{2jtab: Movie Review}

While being a huge fan of the gore-tastic Laid to Rest, there’s a bit of disappointment that washed over me while watching its sequel.  Sure, the canvas is larger this time but…well, that’s just it…the canvas of action is larger and the claustrophobic atmosphere that set the original on fire is gone.  It’s only a small problem mind you, but it’s a problem when the additional drama that includes actors Brian Austin Green and Danielle Harris and Owain Yeoman doesn’t quite pay off as well as the original did.  Still, as far as exploitation goes, it doesn’t get much gorier than watching Chromeskull (Nick Principe) do what he does best.

Barely surviving the face-melting events of Laid to Rest’s conclusion, Chromeskull (Principe) is rushed to emergency services by a mysterious team of Chromeskull devotees known as ‘the organization’ that are being bossed around by wanna-be leader Preston (Green).  Tommy (Thomas Dekker), having survived his encounter with Chromeskull, decides to disappear rather than risk being found again by the chromed wonder.  While one detective (Yeoman) makes stopping Chromeskull his one ambition; these are the events the open the movie.

Soon enough, it become quickly apparent that Chromeskull, nursed back to health by his lovely assistant (Harris), wants to kill for himself and relieves Preston of his duties in the organization.  Preston takes matters into his own hands and soon a competition of sorts develops out of each other’s bloodlust; a competition that includes all of the original film’s loose ends.

In spite of the familiar faces appearing in the film, director Robert Hall is the real star of this gore- ific treat.  His time spent as a make-up artist with Almost Human F/X has really paid off.  Each kill-shot tops the previous in gore and angles and is ripe with surprise.  It’s as if he’s daring the audience to look away…knowing that they won’t want to miss a beat of this technical brutality.  Here, he does the genre one better than SAW and the like.

Yet, the story makes little sense.  Things get convoluted quickly with the introduction of the organization and, while it never takes away from the horror beats, the head-scratching it causes it a little more nauseating than the actual kills.  Green is reduced to a sniveling brat by the action and the detectives are laughable as they try to figure out exactly what is going down.  Everyone is reduced to the least common denominator…including its audience.

That’s the real trick of the movie, though.  Can you figure out what’s going on?  I couldn’t.  Maybe Laid to Rest 3 will attempt to make things clearer…maybe.

{2jtab: Film Details}

MPAA Rating: R for strong bloody violence, language and some nudity.
Director: Robert Hall
Writer: Kevin Bocarde, Robert Hall
Cast: Brian Austin Green; Thomas Dekker; Mimi Michaels; Owain Yeoman; Danielle Harris
Genre: Horror
Tagline: Death polished.
Memorable Movie Quote: "he kills girls and videotapes it. It's his thing."
Distributor: Image Entertainment
Official Site: www.myspace.com/chromeskull
Release Date: No theatrical release
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: September 20, 2011

Synopsis: The maniac in the metal mask returns—and this time he's not alone. After his no so pleasant episode with the girl with no name, ChromeSkull has to rely on his assistant Preston, (Brian Austin Green, Desperate Housewives) to take care of business. Having learned from the master, he slashes his way from one bloody mess to another. Not to be outdone, ChromeSkull resurges himself with a massacre of his own that is nothing short of "jaw dropping insanity!"

{2jtab: Blu-ray Review}

Component Grades Movie Blu-ray Disc Blu-ray Experience

Blu-ray Details:

Available on Blu-ray - September 20, 2011
Screen Formats: 2.40:1
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Discs: Blu-ray Disc
Playback: Region A

The 1080p transfer from Image entertainment is pretty crisp.  Crackling through the darkness that invades the film with its multiple night-time kills, the color palette is fairly strong with black levels remaining consistent throughout.  Other colors – more on the reddish warm side of things – are sharp and detail is lukewarm throughout.  The gore is sticky and full of fine exploitative detail.  The sound – presented in a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 – is full of thundering noise and ambient levels making the disc a fun one to crank.

Supplements:

Commentary:

• Because Laid to Rest is still awaiting its Blu-ray debut, the commentary provided here by Director Robert Hall, Co-writer Kevin Bocarde, and Brian Austin Green is comprehensive.  It covers some of the original’s territory but quickly settles in to providing an explanation for the some of the technical kill-shots and other set-ups.  It’s a fun track (for its fans), though not necessary.

Special Features:

The supplemental material on the disc is fairly standard.  There’s a brief look at the polish that went into designing the look of Chromeskull and a funny reel of bloopers that fans of the series will appreciate.  The best bit of the material is feature that cuts through the muck of the film and gives you the kill-shots only.

• A Cut Above: Creating Chromeskull (15 min)
• Bloopers (5 min)
• Deleted Scenes (5 min)
• Jump To A Kill Feature
• Trailer

{2jtab: Trailer}

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