Winchester – Blu-ray Movie Review

Synopsis

Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune, believes she’s haunted by the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles. She buys an eight-room farmhouse near San Francisco and spends the next 38 years turning it into a massive labyrinth of rooms and passageways in an attempt to appease the ghosts. Dr. Eric Price is engaged by the company’s lawyers to assess her sanity. He stays there for a week and begins to see things he can’t explain. When one spirit possesses the body of Sarah’s young grand-nephew, the situation comes to a head. Will Dr. Price be able to solve the mystery of America’s most-haunted house?

Specifications

Lionsgate
2018, Color, Rated PG-13, 1 Hr 39 mins
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 2.39:1 Aspect Ratio
Starring: Helen Mirren, Jason Clarke, Sarah Snook
Directed by The Spierig Brothers

Rating

Entertainment:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Violence: Yes
Sex: No
Language: No

Commentary

It’s hard to imagine Helen Mirren starring in an average film but in this case, she has. Her performance is excellent, as is that of Jason Clark, whom you’ll remember from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Terminator Genesys. The movie falls short in its storytelling. There just isn’t enough interest there to justify a feature presentation. It might have been better served in a one-hour TV special. For those who enjoy the thrill-ride aspect of horror films, there are several boo moments that are handled perfectly. In one scene, early on, I saw it coming from miles away and it still made me jump. The portrayal of history is interesting as well. Sarah Winchester and the mystery house were very real, and the mansion remains open to this day as a tourist attraction. As a film “inspired by true events” it stands up well, but it won’t merit more than one or two viewings at best.

Technical

The movie is beautifully shot with natural color and deep contrast. Facial lighting is handled especially well. Helen Mirren is photographed with a bright glow that suits her character. Detail is a tad soft at times but there is no unwanted edge enhancement.

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Audio is top-notch and does a great job of building suspense through subtle detail and perfectly-used surround effects. The sub gets a chance to shine as well. Dialog is crisp, clear, and easily understood.

Extras

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Bonus features include just a single making-of featurette. There is no historical information, which in my opinion, is a wasted opportunity.

Chris Eberle

Chris' passion for audio began when he took up playing the bassoon at age 12. During his third year at the New England Conservatory of Music, he won a position with the West Point Band where he served for 26 years as principal bassoonist. He retired from the Army in 2013 and is now writing full time and performing as a freelance musician in Central Florida. As an avid movie lover, Chris was unable to turn away the 50-inch Samsung DLP TV that arrived at his door one day, thus launching him irrevocably into an obsession with home theater. Dissatisfied with the image quality of his new acquisition, Chris trained with the Imaging Science Foundation in 2006 and became a professional display calibrator. His ultimate theater desires were realized when he completed construction of a dedicated cinema/listening room in his home. Chris is extremely fortunate that his need for quality audio and video is shared and supported by his wife of over 25 years. In his spare time he enjoys riding his recumbent trike at least 100 miles per week, trying out new restaurants, going to theme parks and spending as much time as possible watching movies and listening to music. Chris enjoys bringing his observations and discoveries about every kind of home theater product to as many curious and well-informed readers as possible. He is proud to be a part of the Team and hopes to help everyone enjoy their AV experiences to the fullest.