Unholy (2005/Supernatural Thriller/Anchor Bay)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Feature: C

 

 

I like Adrienne Barbeau, an underrated actress who helped make the TV hit Maude a classic and whose work with John Carpenter is among the best he ever filmed, gives a fine performance in the problematic writer/director Daryl Goldberg’s Unholy.  It wants to be a supernatural horror thriller at first, but it is so all over the place, wastes a very good performance by Barbeau, a bunch of supporting actors who cannot keep up and by its conclusion is trivializing vital history so important it is absurd it ever went there.

 

Then it tries to twist itself into something out of X-Files and never comes close to the best early-season shows.  To promote itself, the case (without revealing the most absurd aspect of all) exploits a high concept story point to say it is so controversial that “they” do not want you to see it.  The fact of the matter is that it is a stupid idea that is easily ignored and forgotten, plus this was never a censored work.  The case never makes that claim.

 

Instead, it is just schlock on a higher level that goes nowhere is too impressed with itself to ever be taken seriously.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is obviously shot on HD of some kind and has its moments, but too much motion blur with some shaky shot choices undermine the overall presentation.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 mixes show their low-budget origins, with little difference between the two.  If you get this disc, you’ll have to toggle between the two to see which you prefer.  Extras include stills, trailers and creators audio commentary.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo