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DVD Review: ‘[REC] 2’

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Picking up minutes after [REC]‘s finale, [REC] 2 gets going right away as a SWAT team and doctor storm the apartment building where Angela Vidal and her crew were quarantined. Discovering that the virus is not airborne but blood-transmitted, the team barely has a chance to begin exploring before the infected begin their assault.
While the initial setup might make Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza’s sequel may seem pretty formulaic – if not fast-paced – at first glance, it’s anything but. By establishing the film on familiar grounds, [REC] 2 lulls you into a sense of ease and then pulls the rug out from under you. Shortly after the first attack, the doctor reveals that he is really a priest and that while everything in Part One still rings true, the infection isn’t exactly an infection and the zombies aren’t exactly zombies: what’s really going on is people are being possessed, maybe by the devil himself. The situation, while outlandish (as if the first one was grounded in reality…), comes across as genuine since the script gives all the characters a level of disbelief and skepticism which slowly and naturally turns around as things get more out of control.

Most first person camera flicks tend to stick with only one operator or device, but [REC] 2 rotates between most of the team members via cameras strapped to their helmets. It’s pretty ingenious, creating tension and suspense in certain scenes and cutting out pointless sequences where people run down hallways trying to find the action. Balaguero and Plaza even take it a step further and cut away to some kids spotted earlier in the film once all the SWAT cameras malfunction.

[Rec] 2 has had a limited theatrical and VOD release here in the states, with most other countries getting a DVD and Blu-ray by now. So, how does Sony’s DVD release measure up? The special features are fine (more on them below ), but Sony slaps you in the face with one of these the second you pop the disc in.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? [REC] 2 has gotten an HD release in most other territories and while most of us here are whining for one here, Sony doesn’t see a market for it and instead decides to remind us of other crap they’re putting out on the format.

Looks like it’s time to import.

Special Features

Deleted and Extended Scenes (06:47) – A few scenes that show the kids having some fun with fire and trying to make heads or tails of the situation. And, of course, there’s an extra gut-munching scene thrown in for good measure.

Behind the Scenes Featurette (53:28) – A really interesting documentary that explores everything from the small details to breaking down several scenes with input from the cast and crew as to what went into their creation and execution. There’s a lot of raw footage to sift through here, with plenty of on-set antics and the like. Easily the best featurette on the disc.

A Walkthrough of the Set (8:51) – Art director Gemma Fauria gives a tour of the set, discussing the layout of the apartment building and the overlooked details within each room. He also talks a lot about establishing the claustrophobic feel of the location through various means.

[REC] 2 on Tour (8:40) -This featurette captures the madness of traveling from one film festival to the next with the film, as the crew documents screenings, parties and everything in between.

Stiges Film Festival Press Conference (10:59) – The fim’s panel from its 2009 world premiere with cast and crew is fairly entertaining and there’s some good information given out, but most of it overlaps with the behind-the-scenes featurette.

Film: 4/5
DVD: 2/5

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‘Herencia Diabólica’ – 1993’s “Mexican Child’s Play” Finally Has a Blu-ray Release [Review]

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Did you know that there is a Child’s Play-inspired film from Mexico? If you didn’t, you can thank Vinegar Syndrome’s new label Degausser Video for making 1993’s Herencia Diabólica available for the masses to watch. Or at least for the VS hardcore fanbase, Chucky completists and anyone else who needs something like this in their lives.

Director Alfredo Salazar, known for his writing connection to the 70s Santo film series, also serves as the writer here to bring us a film seemingly inspired from the Child’s Play franchise. While it has been recently labeled as the “Mexican Child’s Play” (there’s a special feature on the disc with that very title), the killer doll concept is where the comparison should start and end. Despite having some seeds planted by that franchise, Salazar delivers a story that blossoms into something unique.

Tony (Roberto Guinar) receives a letter informing him that his aunt has died, and he has inherited her estate in Mexico. He quits his job and uproots his life in New York with his wife Annie (Holda Ramírez) to relocate south of the border and move into his new crib. Now I know what you’re thinking, what person just quits their job and drags their wife to another country without having reliable monetary income? Tony does, everyone, Tony does.

