Freddy vs. Jason Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
Freddy Krueger is in hell--literally. It's been nearly ten years since Krueger invaded peoples'
dreams to exact his deadly form of revenge and murder. But now, his memory has been
systematically erased by a town determined to put an end to Freddy once and for all.
Potential victims have been drugged to prevent them from dreaming, rendering impotent the
master of nightmares They've eliminated their fear of Freddy, absolute torture for an
egomaniac psychopath who's a legend in his own mind. Like an inmate with a life sentence,
Freddy's been reduced to plotting a fantastic revenge that will never happen. Until, that is,
Freddy resurrects Jason Voorhees, the equally iconic madman and the perfect means for
Freddy to once again instill fear on Elm Street, creating a window of opportunity for him to
emerge from his purgatory. Recognizing how easily manipulated Jason is, Freddy tricks
Voorhees into journeying to Springwood to start a new reign of terror.
Here it is -- Freddy vs. Jason -- the movie that was supposed to usher in a new era of
Horror that pitted not the usual array of killers against their usual crop of hapless teenage
victims, but instead one immortal butcher against another in a fight to the semi-death until the
inevitable sequel that magically resurrects the (heroes?) for another go-round of blood, guts,
slicing, dicing, and general Horror movie mayhem. Earning longtime A Nightmare on Elm
Street production studio New Line Cinema a hearty box office return of over $82,000,000
domestic gross, the concept as successfully introduced for the modern era in Freddy vs.
Jason has yet to catch on. Instead of the promised "vs." films that
would feature Michael Myers, Pinhead, or even Ash in an all-or-nothing
brawl, such movies have yet to materialize, and fans are still waiting for even a Freddy vs.
Jason sequel, with or without an additional fan-favorite crossover hero or villain to up both
the ante and the body count. Such is the
world of motion pictures; though certainly not high art, it's somewhat disheartening to see wave
after wave of Dance Flick-style
junk movies flooding theaters instead of the kind of material genre fans actually want to see and,
yes, even
pay for.
Hockey fights are becoming so brutal.
Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), the embodiment of deadly nightmares and the stuff of teenage
legend, has been
silenced since he's been long forgotten by the teenagers of Elm Street. He's powerless to
infiltrate
dreams and kill teenagers unless he's kept alive by legend, but parents have done well to remove
him from their children's consciences. Needing help to get back in the game, he searches the
bowels of hell to find a killer so fierce that tales of Freddy Krueger will once again fill the fragile
little minds
of Elm Street's youths. He resurrects Jason Voorhees (Ken Kirzinger), famed killer of teenagers
at Camp Crystal
Lake, for a little blood-letting and fear-mongering on Elm Street. His plan works; the local
residents, including a teenager named Lori (Monica Keena), begin to remember the nightmare
slasher. As Freddy's powers continue to grow, Jason continues to kill. When Freddy finds himself
ready for action, he discovers that Jason has no intentions of putting a halt on his own slaughter.
Angered, Freddy loses focus of his mission and turns his attention to Jason, setting up a classic
showdown of evil vs. evil as two unstoppable foes square off for the ultimate in gruesome terror.
As is the case with many Horror movies, and the Nightmare on Elm Street and the new and oldFriday the 13th
films in particular, neither the plot nor the mortal characters matter in the least. Freddy and
Jason
are the stars, and deservedly so; each comes to the film with a unique attitude and skill set that
makes both formidable killers yet reveals weaknesses when one must contend with the other in
foreign domains, Freddy in the real world and Jason in the dream world. As such, it matters little
that the acting is particularly atrocious from the teenagers that populate the film. Clichéd, over
the
top, and oftentimes downright laughable, the performances seem like an amalgamation of every
stereotype to ever grace a Horror movie of the past 30 years. Still, they do well enough to move
the plot along, make it easy for the audience to cheer on their deaths, and tide the movie over
until
the inevitable showdown between the hulking and speechless Jason and faster and wise-cracking
Freddy. Englund, as always, brings a charisma to the part that makes him somewhat unique
amongst movie murderers. Usually, adult-sized killers -- Leatherface and the
aforementioned crop of Jason, Michael, and Pinhead, for example -- take on a quiet and
purposeful demeanor,
allowing their horrific deeds to do the talking. The "smart alec" sorts seem more reserved for the
lesser-in-stature fiends; the Leprechaun and Chucky come to mind. Englund's
Freddy plays well against Kirzinger's Voorhees; a "vs." film needs opponents that aren't both the
"silent but deadly" types, though it would make for great viewing to watch Freddy and Ash quip
with one another as they attempt to slice each other to pieces.
