The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/3D Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
88
Studio and Year: Anchor Bay - 2012
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 93 minutes
Genre: Horror
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC/MVC
Video Aspect: 1.78:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Starring: Phoebe Tonkin, Sharni Vinson, Xavier Samuel, Julian McMahon, Alex Russell, Cariba Heine
Directed by: Kimble Rendell
Music by: Joe Ng & Alex Oh
Written by: Russell Mulcahy & John Kim
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: September 18, 2012
"Cleanup on aisle 7!"
Film Synopsis:
When a monstrous freak tsunami hits a sleepy beach community, a group of survivors from different walks of life find themselves trapped inside a submerged grocery store. As they try to escape to safety, they soon discover that there is a predator among them more deadly than the threat of drowning—vicious great white sharks lurking in the water, starved for fresh meat. As the bloodthirsty sharks begin to pick the survivors off one by one, the group realizes that they must work together to find a way out without being eaten alive.
My Take:
Bait 3D is essentially a straight forward B movie carnage flick that combines typical horror hokum with 3D effects that play along to the genre beat. The plot is more far fetched than usual and centers around a group of people trapped in a food market by tsunami floodwaters containing great white sharks. As you might expect the setup is brief with the primary focus on a couple that suffers a tragic loss as the result of a shark attack at the beginning of the film. They, along with two other groups of primary/secondary characters find themselves in the store the moment when the tsunami hits. Everyone is trapped with one group/storyline being located in parking garage below the store. It’s an all out struggle for survival as the man eaters troll the aisles picking them off by order of relevance within the story.
Aside from the primary couple there are two small subplots involving a father/daughter and an armed robber amongst those trapped in the store. There is the “everyone pulling together” element mated with some relationship melodrama to coincide with the bloodletting/gore. While there is nothing especially original about the screenplay it wasn’t simply tossed together purely for the sake of getting from one shark attack to the next, although there is a bit of that. There isn’t much depth to the characters but I did find myself rooting for them which says something. The action is predictable and there isn’t any real suspense but this isn’t the worst “bad” movie I have seen. What made it more tolerable was the fact that it was in 3D. Not every effect works but those that do are fun. Bottom line is that if you tend to enjoy this genre then more than likely you’ll appreciate Bait for what it is.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for bloody violence, grisly images and language.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
Audio: 90
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Dynamics:
- Low frequency extension:
- Surround Sound presentation:
- Clarity/Detail:
- Dialogue Reproduction:
3D Presentation: 86
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Depth (Onscreen):
- Dimension (Beyond the screen):
- Realism:
- Clarity/Detail:
- Color reproduction:
Bait 3D comes to Blu-ray Disc from Anchor Bay Home Entertainment featuring 1080p MVC encoded video and Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel sound that has an average bitrate of 2.8 Mbps.
This film was shot in high definition 3D and the results are very good. Detail is well preserved as the image retains its high level of clarity as objects within the frame are delineated and sharp. Depth is excellent as evidenced by the notable separation of objects or people layered in the foreground/background which depending on the scene can visually draw you in by creating a discernable sense of virtual space. The photography makes definitive use of the 3D platform with a noticeable emphasis on screen popping effects that are designed to elicit audience reaction. While there are many elements that seem to be coming at you many of them don’t venture far beyond the screen’s borders. This cuts down on the flinch factor but in general I thought the effects presentation was done well enough to keep me engaged. Contrast is slightly elevated and colors are vividly reproduced. Blacks aren’t inky but are noise free and fairly deep which provides a good foundation during darker sequences. Ghosting/crosstalk wasn’t a problem.
The 7.1 channel Dolby TrueHD soundtrack is a winner. This film has an active sound design that maintains good balance so the multitude of sound effects, music and dialogue can be clearly and easily interpreted by the audience. Dialogue is clearly articulated with excellent room penetration. Sound effects are accurately placed within the sound field which established a tight correlation between the onscreen information and what was being heard within the room. This applied to the additional rear channels as well. This created an immersive and engaging soundscape that wasn’t overly aggressive but was abundantly rich in detail. Low frequency detail mixed to the subwoofer delivers rich, well extended bass response that provided tactilely dynamic impact that was occasionally room filling. I thought that this was an excellent and involving surround sound mix that enhanced to the three dimensional aspects of this film.
2D Video Quality:
Video: 84
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Resolution/Clarity:
- Black level/Shadow detail:
- Color reproduction:
- Fleshtones:
- Compression:
Bait comes to Blu-ray Disc from Anchor Bay Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 26 Mbps.
Overall I found this to be a satisfying yet somewhat inconsistent high definition video presentation. Ostensibly detail is abundant as close ups and mid level camera shots offer excellent delineation and crisp definition. Occasionally the perception of detail wavers leaving those same shots lacking fine articulation and clearly defined edges. The color range varies with some scenes having an intentionally muted/cooler palette while others feature vivid, over saturated primaries and rich hues that tend to catch the eye. Depending on the lighting fleshtones can be fairly natural or lean toward bronzy variations that offer little complexional delineation. Contrast is elevated which results in crisp whites that are mildly washed out. This doesn’t negatively impact black levels as they appear a deep shade with discernible gradational quality. Scenes containing uneven or dim lighting revealed plenty of detail in shadowy backgrounds and darkened areas. While I prefer the 3D presentation this one still makes for a decent high definition viewing experience.
Bonus Features:
- (HD) Storyboard Gallery
- Bonus DVD
Final Thoughts:
Bait is a B movie gore fest that essentially follows the same formula as most horror flicks in its class. I didn’t mind it nearly as much as I expected which is due in part to its entertaining 7.1 Dolby TrueHD surround sound/3D experience on Blu-ray. Bait isn’t an especially memorable film but if you typically enjoy the type of “bad” horror it employs it’s certainly worth the cost of a rental.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS55 3D Ready 1080p High Definition Front Projector
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16x9 Screen
Onkyo PR-SC5508 THX Ultra 2 Audio/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-93 Universal Disc/3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Panasonic DMP-BDT310 3D capable Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
System Controller: Apple iPad/iRule Pro HD Universal Remote Control
Canton "Ergo" Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Wireworld, Better Cables (Silver Serpent) - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
