Search - Grace [Blu-ray] on Blu-ray

Suspensful, disgusting, well packed Blu

Steve Kuehl | Ben Lomond, CA | 08/26/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I do not get to the horror/suspense BDs that often (Last House on the Left & Midnight Meat Train my last couple) but with the amount of material on this I had to give it a sit down. Overall, I was impressed with everything they had to offer on this, and even if you find yourself in that group of people questioning the writing, the Blu has plenty to satiate even the discerning viewer.

The story follows a mom and her stillborn/reanimated baby as they discover what it will take for them to survive. And without delving into being an actual horror/zombie baby film, they manage to show a low key, melodramatic (and as real as possible) take on this family's tale. There is little back story, and nothing given as to how this might have happened or why certain characters are involved to the level they are, so if vague plot lines bother you, skip it. Most of the complaints out there follow the lack of what I described, but in the end, and as sick as the last scene is, this still left with me the feel of seeing a competent and twisted film. Now the good stuff.

The picture quality looks decent, but the grain shows through more often than not with the volume of indoor night shots. The sound is a mixed bag depending on which you select. There is a choice of 5.1 DD or PCM Uncompressed. I chose the latter after testing 12 different scenes containing the fly buzzing sounds and outright channel saturation (the airbag deployment for instance), and without hesitation, I say watch this in the PCM - louder, better and more articulate. The special features rock and include:

* Grace at Sundance - 13 minutes. Includes some behind the scenes of what it is like to get into the famed festival, and everything one might encounter in getting your film accepted/marketed while there. The defining moment for me was seeing the director's mom have to comment on stage about the film - and she answered very politically correct for having just seen a demented film.
* Grace Conception - 6:46 minutes. The short film history behind this title.
* Grace Delivered - 37 minutes. The main making-of, logistics, interviews and everything one needs to know in what it took to make this. I actually liked this piece as it stays away from the fluffy interviews I hate and delved deep into the heart behind this.
* Grace Family - 12 minutes. Description of the family dynamic behind these characters, helps answer some of the questions one might have about why certain things occur in the film.
* Her Mother's Eyes, Look of Grace - 7 minutes. A thorough take on the production design and visuals.
* Lullaby Scoring Grace - 9 minutes. Catered to those that love low key haunting score backgrounds, with plenty on the work that went into how long this took to make. Includes some good info on the fly sounds.
* Commentaries that are fine, but I found difficult to sit through as this film was too tough in seeing twice and the listed supplements cover everything better.

Three and a half for the film, one and a half for the extras and sound quality. If you are looking for a non expletive, twisted little independent, I think you will like this, but without question this film will make you feel uncomfortable. Enjoy."

A Blood Bath of a Special Sort

R. Schultz | Chicago | 12/01/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When I say this movie is a bloodbath, I don't mean that it's a typical slasher film. I mean there is literally a lot of blood in it. Blood oozes, spills, pools. However, it's all to good purpose. It all has a point. But if such a sanguine sight makes you squeamish, this is not the film for you.

The jacket of this DVD also might be a little misleading in that it suggests another "bad seed" sort of baby - another psychopathic monster. But that isn't it either. This movie is more inventive than that. The infant Grace poses a different sort of problem for anyone taking care of her. Grace is a unique special needs child.

The acting here is excellent, and the premise challenges the viewer to consider, "What would I do?""

More melodrama than horror

Horror Buff | Hickory, NC | 10/13/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a bit torn on how to review "Grace." As a drama, it does have fairly decent suspense and a slow burn kind of pacing. If you have a short attention span or enjoy gore, this will not be a worthwhile experience. As far as horror goes, it falls short of being frightening, though I do not think that was the plan. The disappointment in the reviews seem to come from expectations rather than the actual movie. At no point was I bored. In fact, it was a pleasant diversion to become immersed in the characters and the mother's slow decent into brutality in order to save her child.

"Grace" is generally presented as a believable story in its context, and is well acted for the most part. A mother desperate for a baby, and destined for a stillborn child, miraculously has the child survive, only to find eventually that blood is the only thing that keeps it alive. The plot is fairly creative and there is tension throughout the movie. Still, if Lifetime had a horror network, this would be its centerpiece.

"Grace" is certainly worth a watch if you adjust your expectations to include suspense rather than horror, and subtle terrors rather than blood."

Grace will get under your skin

David Carney | POINT PLEASANT | 11/20/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This one will stay with you for a ong time.Not since the Exorsist has there been one that ts creepy and gory.Its disturbing and watch it knowing that bit of info.I noticed a few writers gave it 3 stars.Although the acting is ok i can see why.The lead woman played by Jordan Ladd is a dead ringer for kim basinger on drugs.She spends her time shuffling around like a rehab patient longing for the next fix.Its a gross little movie and no swearing.There was not one curse word in there....you know its not hollywood because if it were there would be the f-bomb dropped.Thankgod for small favors.Thank god for Grace!"