A single mother and a childless morgue technician are bound together by their relationship to a little girl they have reanimated from the dead.

For in-depth thoughts on Birth/Rebirth, please see my colleague Mike Vaughn’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

The film debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio which ideally translates to disc. The movie has a muted color palette that is accurately saturated in what is mostly dank interiors with flashes of key lighting. Occasional hues make an impression, but the greater feat is the level of detail and clarity. Compared to streaming, it is much easier to appreciate the detail on display, especially in the production design and the grotesque makeup effects bursting with unique textures.

The movie has a firm control over darkness to ratchet up tension, and the transfer provides deep black levels that do not exhibit crush or other shortcomings. There is no damage or digital noise on display in this transfer. Objects hold up commendably in the shadows and retain their depth with very little banding at hand. There is the slightest loss in detail in some of the darkest shadows, but it is not a major issue throughout. Shudder has given another worthy film life in HD on disc.

Audio Quality

Birth/Rebirth arrives on Blu-Ray with an excellent DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures the complexity of the mix. The movie stands out when it needs to as environmental sounds provide an unsettling atmosphere for the story. Dialogue and various sound effects stay balanced throughout the runtime. All elements effectively intermingle with the score where nothing gets cloudy in the track. Surround channels provide some haunting activity with the interior tones and other bumps in the dark. The track’s low end provides some worthwhile texture when the tension is building. The experience captures the narrative with ease and will disturb anyone who gets to hear it. Optional English SDH and French subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: A commentary track with director/co-writer Laura Moss, executive producer/co-writer Brendan J. O’Brien, actress Marin Ireland, actress Judy Reyes, and medical advisor Emily Ryan in which they recount the production of the film, tidbits about various performers, working with young performers, the production design, the medical accuracy, and more that is worth a listen.

Medically Squeamish – The Making of Birth/Rebirth: A 41-minute making-of documentary featuring interviews with Laura Moss, Brendan J. O’Brien, costume designer Annie Simon, and editor Taylor Mason that explores the creation of the script, the casting process, crafting the world, and much more.

Original Teaser (0:28)

Original Trailer (2:15)

Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring an essay from film critic Katie Walsh is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Birth/Rebirth is most effective when harnessing the haunting performances from the two leads. Marin Ireland and Judy Reyes are incredible talents who do not typically get the runway to deliver such nuanced turns. Unfortunately for horror fans, the thrilling aspects of the story are more muted in favor of a mounting sense of dread and moral uncertainty. The emotional arc never fully connects as much as we want it to, but a second viewing did improve both of these aspects a bit. The Frankenstein story is one that has been reinvented time and time again, but this one stands out even if certain aspects do not completely work. Shudder has released a Blu-Ray featuring a first-rate A/V presentation and a favorable assortment of special features. Recommended

Birth/Rebirth is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shudder and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.