BLU-RAY REVIEW

Insidious

Featured In Issue 159, September 2011

Picture5
Sound5
WSR Score3
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
38152
(MPAA Rating):
PG-13
(Rating Reason):
Thematic material, violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language
(Retail Price):
$35.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
102
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
2011
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
07/12/11
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
James Wan
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

Insidious is the terrifying story of a family who shortly after moving discover that dark spirits have possessed their home and that their son has inexplicably fallen into a coma. Trying to escape the haunting and save their son, they move again, only to realize that it was not their house that was haunted. (Gary Reber)

Special features include three featurettes: Horror 101: The Exclusive Seminar (HD 10:27), On Set With Insidious (HD 08:15), and Insidious Entities (HD 06:32); up-front previews; and BD-Live functionality.

The 2.40:1 1080p AVC picture is superb, with incredible resolution that reveals remarkably fine detail in every frame. Facial features, hair, clothing, and object textures are wonderfully resolved. The color palette is mostly perfectly natural, with nicely saturated hues that are never exaggerated, though, in some segments the color is muted to essentially black and white, or a greenish quality is injected for an eerie effect. Contrast is perfectly balanced with deep blacks and revealing shadow detail. There are numerous dark scenes that are effectively descriptive of nuances. Dimensionality also is impressive, as is the pristine quality of imagery. This is sharp, detailed picture that is impressive throughout. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is dynamic, with moments of intensity that are jolting. Fidelity is excellent. The orchestral music score delivers an emotional punch throughout, combined with incredible Foley and sound effects that enhance the terrifying buildup of the demon's haunting. Effects often burst out at loud levels, for impressive impact. Bass is deep and solid with punctuated .1 LFE energy bursts that ignite the soundfield. Surround envelopment is often intense, directionalized, and aggressive. Dialogue is impressively integrated spatially. Fidelity throughout is impressive, even at low levels. This is a wonderfully holosonic® soundtrack that really delivers the thrills and chills. (Gary Reber)