Dark Skies [Blu-Ray]
Director: Scott Stewart
Cast: Keri Russell, Josh Hamilton, J.K. Simmons
Release Date: Available on Blu-Ray Combo Pack & DVD May 28
A Review By: Kevin Lovell
Film Rating: 9/10
Disc Rating: 9.5/10
Plot Summary:
As the Barret family’s peaceful suburban life is rocked by an escalating series of disturbing events, they come to learn that a terrifying and deadly force is after them.
‘Dark Skies’ was one of those pleasantly surprising occasions where I wasn’t quite certain what to expect going in, and was blown away with what a truly incredible film it was. The factor that impressed me the most was the effectiveness of how everything was done and the inventiveness and creativity in which the scares and events are presented. There are very few movies that manage to scare or affect me in such a way, but this was one of the rare exceptions that was certainly creeping me out to some extent. All aspects were incredibly well done, from the quick flashes of imagery (such as someone or something looking down at a character sleeping), down to the elements as simple as the static on the monitors all combine into one truly effective and eerie experience that you won’t want to miss out on.
All of the performances are pretty well portrayed. While they aren’t quite as impressive as the other aspects of ‘Dark Skies’, they without question help contribute to the effectiveness of it in a big way. I’m sure we all know how much horrible performances can hurt the overall effect of an otherwise great movie viewing experience when trying to fully immerse ourselves into it, so all around well done performances by the cast are always a huge contributing factor to the success and achievement of a well done and thoroughly enjoyable experience.
If you were questionable on this one, or just haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, I would definitely recommend doing so. It’s creepy, inventive, the performances well portrayed and is truly a great and well done film overall. For fans of the genre and especially for people who enjoy most of the Blumhouse (Insidious, Paranormal Activity, Sinister) produced titles as of late, ‘Dark Skies’ is certainly one you won’t want to miss.
VIDEO:
The Blu-Ray release of ‘Dark Skies’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation utilizing the film’s original 2.40:1 Cinemascope Aspect Ratio. As is almost always the case with the Weinstein Company titles distributed through Anchor Bay, the video is as good as it gets and couldn’t be sharper. Smooth and incredibly detailed, I can’t imagine anyone finding any issues with the video presentation on this release. This is an incredibly well done transfer resulting in a truly beautiful video presentation.
AUDIO:
The Blu-Ray features a lossless 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack 
which really packs a wallop. The audio is always clearly distinguishable in the center channel, and the rear channels get quite an impressive workout as well throughout. Loud noises and eerie moments are incredibly effective thanks in huge part to the impressive lossless audio track. As with the video, this is as good as it gets.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The Blu-Ray of ‘Dark Skies’ features only a couple of Special Features, but they are the kind of features fans will appreciate and which should keep everyone occupied for at least awhile after they finish viewing the feature. Included are a number of alternate and deleted scenes, as well as a feature length audio commentary track with Writer/Director Scott Stewart, Producer Jason Blum, and a couple of others.
Film Rating: 9/10
Disc Rating: 9.5/10
‘Dark Skies’ will be available on Blu-Ray Combo Pack & DVD on May 28 from Anchor Bay Entertainment & Dimension Films.
