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Sadako Blu-ray 3D Review

sadako-3D-blu-ray-coverU.S. Release

  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4 (2D)/MVC (3D)
  • Resolution: 1080p/24 (23.976Hz)
  • Audio Codec: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz/16-bit), Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0
  • Subtitles: English
  • Subtitles Color: White
  • Region: ABC (Region-Free)
  • Rating: Not Rated
  • Run Time: 97 Mins.
  • Discs: 1 (1 x Blu-ray 3D/2D)
  • Digital Copies:
  • Studio: Well Go USA Entertainment
  • Blu-ray Release Date: June 4, 2013
  • List Price: $29.98

Overall
[Rating:3.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:2.5/5]
Video Quality
HD: [Rating:4/5]
3D Effect: [Rating:3.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:0/5]

Click thumbnails for high-resolution 1920X1080p screen captures

(The below TheaterByte screen captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray Discs and losslessly compressed in the PNG format. There should be no loss of picture quality with this format. All screen captures should be regarded only as an approximation of the full capabilities of the Blu-ray format.)

The Film

[Rating:2.5/5]

Sadako-3D-BD_01

Err, oh, is this movie over already? Let me wipe the drool off of my face and get to work then. Sadako was meant to be the final chapter in the popular Ring (Ringu) supernatural horror franchise. Not too fast – there’s already a Sadako 2 3D hitting theatres in Japan. So much for wishful thinking.

This dull unnecessary entry into this  promising story that started out what seems like centuries ago, now updates the same story about a mysterious video going around that, once viewed, guarantees the person who saw it is going to die. Now, being well into the internet and social media age, the VHS tape is out and YouTube and iPhone clips are in.

Centered around high school teacher Akane (Ishihara Satomi) and her class of all-girl students who are preoccupied with finding this “cursed video” so they can view it, we get a story about the malevolent Sadako who has returned, through this video of a wronged internet artist apparently committing suicide, that many suspect is nothing more than a hoax.

Director/screenwriter Hanabusa Tsutomu mishandles this one at every turn, injecting the film with so many false “jump scares” and, if you’re watching the 3D version, gimmicky visual effects of shards of glass flying right at your face, or the hand of Sadako reaching for you, that one becomes blasé about the horror, of there ever was any at all in this tame rewriting of the original Ring film.

Not only is the entire film gimmicky and uninspired, but Hanabusa and co-writer Fujioka Yoshinobu offer a clumsy script without any compelling characters. Ayane seems like a quite disinterested teacher who walks around in a stupor most of the time. Early on we find out that she has telekinetic abilities that makes her a prime target for the long-haired ghost. And in this instance, one practically roots for the ghost to get her and her gawky boyfriend who seems married to his own computer. None of the kids in Ayane’s class are ever allowed to really develop, and even the detective responsible for investigating the recent spate of deaths seems more oblivious than charismatic.

Video Quality

HD: [Rating:4/5]

3D Effect: [Rating:3.5/5]

Sadako-3D-BD_02

This one was shot with the Red One MX in high definition. The 2D image lacks any sort of nuance, and basically looks flat and un-cinematic, to say the least. In 3D, the image comes alive a bit and the filmmakers do take advantage of the format, with various things, gimmicky though they might be, flying out at you, be they shards of glass, hair, or hands. It doesn’t exactly maintain a natural sense of depth, however, and tends to look  flat and like a cardboard cutout often.

Audio Quality

[Rating:4/5]

Sadako-3D-BD_03

The Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz/16-bit) soundtrack is dynamic and atmospheric, with lots of little sounds that engulf you in this film’s world. It’s exactly what you want in a supernatural horror film like this. Apart from just a little bit of harshness in the mid upper frequencies, this one is top notch.

Supplemental Materials

[Rating:0/5]

Sadako-3D-BD_04

The original theatrical trailer (1.78:1; 1080i/60) and additional Well Go USA trailers are all that are included. They don’t warrant a rating from me.

The Definitive Word

Overall:

[Rating:3.5/5]

Sadako-3D-BD_05

Sadako is a snoozer that somehow managed to score a sequel, even as it was meant to be the final installment of this Ring franchise. Personally, I don’t look forward to part 2.

Additional Screen Captures

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Purchase Sadako on Bu-ray 3D/2D at CD Universe

Shop for more Blu-ray titles on Amazon.com

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Sadako-3D-BD_13

[amazon-product]B00BOUXNS6[/amazon-product]

Purchase Sadako on Bu-ray 3D/2D at CD Universe

Shop for more Blu-ray titles on Amazon.com

Overall
[Rating:3.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:2.5/5]
Video Quality
HD: [Rating:4/5]
3D Effect: [Rating:3.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:0/5]

 

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