DVD Corner

Blackout Blu-ray Review

“Blackout” is frightfully dull. 

Written and directed by veteran indie filmmaker Larry Fessenden (best known for directing “Wendigo”), “Blackout” revolves around a tortured artist named Charley who lives in a small town called Talbot Falls (Fessenden’s ode to 1941’s “The Wolf Man”). Charley is suffering and distancing himself from others. He lost his father, he split from his girlfriend Sharon, he’s an alcoholic, and, oh yes, he suspects he is a werewolf that is responsible for numerous murders. He can’t prove it, but he has reason to believe it’s true when he wakes up covered in blood with no memory of what happened during a full moon night. To make matters worse, racist locals are blaming a local Mexican man for the violent murders. Wanting the deaths and injustice to stop, Charley tries to resolve things around town while also planning to die before he can wreak more havoc.

For those expecting a full blown werewolf film, you don’t get that with “Blackout.” This is a small town drama disguised as a werewolf film. To Larry Fessenden’s credit, he attempts to create a serious character centric story that tackles bigger topics like racism, politics, and environmental issues. Unfortunately, it’s a total bore that seems to forget that it’s also a horror film that should be intense and or scary. Far too much screentime is devoted to Charley wandering around town talking to locals. To say those scenes are dry are an understatement.

On the plus side, the cast features some solid performances. Yes, there’s some amateur and stilted acting to be found here, but Alex Hurt (son of the late acting legend William Hurt) does a credible job as the lead Charley. It was also fun to see notable character actors (and horror genre vets) such as Joe Swanberg, James Le Gros, Marshall Bell, Barbara Crampton, and Kevin Corrigan pop up. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p. How does it look? This Dark Sky Films release features a crisp hi-def transfer.

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA and 2.0 PCM. How do they sound? Honestly, you can’t go wrong with either track here.

Extras:
* Teaser and trailer
* Booklet with behind-the-scenes photos and a piece by Fangoria editor Phil Nobile Jr.
* “Blackout” audio drama
* Commentary by Larry Fessenden
* “Monster Mash Photoshoot Timelapse By Beck Underwood.”
* “Blackout Behind The Scenes”- Larry Fessenden talks about his journey of making a werewolf movie before an extensive collection of behind-the-scenes footage.
* “Larry Fessenden’s Monsterverse”- A montage of his films.

September 21, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Blackout Blu-ray Review, Horror Movie, Larry Fessenden, Werewolf Movie