Blu-ray Review: S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale - Page 2

S. Darko has some decent production design going for it aside from the CG effects, which are strictly cut-rate, but the story is lackluster and the acting is often cringe-inducing, especially the variety of supporting performances.
The fanboys might be up in arms over this one, but it’s more dull than terrible, doing nothing to expand on the Darko mythology and bringing nothing new to the table that’s of any interest whatsoever.

The Blu-ray Disc

S. Darko is presented in 1080p high definition with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. For a direct-to-video production, the visual quality is surprisingly high, although the image fares better in brighter daylight scenes than the moodier dark ones. Sharpness and clarity are strong throughout, with only trace elements of grain visible. Scenes shot against the blue, cloudless sky really stand out, with the color palette looking boldest at these moments. Overall, this is a high quality visual presentation on par with some big-budget studio films on Blu-ray.

The audio, which is presented in Dolby 5.1 DTS-HD, doesn’t perform quite as well. Dialogue- and soundtrack-heavy sequences are fine – crisp and clear – but the mix sounds overwrought when it requires the subwoofer, requiring quite a bit of volume adjustment. This inconsistency is obnoxious when it pops up, which fortunately is not too often.

Special Features

Extras include a full-length commentary track with writer Nathan Atkins and director Chris Fisher, several deleted scenes even duller than some of the actual film and a making-of featurette that has a number of cast/crew members attempting to assuage the Darko faithful, calling this film a “continuation,” not a “sequel.” I’m not sure what these people think these two words mean, but I’m not seeing a whole lot of difference. A pointless short featurette about a song some of the cast wrote about Utah is also included.

The Bottom Line

S. Darko probably could have been a whole lot worse, but it deserves no more than a rental for the curious. The Blu-ray is pretty solid visually, but this isn’t one to add to your library.

Article Author: Dusty Somers

Dusty Somers hails from Seattle, and is a journalism student at the University of Oklahoma. He enjoys spending time and watching films with his wife, and looks forward to their imminent return to the great Northwest.

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