Sent off to a secluded summer camp, a shy and introverted 12-year-old boy, Morgan (Kue Lawrence, SKETCH), is thrust into a living nightmare when a campfire tale about a psychotic doctor becomes real. As a mysterious figure begins stalking the camp, Morgan and his newfound friends, including a girl called Pilar (Kai Cech, DEAR SANTA), must embark on a perilous journey – one that will force them to confront their deepest fears and question the very nature of their existence.

Daniel DelPurgatorio’s smart and stylish feature debut, which also stars Corbin Bernsen (THE DENTIST), delivers an atmospheric modern-day twist on the summer camp slasher movie that will keep you guessing right through to its shocking final reveal.

For in-depth thoughts on Marshmallow, please see my colleague Phil Walsh’s review from its original theatrical release here.

For additional insights, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Marshmallow debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio from an HD master that soars as high as any modern movie. You typically can expect a thriller to have a more shadowy aesthetic, and this movie largely comes through on that front. The transfer holds up well with deep black levels primarily free from crush. Objects stand firm in the shadows and retain their depth in low lighting. At worst, you may spot a hint of banding in some fleeting moments. The highlights from the headlamp in the final act deliver a welcome stability to avoid blooming.

That being said, this is a film that takes place out in the woods at a summer camp, so you do have some lush colors that stand out from the natural environment. The practical effects are favorably executed with every unique element blending seamlessly. It is a joy to witness how crisp the film is with exceptional textures and fine detail throughout. There are no serious digital issues with this one. This is a top-notch disc that showcases the work perfectly.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track with optional English SDH subtitles that bring this story to life without issue. There are sequences that inject some weight to the low end as we barrel to the conclusion that helps sell the intensity of the situation. The ambient activity in the rear channels makes the story feel more three-dimensional. Dialogue is largely kept in the center channel, outside of characters calling off-screen. Every playful or barbed exchange is reproduced clearly. The track does a fine job of ensuring neither sound effects nor the music ever overpowers any exchanges. The film is very dialogue-driven, but the natural ambiance of campers outside gives your speakers an effective layer of texture. This track delivers on all fronts for fans.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Daniel DelPurgatorio and actors Kue Lawrence and Kai Cech provide a fun and informative commentary track in which they discuss what they learned during the production, the visual style of the film, working with the performers, the location shooting, and more.

Deleted Scene: A 58-second unused sequence is provided from the ending mayhem.

Filming the Dream Sequence: A three-minute behind-the-scenes look at how they pulled off the surreal, water-based dream sequence.

Video Podcast Interviews: A trio of video interviews is provided in which the creatives discuss the origins of the project, the experience of bringing it to life, influences on the movie, the most memorable scenes to film, and more.

- Growing Up Is Weird with Director Daniel DelPurgatorio (9:54)

- Everything Feels Like A Haunted House with Writer Andy Greskoviak (10:25)

- Summer Camp Shenanigans with Director Daniel DelPurgatorio and Actor Dylan Friedman (11:01)

Short Films: A collection of interesting early short films from Daniel DelPurgatorio that shows the evolution of this talent.

- Other (2012) (14:10)

- Body(s) (2015) (17:08)

Storyboards

Behind-the-Scenes Gallery

Script Pages

Trailers

- Teaser Trailer #1 (0:32)

- Teaser Trailer #2 (0:32)

- Trailer (1:34)

Final Thoughts

Marshmallow provides a fun and inventive twist on classic summer camp horror. The film does a nice job of getting you invested in the characters and finding charm within the archetypes. We were especially impressed by Kai Cech, who continues to show that her family seemingly has talent in the bloodline. The film offers a good amount of thrills and surprises to make you glad you invested the time. Toy Robot Video has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation and a nice array of special features. If you want to discover some burgeoning horror talent, give this one a shot. Recommended

Marshmallow is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

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

Disclaimer: Toy Robot Video has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

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