Who’s killing the sisters of Theta Pi? In Sorority Row, making its 4K debut, the sisters of Rosman University’s Theta Pi – Cassidy (Briana Evigan), Chugs (Margo Harshman), Jessica (Leah Pipes), Ellie (Rumer Willis), and Claire (Jamie Chung) – are committed to staying mum regarding the prank that ended in tragedy for Megan (Audrina Patridge), one of their own. But when graduation day arrives, so does terror, as a killer hunts Theta Pi’s sisters one by one.
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Video Quality
Sorority Row debuts on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a 2160p/Dolby Vision presentation in 2.40:1 which provides a very pleasing viewing experience. The accompanying Blu-Ray likewise looks quite nice, as it has been updated with the new master and supplemental features, and it is not a recycling of the original 2010 Blu-Ray. The 4K UHD presentation offers a range of improvements fans will not want to miss.
The 4K presentation provides a depth of field throughout the sorority house that cannot be replicated to such a degree with the accompanying Blu-Ray. This transfer displays a striking amount of detail in the smallest facets of the production design, clothing, and gory makeup effects. This was surprisingly shot on film, so the uptick in detail is welcome in the rich texture brought forth with the film stock. Skin tones appear to be consistent throughout and show a terrific amount of facial detail including makeup and wounds.
Color complexity is another area of significant improvement thanks to the utilization of Dolby Vision. The film has a very distinct color palette with a warm, vibrant energy in the sorority house and a cooler, desaturated appearance when the “real world” creeps in around adults and when things stop being fun. Colors look more authentic and deep in this presentation with impeccable saturation. One of the most impressive upgrades comes in the handling of the contrast. With so much of this narrative taking at night or in shadows, you run the risk of crush and banding overtaking the screen, which it occasionally does in the standard Blu-Ray presentation. The 4K UHD Blu-Ray shows off with exceptionally deep black levels with digital noise almost completely absent from the screen. The presentation also provides a firm handling of the highlights that show impeccable clarity and no evidence of blooming. This 4K UHD upgrade is more than worth it for fans of the film.
Audio Quality
This disc gets an upgrade with a tremendous Dolby Atmos presentation that deftly transports you to this kinetic environment. The sound design can be quite disorienting, with sounds of the parties surrounding you while also slowing down and speeding up to suit the creative needs. Of course, there are also the sounds of violent attacks and even raging fire at the end to dig deep in the low end. The mix here is respectfully upgraded with significant engagement of all the channels, so those with a proper system should be pleased.
Dialogue is presented clearly without ever being overshadowed by any of the competing sonic elements. This track is often immersive with numerous moments engaging the height channels. Sounds are carefully deployed with the foremost directionality from the more chaotic moments to the early dialogue-driven moments. The bouncy soundtrack and the score from Lucian Piane pierce through you to make you feel every note. Lionsgate has come through for fans of the film. Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles are provided.
Special Features
This release comes with a sleek new SteelBook exclusively at Lionsgate Limited that is quite fetching in person. Video of the SteelBook can be found at the top of this review.
- Reconsidering Sorority Row: A new 11-minute featurette in which various entertainment writers and critics discuss the underrated nature of the movie, the complexities of the characters, and more.
- The Making of a Queen B***h with Leah Pipes: A new 17-minute interview with the actress in which she discusses her desire to play Jessica, the qualities of the character, the liberating nature of the performance, keeping the character believable, her favorite scenes, and more.
- Loyal Friends and Untimely Ends – Writing Sorority Row: A new 12-minute interview with writers Josh Stolberg and Peter Goldfinger in which they discuss their approach to remaking horror movies, the themes they wanted to explore, making the girls more active in the story, and more.
- Grit and Glamour – The Visual Design of Sorority Row: A new 12-minute interview with director Stewart Hendler, director of photography Ken Seng, and editor Elliot Greenberg in which they discuss the color palette of the film, orchestrating the action in the edit, the most challenging shots in the film, and more.
- Legacy Special Features: This new disc carries over the features from the 2010 Lionsgate Blu-Ray release.
- Audio Commentary: Director Stewart Hendler and actors Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Rumer Willis, and Margo Harshman
- Sorority Secrets – Stories from the Set (10:28)
- Killer 101 (14:00)
- Kill Switch (10:24)
- Deleted Scenes (6:54)
- Outtakes (5:27)
- Sorority Pledge (1:01)
- EPK B-Roll (8:56)
- Confessional
- Cassidy (0:48)
- Chugs (1:01)
- Claire (1:11)
- Jessica (0:48)
- Megan (0:47)
- Shower Rehearsal (2:53)
- TV Spot (0:32)
- Theatrical Trailer (2:31)
- International Trailer (1:42)
Final Thoughts
Sorority Row does what good remakes should do, which is bring something new to the material that keeps it from being a clone of what came before. The trouble stems from the era in which it was made, as there are so many elements that have not aged well that were particularly endemic to the 2000s. The characters are very thinly drawn into archetypes that are pretty lazy and keep you from caring about the fates of anyone in the film. There are some biting lines of dialogue that will make you laugh, and some of the kills are satisfyingly vicious, but this one does not do too much to set it apart from similar retreads from the era. This one has a cult following who will vigorously defend it, but we cannot count ourselves among that lot. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that sports an amazing A/V presentation and a robust number of special features in lovely SteelBook packaging. If you love the movie, this is the way to own it.
Sorority Row is currently available to purchase exclusively at Lionsgate Limited on 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