"Versus" movie or not, most Slasher Horror movies are only as good as the kills and the gore that
they have to offer, and Freddy vs. Jason delivers the goods. Though the film features
some
inventive and deliciously gruesome scenes that showcase the maniacs disposing of the
expendable
cast of teenagers, the film truly shines in its final act as the two icons of Horror square off for one
of the nastiest encounters ever to grace the silver screen. Suffice it to say, there's no love lost
between the two, and the filmmakers have done a wonderful job of sufficiently tearing the two to
pieces. It's as good and brutal as anything either series has to offer, and while the first two acts
of the film play out like something of a mediocre highlight reel or, at least, a quick and dirty
demonstration of what Freddy and Jason are capable of, the third act makes the movie a
worthwhile endeavor for genre fans. Last but certainly not least, Freddy vs. Jason does
well to intertwine its primary characters. Though the film is less about story and more about the
violence, it nevertheless requires a modicum of believability in bringing the two legends onto the
same screen at the same time; simply having them bump into one another at the mall wasn't
going to cut it. The plot line is believable within the confines of Nightmare and
Friday lore, and despite any misgivings about the small details of the story, it works well
enough to allow the two to face off for one of Horror's best final acts.
Freddy vs. Jason slices into Blu-ray with an eye-opening 1080p, 2.40:1-framed transfer.
The transfer retains a subtle layer of grain that remains throughout and lends to the image a
pleasing and film-like appearance. In many cases, Freddy vs. Jason takes on a cold, steely,
blue and gray appearance that doesn't exactly lend itself to the revelation of tremendous amounts
of
detail, but the film does manage to sparkle under more normal lighting conditions, particularly
during bright, daytime outdoor shots where there's an obvious depth and high level of detail even in
the background. Fine object detail and texture often impress, too; viewers will see plenty of grime
and general wear and tear on Jason's mask in close-up shots of the killer. The level of eye-popping
color is often dependent upon the lighting conditions; the steely interiors or a sequence taking
place inside a reddened factory setting wash out the palette to reflect the lighting source, but blood
does stand out throughout, notably during the shots taking place under the blue and gray
backdrops. Black levels are generally solid, and flesh tones never veer too far from a natural shade.
New Line is to be commended for the high quality of this release.
Freddy vs. Jason carves up Blu-ray with a strong Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. A
good sense of aural immersion into the film and a rather strong atmosphere throughout help make
this one a winner. Listeners will hear the gentle rolling of water on a lakeside setting during one
early
scene, while a thunderstorm later in the movie features a realistic sense of falling rain and distant
thunder that plays throughout the entirety of the soundstage and with a realistic flair that does well
to bring the track to life. An outdoor rave scene in chapter seven, too, delivers a wonderful
atmosphere that places listeners in the midst of the party. The surround speakers enjoy plenty of
action in general; music often finds support in the back channels, and plenty of action-oriented
effects, too, are heard spilling over into the surround speakers during the film's climactic act. The
clanking of metal-on-metal as Freddy's fingers and Jason's machete clash comes straight into the
living room with a deadly clarity, and Jason's heavy footsteps reverberate throughout the
soundstage with a thud. Rounded out by strong dialogue reproduction, Freddy vs. Jason's
lossless soundtrack is every bit the match of the high quality video presentation.
