BLU-RAY REVIEW

Werewolf: The Beast Among Us

Featured In Issue 176, April/May 2013

Picture4
Sound4.5
WSR Score2.5
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):
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
63119832
(MPAA Rating):
R / Not Rated
(Rating Reason):
Bloody violence and grisly images throughout
(Retail Price):
$34.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
93 / 93
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
Not Indicated
(Theatrical Year):
2012
(Theatrical Release):
No
(Direct-To-Video Release):
Yes
(Disc Release Date):
10/09/12
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Louis Morneau
(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, DTS 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):

A monstrous creature terrorizes a 19th Century European village by moonlight, and a young man struggles to protect his loved ones from an unspeakable scourge in Werewolf: The Beast Among Us. During his studies with the local doctor (Rea), Daniel (Wilson) witnesses the horrific consequences of werewolf attacks. Watching as the beast's fearsome reputation draws bounty hunters, thrill seekers, and charlatans to the tiny town, Daniel dreams of destroying the ruthless predator. So when a mysterious stranger (Quinn) and his team of skilled werewolf hunters (Bauer & Croasdell) arrive to pursue the monster, he offers to join them, despite his mother's (Peeples) protests. But it soon becomes clear that this creature is stronger, smarter, and more dangerous than anything they have faced before. As casualties mount and villagers see their neighbors transformed into monsters, the townsfolk take up arms against each other to find the true identity of the werewolf. Amid the hysteria, Daniel begins to suspect he's closer to his target than he ever dreamed. (Gary Reber)

Both the R-rated (01:33:22) and the Unrated (01:33:03) versions of the movie are available. Special features include commentary with Director Louis Morneau and Producer Mike Elliott, deleted scenes (HD 03:35), a making-of featurette (HD 09:23) plus the featurettes Transformation: Man To Beast (HD 06:13) and Monster Legacy (HD 03:58), D-BOX® Motion Code™, BD-Live functionality, and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 1.78:1 1080p AVC picture is digitally photographed and exhibits a "video" image quality that is sharply focused. The color palette appears naturally hued, with somewhat subdued saturation. Fleshtones are generally natural in appearance. Contrast is well balanced with deep blacks and revealing shadow delineation. The imagery appears sharp and detailed, especially during close-ups. Overall, this is a satisfactory picture, though, digitally crafted. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is dynamic sounding, with a pervasive haunting orchestral music score. Low bass is nicely supported in the .1 LFE channel and effectively emphasized during the more intense moments. Atmospherics and sound effects enhance the sense of dimensionality with directionalized surrounds and a wide soundstage presence. Surround envelopment, particularly during the intense scenes, and their build up is effectively aggressive and spatially immersive. Dialogue sounds natural, though, ADR is wanting in spatial integration, and the groans of the beast sound voracious. (Gary Reber)