And what’s the first thing they do once they arrive in Mexico and check out the estate? They hit the bedroom, naturally. We are treated to a sex scene with an erotica song that feels like a knockoff of “Sadness” by Enigma (remember them?). Sounds fun and all, but the scene takes place completely in the dark and we see absolutely nothing. Maybe that’s why the sexy-time tune was pumping, so we could know what was exactly going down.

While Tony goes on a job interview, Annie explores the estate’s grounds in a tedious chore to experience, going room by room, plodding along. But it does lead us to her discovery of our antagonist—the evil clown doll, Payasito! Of all the things in the house, she decides to bring this monstrosity down to show Tony when he gets home. What an exciting way to celebrate (sic)! Then out of nowhere, she spouts off some exposition about rumors that Tony’s aunt dabbled in the dark arts and now we know where our title Diabolical Inheritance (the English translation for Herencia Diabólica) originates. For those of you who keep score for things like that.

Before proceeding with this review, you really need to visualize what Payasito looks like to truly embrace the rest of the film’s shenanigans. While Chucky resembles a cute ginger child, Payasito resembles a small clown that is much larger in stature than Chucky. That’s because Payasito is performed by an actor (Margarito Esparaza) in clown cosplay whenever he’s on the move (like Mannequin 2), and makes some really horrible facial expressions. Chucky dresses in “Good Guys” overalls and a striped shirt, but Payasito wears a new wave Santa hat while sporting a Sgt. Pepper jacket and Peter Pan tights. As you can now tell, he is quite beautiful.

Back to our story, Payasito begins to spook Annie cerebrally until she becomes unnerved to the point of having a complete mental break down, making her easy prey to eliminate. She dies but the unborn child survives, with Tony believing that her death was caused by her mental instability. Fast forward some years later and the couple’s surviving spawn has grown into child Roy (Alan Fernando), who at this point has already bonded with Payasito to help him over the loss of his mother. Dun-dun-duuunnn!

Meanwhile wealthy Tony remains single, still grieving his late wife, until his blonde assistant Doris encourages him to move on with his life and start seeing other people. And by other people, she naturally means herself. As the old Kanye West song lyric goes, “I ain’t saying she’s a gold digger…”, and it seems that she might be until we learn more about her character. Doris is played by the stunning Lorena Hererra who has an extremely extensive resume in Mexico, and she carries most of the film quite well during the feature’s second half. The singer and former Playboy centerfold for their Mexico edition is by far the most recognizable face in the cast.

Doris and Tony do indeed hookup and she moves into La casa de Herencia, where she does her best to impress Roy and lessen his obsession with the doll. There is a scene where they go to a nearby park without Payasito that is filled with famous fairytale figures, such as Pinocchio, Cinderella and King Kong! What, you didn’t know King Kong is a fairytale? Me neither. But Roy continues to be obsessed with Payasito after their trip, much to Doris’ chagrin.

Her actions to separate him from Roy gets Payasito angry, setting up the film’s most memorable scene. We already know that Payasito is a devil doll like Chucky, but now we learn he also has the power to invade people’s dreams like Freddy Krueger! Does Payasito enter the dream world and concoct a creative way to kill Doris in her sleep? No, he harnesses his power to sexually assault her instead. Yes that actually happens. After she awakens, Doris grabs the doll and tosses him into a lake, only to find him waiting for her by the time she gets back to the house. So now we know he also maintains the ability to “transport” like Jason Voorhees too. This doll is the total package!

More insanity happens before we close out the film with the longest victim chase sequence ever. It makes the previously mentioned painful house search scene seem like an eyeblink. It feels like it’s the film’s entire third act, filled with so much padding that you could soundproof an entire three-story house.

So how’s the transfer? Considering it was created using a mix of VHS and film source elements from 1993, they did one heck of a job! The work they put into it is especially noticeable in the dream invasion sequence, with the pulsing multi-colored psychedelic visuals. Super trippy stuff. Even the film’s score provides a pretty chill vibe, during the times when Payasito isn’t on the prowl.

If anything you read has piqued your interest in the very least, you should give it a shot. But if not, it is best to leave this doll on the shelf.

Herencia Diabólica is now available to purchase at VinegarSyndrome.com.

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