Deadline Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this fan-pleasing Blu-ray release
When Alice (Brittany Murphy), a fragile scribe, seeks peace so she can complete her screenplay before a deadline, she moves to a remote, deserted country house. Soon, baffling noises ignite her imagination and pursuit to discover the force behind the mind games. Will she meet her deadline or end up dead?
Given the news of Brittany Murphy's untimely passing at the young age of 32, I'm finding it difficult to complete a review of her most recent film. It's a strange coincidence to sit down and watch a film one morning, only to find the main actress on the headlines of every major internet sight that evening, with a declaration that she passed away during the same period of time I was watching her film. I'm certainly not implying it's a creepy coincidence, but the circumstances lend the film a bit more weight when you know the career of the lead actress has been cut short, and this is one of the final performances of that brief career.
Who's watching who?
With a completion deadline looming, screenwriter Alice Evans (Brittany Murphy) decides to spend a few weeks at an abandoned old mansion owned by a producer she knows. Along with her desire to find a spark of creativity in the new setting, Alice is concerned about the recent release of her ex-boyfriend from prison, and whether he intends to come after her for something that happened in their past. After arriving at the mansion and sending her girlfriend/roommate away with their shared vehicle, Alice begins work on her screenplay. Within the first night, strange occurrences begin to take shape around the house, with doors mysteriously opening, chairs violently turning over, and a figure roaming throughout the upstairs. Rather than calling a cab and making a run for it, Alice begins a search of the upstairs attic and stumbles onto a box full of video tapes documenting the downward spiral of the prior residents. Splitting time between writing her screenplay and watching the tapes, Alice gradually becomes aware of the tragic history hidden within the house, and begins her own crusade to escape the same fate.
Everyone looks for something different out of the horror/thriller genre, so it's importance I preface my opinion of this film by letting you know the type of films I gravitate toward. Although I can appreciate the brutal gore and maniacal violence of slasher films, I'm of the opinion that they offer little lasting value. However, if you look at genre entries such as The Others, The Ring, The Orphanage, or The Sixth Sense, you'll realize there's something far more memorable about films that are drenched in atmosphere and spine-tingling chills. To this viewer, a good horror production plays games with your mind, forcing you to catch up with every twist of the plot, rather than witnessing it coming a mile away. In the case of Deadline, there's enough potential for a memorable experience, but several obvious holes in the plot create far too many road bumps to leave a lasting impression. I'd hate to give away too much of the plot (since the twists and turns provide a crucial means of holding your attention through the final act of the film), but it's impossible to come away from Deadline without a sense of been there, done that.
Aside from the routine plot of the film, a significant problem with the overall story involves Alice's choice to remain in the house. I don't know about you, but by the time I heard a woman's voice echoing in the distance, watched a chair flip over by itself, found the words "HE WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE" scrolled all over the screen of my laptop, and woke up in the dead of night to the bathtub overflowing with water, I'd be packing my bags and removing myself from the situation. I certainly wouldn't head up into the creepy attic after the door suggestively opens, and I'd pass on the opportunity to follow wet footprints around the house. It's one thing to question whether or not you just saw something and an entirely different scenario when you KNOW everything isn't as it seems. I suppose the major plot twist at the end offers a reason for Alice to remain in the house, but the big twist feels more like a tacked on afterthought instead of the driving force behind the plot (to be honest, I'm still not entirely sure how the ending is supposed to mesh with the story up to that point). Regardless, any good haunted house tale has to present the audience with an inescapable scenario, so the absence of that element serves as a huge detriment to the plot.
Despite the problems noted above, I truly enjoyed the chilling atmosphere of the 19th century mansion, and the excellent suspense that builds within the first half of the film. This is the directorial debut of Sean McConville (who also wrote the story), but he demonstrates a keen eye for scene staging and creative camera angles. I felt the little hairs on my neck stand up on more than one occasion, as I struggled to make out a figure in the background, or heard the distant sound of a door creaking. There seems to be something lurking around every corner, so don't expect much opportunity to let down your guard.
Given Deadline's relatively low-budget, I was surprised the filmmakers managed to land a cast of easily-recognizable actors. Despite never finding what I'd consider a break-out role, the late Brittany Murphy delivers a decent performance as the tormented victim who struggles continuously with her own demons. While not an Oscar-worthy performance, Murphy easily handles the various nuances of her character, striking a balance between lethargic nihilism and paranoid hysteria. Likewise, Thora Birch and Marc Blucas are commendable in their roles as the prior residents of the house, whose story is told through the videotapes in the attic. In particular, I enjoyed the gradual change in the personality of David (Marc Blucas) as his mind struggles to differentiate between reality and mental illness. For a film that continually wrestles with the trappings of mediocrity, the acting offers one shining element worth mentioning.
Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 22Mbps), Deadline is a tough film to judge given the nature of the intended visuals. First and foremost, the cinematography uses a muted color scheme which drenches the entire film in dark, yellowed tones that rob the visuals of the richness usually found on Blu-ray. The coloring certainly isn't the fault of the transfer, since the filtered pallette is present in the original source material, but it still sucks the life out of a large portion of the film. Another negative drawback to the artistic presentation is a tendency for blacks to overwhelm the background, removing shadow detail in the low-light interiors. This wreaks havoc on contrast's ability to differentiate between various shades in the darkness, leaving viewers straining to see objects or figures that appear outside of the central foreground (adding to the tension and atmosphere, but detracting from the overall visual quality). Lastly, fine object detail is quite good through the majority if the film, but there are several notable sequences that appear slightly out of focus or hazy.
A high-quality sound design is of the upmost importance when you're trying to generate thrills and chills. Thankfully, Deadline nails every nuance with a wonderful level of precision, creating an audio experience that elevates the production beyond its meager roots. I'm not typically the type of person to lurch in my chair when a door slams or a telephone rings, but those subtle effects are distributed throughout the surround field with such care that you feel as if you're immersed within the atmosphere of the haunted mansion. These jump-inducing moments wouldn't be nearly as moving without the tension that's generated during the softer sequences, almost lulling the viewer to sleep despite the impending sense of dread. On the downside, there were at least two scenes in the film where I noticed a lack of sufficient volume from the dialogue portion of the track. One of the scenes occurs at a critical point in the story, making it difficult to decipher a small piece of the backstory. Other than a couple of weak moments in the volume of the dialogue, the balance between the various elements in the mix is entirely proficient, rendering an audio presentation that's crisp, dynamic, and wonderfully entertaining.
Behind the Scenes (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0 10:13 min): Be sure you wait to watch this supplement until after the film, since most of the key plot twists are divulged during the course of the brief 10 minute runtime. Aside from a typical discussion of the themes in the story, most of the interviews focus on praising various members of the cast and crew for their accomplishments.
Deadline is a difficult film to recommend, since it fails just as much as it succeeds. On the one hand we have excellent production values, good acting, and edge-of-your-seat tension. On the other hand, we have a weak central story, a confusing ending, and plot holes large enough to fit a truck through. As a result, I'm left with only a lukewarm appreciation for the film, and recommend you consider a rental prior to making a purchase decision. I certainly don't mind adding Deadline to my collection, but I doubt I'll be revisiting it as often as other entries in the genre.
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