DVD Review: ‘[REC] 2’

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released [REC] 2 directed by [REC]‘s original filmmakers Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza on July 12th.  DESTROY THE BRAIN received a copy of the [REC] 2 DVD and we are happy to give you the skinny on it.  Read beyond the break for all the details.

The Movie:

One of the better “found footage” films of the past 5 years was [REC].  It was tense, claustrophobic and came at the viewer with guns blazing.  The film was a hit in its native country and American horror fans seemed to want to go to bed with it and make it breakfast in the morning as well.  Imagine our surprise when more films were planned to take place in the universe of [REC].  While some might think that by sequelizing a simple story might jeopardize the potency of the original, [REC] 2 defies that idea to bring a fresh twist to the groundwork that was laid in its predecessor.

The Disc:

The transfer on this disc is as good as DVD will deliver.  This film and [REC] are only available on DVD and not on Blu-Ray which I think is a bit of a shame as the hi-def option in other regions.  The 5.1 Dolby Digital does a great job in involving the viewer into the environment.  The surround speakers are used to keep you on edge on what might, or might not, be around the corner.

There are a few Deleted and Extended Scenes that really don’t expand too much on the story and were obviously deleted to keep [REC] 2 to a lean and mean running time.  Also included are Behind the Scenes Featurettes which includes some interesting methods that they used in filming this shot-on-video horror shocker.  Most of these show on set footage and then before & after effect shots.  This is one of the more interesting features as the REC films need to feel fluid and actually give the illusion that it is shot on video in real time.  When you add effect shots in the mix, this requires planning and careful execution.  The featurettes show, in good detail, what all is done to pull of these scenes.

Other features include a Walkthrough of the Set as for [REC] 2 they had to build a new set to make it look as close to the original apartment from the first film.  You also get a [REC] 2 on tour that shows the film showing at Stiges and Venice Film Festivals.  Sadly, no Fantastic Fest – which showed the film in 2009 prior to both film festivals previously mentioned.  Also included is the Stiges Film Festival Press Conference which is light hearted and gives you the sense that everyone enjoys creating the mythology that [REC] 2 sets up.

Overall, this disc is worth the money if you are a fan of [REC] and live in the States.  It is a highly recommended sequel to watch for fans of the original or of the American remake Quarantine.