‘Spiral’ (2007) Special Edition Blu-Ray Review – A Scrappy & Engaging Psychological Thriller

Joel David Moore (AVATAR), Zachary Levi (SHAZAM!), and Amber Tamblyn (127 HOURS) star in this “almost unbearably tense…” psychological thriller about a shy telemarketer (Moore) whose dark past threatens to destroy him. Co-Directed by HATCHET alums Adam Green and Moore, SPIRAL is “a Hitchcock-tale of precision direction, deft pacing, startling imagery and clean style…” (Alan Jones, Frightfest).

For thoughts on Spiral (2007), please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Spiral arrives on Blu-Ray in a great 1080p transfer that captures the stark aesthetic of this feature very well. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray in 2010 by Anchor Bay, but we don’t have that release to compare. What we are happy to report is that the film has been given a new restoration courtesy of Ronin Flix. Since this was shot on film, there is a greater opportunity for refinement and for it to look the best it ever has. There have thankfully not been any egregious applications of DNR applied to rob the frame of its natural filmic texture. Everything appears to resolve exceedingly well with no fluctuations in the grain structure. 

The color palette is surprisingly robust given the dreary weather and the dour nature of the story. Every setting looks ideal in high definition with subtle nuances in the production design standing apart. Distinct textures define the makeup effects and articles of clothing for a very tactile experience. Skin tones look natural with facial details easily observed in close-ups, and there are no major digital anomalies to speak of from what we observed. Black levels hold up favorably with only odd moments when you lose the slightest bit of detail in the murky elements. Compression artifacts are mostly avoided throughout the presentation. Ronin Flix has treated this one with great care. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track track that handles the material without a hitch. Dialogue is the focal aspect of this track and it stays tethered in the center channel as it is translated clearly. This is not the most overtly thrilling story, but it has some welcome texture during the more kinetic moments. There is some unsettling ambient activity in the mix as the characters contend with their demons. Whenever you have activity in the surround channels, sounds emanate from the correct directions. The music of the film comes through with flawless fidelity as it saturates the room. The track does a good job of making sure neither sound effects nor the score ever overpowers important exchanges. This is a worthwhile track from Ronin Flix. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentaries: This disc provides two really interesting commentary tracks that provide different perspectives from the filmmaking team. On the older archival commentary track, the film has not even been completely finished and the participants have a fresh outlook on the production and the obstacles that were faced. The new commentary track is the more “honest” track that reveals a ton of dirt that fans will love hearing. 

• • Audio Commentary #1 (New): Co-directors Adam Green and Joel David Moore, director of photography Will Barratt, and editor Cory Livingston

• • Audio Commentary #2 (Archival): Co-directors Adam Green and Joel David Moore, writer Jeremy Boering, director of photography Will Barratt, and actors Zachary Levi and Amber Tamblyn

• Paint It Red – The Making of Spiral: A new 27-minute retrospective featurette with new interviews with Adam Green (co-director), Joel David Moore (lead and co-director), Zachary Levi (actor and producer), Will Barratt (cinematographer), and Cory Livingston (editor). This is a terrific piece in which the participants discuss the development of the project, the process of co-directing a movie, the casting of the feature, shooting on a small budget, the location shooting, the obstacles faced during the production, and more. 

• Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

Spiral is a film that positions itself as a horror outing, but the journey is closer to that of a psychological drama. There are some thrilling and uncomfortable moments as you follow along with the struggles of our main character, but there is very little that is genuinely terrifying. What makes the film work is the performances that invest you in the ultimate fate of our characters. The feature has a strong narrative foundation that is brought to life through a dynamic directorial team-up. Ronin Flix has released a Blu-Ray that offers a fabulous A/V presentation and a welcome selection of new and archival special features. Recommended 

Spiral: Special Edition will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on October 8, 2024. 

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

Disclaimer: Ronin Flix 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.