Dream Eater Blu-ray Review
“Dream Eater” is an uninspired found footage horror film.
Executive produced by Eli Roth and distributed by his company The Horror Section, “Dream Eater” is a Lovecraftian found footage horror film written and directed by Jay Drakulic, Mallory Drumm and Alex Lee Williams (Mallory and Alex are also the two lead stars). The story revolves around a couple (also named Alex and Mallory) who venture to a cabin in the woods in the winter for 10 days for both Alex’s birthday and a parasomnia study. Mallory (a documentary filmmaker) is tasked with recording Alex as he sleepwalks, sleep talks and so forth. With each passing night, Alex’s parasomnia becomes more violent and disturbing. After doing some digging, Alex’s dark family history may have something to do with his current state and it’s possible that an entity (Phobetor) may be trying to possess Alex through his dreams.
Comparisons to films such as “Paranormal Activity” are inevitable, but, truth be told, “Dream Eater” never succeeds where the more renowned found footage horror films do. For starters, it’s hard to buy Alex and Mallory as a couple. Sure, Mallory wants to help Alex, but there’s never any sense of chemistry between the two and you never get why they are even together. Alex is generally a jerk while Mallory nags him constantly. Yes, the main concepts explored here are toxic relationships and trauma, but most viewers will likely be left wondering why Mallory stuck around. It doesn’t help that Mallory Drumm is very stilted and miscast here compared to the lively Alex Lee Williams.
Another key drawback here is the lack of scares. Between the tired jump scares, the tedious storytelling, the undercooked Lovecraftian themes and elements, the irritating whistle score (which morphs into becoming a sound in the film), and the lazy found footage element, it’s hard to ever feel even creeped out by this store. Not even the ending manages to elicit much in the way of scaring viewers. It’s a noble team effort to be sure, but there’s simply too much familiarity here to ever stand out in the found footage subgenre.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p. How does it look? For a found footage film, the film looks incredibly sharp in hi-def. The winter exterior shots are particularly noteworthy here.
Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The sound levels are all over the place but the sound design is effective.
Extras:
* DVD copy
* Original, alternate and theatrical trailers
* Behind the scenes photo gallery
* “Behind The Scenes Featurette With Eli Roth”- Eli Roth interviews stars/directors Alex Lee Williams, Mallory Drumm and Jay Drakulic.
* Commentary by Mallory Drumm, Alex Lee Williams, and Jay Drakulic.
* Mini poster
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