There are instances when the time a film is released unintentionally brings an emotional baggage to your viewing experience. Films are not consumed in a vacuum, which is what makes the experience of engaging with them so exciting. Director Jeffrey A. Brown’s The Beach House was made well before the current pandemic, but the parallels to the fear we are currently experiencing could not be more apparent. The film opens up with a beautifully haunting shot of a strange underwater event occurring that gives you the smallest of hints as to what is happening by the time you reach the end of the film. The subterranean release is not dwelled upon, but it does make you marvel at the fact that you need not travel to far-away planets to experience something truly alien. Our main protagonist parrots as much in an impassioned monologue later in the film when discussing her desire to get into astrobiology. There are whole worlds at the bottom of the sea that are completely foreign to us, just waiting to blow our minds. The Beach House engages with the idea that the world is a delicate place and even the slightest change could reap catastrophic consequences. This is a universal concern, but our current predicament exacerbates the fear that much more.
The titular beach house is the preferred off-season getaway destination of young couple Emily (Liana Liberato) and Randall (Noah Le Gros), whose family owns the Massachusetts beachside property. We get hints throughout the early parts of the film that all is not peachy between the two. It is clear that Randall is pretty thoughtless as a boyfriend, and Emily appears to be trying to make something work with someone who does not share her aspirations. After they wake up from an afternoon “nap” they are surprised to find an older couple in their house. Randall did not actually tell his father that he would be using the house for the weekend, likely due to their strained relationship, so the vacation spot was promised to his old friends Jane (Maryann Nagel) and Mitch Turner (Jake Weber). While not the most comfortable of situations, the couples agree to share the house for the weekend. There is the initial awkwardness that crops up with stark generational gaps, but things remain congenial throughout dinner. When a bold Randall offers to share his edibles with the couple, they surprisingly agree at which point things start getting a little weird. As the group ease into their trip, the world gets oddly illuminated as a fog rolls in and the trees start glowing. Is this a product of their hallucination, or is the world just indulging in one of its many distinct wonders?
One of the frustrating things about The Beach House is the way in which it includes red herrings in an almost reckless manner. An apparent medical issue with Jane does not amount to much outside of a higher level of concern when she disappears into the fog for the night. The relationship issues between Emily and Randall similarly fail to pay off in a way that a movie such as Midsommar so deftly executed. There is not much context for this world outside of this core group, but the movie does not seem interested in doing the most with the few characters they have. The character we come to care about the most is Emily, thanks to the strong performance from Liberato. Perhaps because she is a woman of science, we as an audience hope she can keep a clear head as it becomes apparent that all is not right in the world. Without getting too far into spoilers, the story relies less on reveals and more on unsettling imagery to clue you into the horrors of the situation. This is not a bad approach on its face, as unseen airborne threats are very much a terrifying proposition. The film rarely goes far enough, though.
From psychological thrills such as someone marching steadily to their death to more visceral moments of body horror, the film aims to keep you off balance. Yet, that appears to be the primary issue with the film; The Beach House is unsettling but rarely frightening. Even as it tries to ratchet up the tension as the walls close in on the survivors, the ending feels very anticlimactic when it is all said and done. The movie definitely has a strong visual style going for it that establishes an otherworldly atmosphere. Likewise the tension-filled score from Roly Porter is essential in quickening your pulse. There are many individual things I enjoy about the film; the performances from the four main actors are very strong, the practical effects bring about a skin crawling brutality and the mystery of the situation keeps you effectively on edge. The film just feels too slight in the end to be considered top-tier of the genre. Your enjoyment of the film will largely depend on your expectations going into it. If you want to be scared to death, you should stay far away from this one. If you want a slow build-up of dread for 80 minutes, you will probably enjoy this one if you can look past several underserved plot threads.
Video Quality
The film debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original aspect ratio that mostly captures the film well. The movie itself has a very muted color palette that was never going to make this a disc you show off, but there is a great amount of detail and clarity. The illumination that precedes the fog has a nice visual pop that stands out from the rest of the film. For a movie that often relies on darkness to build tension, it is important to have deep black levels, which this thankfully does. Objects hold up pretty well in the shadows and retain their depth. There is no damage or digital noise detectable in this transfer. There are not really any moments that are going to jump off the screen, but this is a solid video presentation overall.
Audio Quality
The Beach House comes to Blu-Ray with a commendable DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track. The movie is mostly on the quiet side with bursts of activity as things devolve into panic at the climax. The low end of the track is more active during these moments with a bit of wall shaking happening. The dialogue and sound effects are appropriately balanced with the creepy score where nothing gets lost in the track. Surround channels get some nice activity during the scenes on the beach as the waves roll in and out. This track is quite strong, and will be appreciated by horror fans who pick up this disc.
Special Features
There are no special features included on this release.
Final Thoughts
The Beach House establishes a really intense atmosphere that ultimately comes up short of its potential despite a strong cast and inventive filmmaking. The film is still worth checking out for all of the things it gets right, but do not go in expecting the best that the genre has to offer. RLJE Films has provided a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation for those considering a purchase.
The Beach House will be available to purchase on December 15, 2020 on Blu-Ray, DVD, VOD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: RLJE Films 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.
