most part. Emily Browning, who is still best remembered from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events , has a unique appeal about her, with a face that no matter her age imbues a believability of innocence. She just looks like she's on the verge of tears and helplessness. As the party-loving, underage-drinking sibling, Kebbel doesn't do much else, but seems to do well as the stereotypical teenager. Strathairn, unfortunately, is wasted as the unbelieving father. The real surprise is Elizabeth Banks. Already coming from two very unexpected performances in Zack and Miri and W., she uses her cutesy, blue-eyed looks to gain our trust, but there's always something in her eyes which warns us of a darker side to her personality.
The PG-13 label aside, The Uninvited actually comes out on top, surpassing all the other mindless remakes of late, if only slightly. For those unfamiliar with the original, the movie offers a fun night of creepiness with a great twist ending. Even though the surprise is glaringly obvious under close scrutiny, it's best to enjoy with your mind shut off. For fans of the original, this is nowhere nearly as effective. But for curiosity's sake, it's worth a watch.
Rating: 6/10
The Presentation:
Being a new release, it's not a stretch of the imagination to expect a good quality video presentation of The Uninvited, and DreamWorks Home Entertainment decidedly satisfies those assumptions. With a freshly minted AVC MPEG-4 transfer, captured at 1.85:1, this would-be horror/thriller is quite lively and looks immaculate in high definition. Most striking is the splendid color palette, full of life and rendered accurately. No matter the scheme, the display was consistently vibrant and generated a great deal of warmth without being overly saturated.
Much of the picture is shot in darkened interior scenes and nighttime sequences, where brightness exhibits deeply intense black levels and provides some depth. In those same scenes, background objects remain discernible in the shadows and nicely delineated. However, there were a couple of scenes where blacks somewhat faltered, but nothing too distracting. Daylight sequences are vividly bright with a generous contrast level, but it never takes away from the wonderful clarity of the image. Bushes, trees, and hilltops are clearly visible in the distance, while foreground objects like rocks in the shoreline and the surface patterns of lumber are well-resolved and distinct. Facial details are equally impressive, exposing fine lines of wrinkles and lifelike texture with natural skin tones. Credit must be given where credit is due, and DreamWorks provides The Uninvited with a terrific picture quality that falls ever so slightly below reference.
Rating: 9.0/10
Typical of all thriller/horror movies, sound effects are essential not only for producing shock scares, but also for generating a sense of the foreboding. And the Dolby TrueHD soundtrack accompanying The Uninvited does a great job at providing those tense and sinister moments. It's nothing truly memorable or demo worthy, but it does a great job at building suspense in those scenes that require it, while maintaining an overall creepy effect throughout. From the moment the movie starts and the DreamWorks logo appears on screen, the sounds of rolling thunder, wind and movement of clouds fill the room with great clarity.
Imaging within the front soundstage was far better than initially expected, as random sounds of different environments were welcoming and engrossing. Separation between channels was also excellent, with the movement and panning of discrete effects running smoothly. Though not consistent for a 360-degree soundfield, the rear channels displayed enough atmospheric noises when appropriate to immerse and envelop the audience, creating some convincing moments of tension. The LFE-channel did play a minor role in the movie for some added weight, but again, nothing truly memorable. Dialogue and vocal interactions were never overwhelmed and well prioritized in the center, even in the quiet, whispered sequences. Dynamic range is equally noteworthy as the highest pitches are cleanly rendered, and Christopher Young's ominous score is delivered with terrific transparency. In the end, this lossless track is surprisingly good.
Rating: 8.4/10
Overall Presentation: 9/10
** 10 = Reference / 8 - 9a = Excellent / 7 = Good /
6 = Satisfactory / 5 = Average / 4 & under = Below Average **
The Extras:
DreamWorks Home Entertainment debuts The Uninvited with a mediocre package of supplements that adds little to the movie's enjoyment. At least, the features are all presented in hi-def.
- Unlocking The Uninvited (19 min)
A look at the production that includes interviews with cast and crew.
- Deleted Scenes (6 min)
Collection of four scenes that never made it into the final product and probably wouldn't have made much of a difference anyways.
- Alternate Ending (1 min)
The change is so minor, that it doesn't seem worth the title of "alternate".
Rating: 2/10
Final Thoughts:
In spite of its being a part of the trend to remake Asian horror movies, The Uninvited is not half bad. A nicely polished movie from a new brother duo, it is mildly entertaining at its worst and spooky at its best. Unfamiliarity with its predecessor will reward viewers with a shock ending, while fans will ponder the point of remaking the original. This Blu-ray edition of the movie provides an excellent picture and audio quality that makes it worth a rental, at least. Fans will be happy with the purchase.
Rating: 5/10
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