Freddy vs. Jason makes its Blu-ray debut with a nice collection of extras. First up is a
commentary track with Director Ronny Yu and Actors Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger. A
none-too-serous effort, the trio has a good time reminiscing on the film and speaking on subjects
both technical and anecdotal. They do a good job at dissecting the film's plot points, speaking on
the film's make-up, and of course, some good insights into the film's climactic showdown. Next
up are several featurettes. Genesis: Development Hell (480p, 10:22) looks at the long
road behind the concept of pitting the two super villains against one another in the same film.
On Location: Springwood Revisited (480p, 14:33) is a basic
introductory/behind-the-scenes piece to the film, complete with cast and crew interview clips,
scenes from the film, and
behind-the-scenes footage. On Location: Cabin Fever (480p, 6:09) is a raw
behind-the-scenes look at the making of one of the film's action scenes. Art Direction:
Jason's Decorating Tips (480p, 11:33) looks at how the filmmakers met the challenge of
creating the unique looks of the real world and the dream world. Stunts: When Push Comes
to Shove (480p, 21:38) examines the process of creating realistic stunts and special effects
that helped to give the film the sort of ultra-violent and deadly stunt work that Horror fans
demand. Make-Up Effects: Freddy's Beauty Secrets (480p, 6:30) is a brief piece that
looks at some of the film's extensive make-up and captures some candid behind-the-scenes
footage for good measure.
Moving on, viewers will find a collection of one dozen in-depth looks at the making of some of the
film's key visual effects sequences with Visual Effects Supervisor Ariel Velasco-Shaw and Visual
Effects Producer Kevin Elam (480p, 35:22 combined runtime). Segments include Mommy
Krueger/Counselor Morph, Blood Drops, Dead Eyed Girl, Wall Morph,
Jump Rope, Shadow Claw, Nose Job, Dead Trey Walking,
Freddypillar, Pinball Jason, Jason's World, and Epilogue. My
Summer Vacation: A Visit to Camp Hackenslash (480p, 3:57) is a brief piece that looks at a
fun day of "adult" summer camp leading up to the films outdoor campground-setting premiere.
Also included is the How Can I Live music video by Ill Niño (480p, 3:15) and a collection
of 21 deleted and extended scenes (1080p, 16:10) with optional commentary by Director Ronny
Yu and Executive Producer Douglas Curtis. This disc also contains the film's theatrical trailer
(1080p, 1:12) and eight TV spots (480p, 3:46). Rounding out this extensive collection of bonus
features is the gimmicky Pre Fight Press Conference at Bally's Casino in Las Vegas on July
15th, 2003 (480p, 3:48), a piece featuring Freddy and Jason at a mock boxing-style
weigh-in.
Freddy vs. Jason delivers exactly what's expected of it: a bloody brawl between two Horror
icons that's plenty fun and gruesome. Technically sound and fun to watch, Freddy vs.
Jason makes for one of the better Horror pictures of the decade, saved from the necessary but
ultimately bland secondary filler that allows for the movie to get to where it needs to go. In many
ways a typical Horror pictures but certainly a crowd-pleasing, bloody good time, Freddy vs.
Jason might not embody everything a Horror fan dreams of but it's easily far better than it
probably deserves to be. New Line's Blu-ray release, too, impresses. Featuring a strong film-like
transfer, a solid lossless soundtrack, and a nice selection of extras, Horror aficionados definitely need
to make this part of their Blu-ray collections. Recommended.
Warner Home Video has announced ten titles from its catalog for Blu-ray release
on September 8: 'Catwoman', 'Creepshow', 'Dead Calm', 'Freddy vs. Jason', 'The
New World: Extended Cut', 'Over the Top', 'The Postman', 'Snakes on a Plane',
'Sphere' and 'The ...
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