The New Daughter (2009/Anchor Bay Blu-ray)

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B     Extras: C+     Film: C+

 

 

Kevin Costner has not made anything ambitious since Thirteen Days back in 2000, so when I heard he had made a thriller, I was curious.  When The New Daughter turned out to be a supernatural thriller, I knew I had to see it and am surprised it is as good as it is.

 

He plays the father of two children (Ivana Baquero of Pan’s Labyrinth and Gattlin Griffith of Eastwood’s Changeling) who move to a house out (you guessed it) in the middle of a nowhere small town.  It is nice and has nice people, but it turns out “something” happened at their house and when his daughter Louisa (Baquero) stars acting odd, he intends to find out why.  Unfortunately, dead bodies start to turn up and something very evil and deadly has risen again to kill, including this demonic possession.

 

Director Luis Berdejo (who wrote 2008’s Quarantine) does know how to direct and build some suspense and many will be surprised at how far the film goes in the direction of now-old-fashioned cutting-edge horror we used to get in the 1970s all the time.  It is interesting up to the end, yet does not pay off as expected, but will play well with those who recently enjoyed House Of The Dead.  Costner is good here, showing he can act when he applies himself and he was correct in taking on this project.  Noah Taylor (The New World), Samantha Mathis (2004’s The Punisher) and Erik Palladino also star in one of the better Horror outings of late.

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot on Super 35mm film, but is a little softer throughout than expected despite some good shots and good shooting by Director of Photography Checco Varese, A.M.C., but this looks like a film of its genre and most these days do not, so that helps.  The PCM 5.1 uncompressed mix is the biggest surprise of all, with terrific sound design, sound effects and mix with real character that helps sell the story and makes for demo material for any serious home theater Blu-ray system.  Though the soundfield is not always consistent and dialogue is not always up to the music (by Javier Navarrete) and sound effects, it is an impressive mix that is the #1 reason to get the disc if you own a system yourself.  This may even become popular demo material.

 

Extras include a Behind The Scenes featurette, Deleted Scenes that are interesting, Theatrical Trailer and solid feature length audio commentary by Director Berdejo.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo