The home invasion subgenre has been a rich source of tension in movies over the past couple of decades, especially. It makes sense when you really take the time to reflect on what fears these films actually tap into. While the idea of demons and ghosts is terrifying, the thought of having your one truly safe space in this world invaded by unwanted outsiders is terrifying due to how plausible it could be. We want to feel safe in our lives, and you do not want to believe that someone can just stroll in and completely fracture your security. In Julius Berg’s debut feature The Owners, the director explores these base fears in an at-times anxiety-inducing manner that will have you double checking your locks before heading to bed. The film, based on the graphic novel Une Nuit de Pleine lune by Hermann and Yves H., covers some similar ground to films such as Don’t Breathe, but also attempts to offer up some left turns to keep you on your toes.
At the onset, we are introduced to a trio of increasingly unlikable characters that are scoping out a large countryside estate that they hear has some major cash on hand. These three ne’er-do-wells are representative of disparate one-note personality traits. The de facto leader of the group is Nathan (Ian Kenny), a financially desperate figure who loses pretty much any sense when it comes to the hard choices. He is joined by his mate Terry (Andrew Ellis), a feckless, spineless individual who has supplied the info on the score. Then there is the psychopathic Gaz (Jake Curran) who seems just as excited to unleash some mayhem as he is to score a quick buck. Every crew needs a loose cannon, and Curran is so good at playing the mania that you are left despising his character with every ounce of your being. Eliciting a strong reaction has to count for something, right? Nathan’s girlfriend Mary (Maisie Williams) turns up before anything goes down as she just wants to get her car for work, but she reluctantly gets drawn into the plot by her blackhole of a boyfriend.
The home in which they are looking to burgle is the residence of an elderly couple; Dr. Huggins (Sylvester McCoy) and his wife Ellen (Rita Tushingham). When the crew fails to crack open the safe while the couple is out on a date night, they make the decision to wait around to force them to open it. This will prove to be an unwise choice on many levels. When the couple is descended upon by the intruders, they are taken aback while never quite seeming completely right. Huggins is a bit too docile as he expresses concern for Ellen, who is suffering from some form of dementia. It would be a shame to reveal much beyond this, but to say things escalate from here would be an understatement. The best thing that this film has going for it is the strong, bloody violence and escalating sense of paranoia. These aged actors are delightfully creepy as they get thrust into this cat-and-mouse game with their captors. The film is quite thrilling until things start to go a bit too off-the-rails in the final third of the story. The story as presented is just not believable enough, even by horor standards, to be completely satisfying. As much fun as these elderly actors are, these developments would have been better suited for someone twenty years younger.
While some narrative choices are a cause for concern, the main problem with the film is the fact that you never really get invested on any level in the fate of these characters. The three main guys are varying levels of obnoxious, and you are rooting for them to get dispatched in a spectacularly violent way most of the time. Even Williams’ Mary barely gives you anything to care about, and she usually squanders what sympathy she does garner with some poor decision making. The film also tries to add some creative flourishes that do not work in the slightest. In the final third of the film, the aspect ratio suddenly switches from normal widescreen to a boxed in rectangle for about twenty minutes, presumably to build a claustrophobic tension. It had the exact opposite effect, as I was pulled out of the moment thinking that there was a problem with the transfer (I googled it, it was not). This was a self-indulgent choice that ruined a lot of the good will I had for the film. As with another recent film Broil, this film starts out really great but really falls in the last third of the film. It is still worth seeing for the engaging first hour and solid performances, but be aware that it does not stick the landing.
Video Quality
The film debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original aspect ratio(s) 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. There is slight loss of detail in fast panning shots, but it is not pervasive throughout. When the film shifts aspect ratios during the final third, the picture quality takes a considerable dive. The full screen aspect ratio is represented with black bars around all four sides, and detail gets quite murky. Black levels have way less depth and exhibit more artifacting during this section of the film compared to the otherwise solid presentation. Objects hold up pretty well in the shadows and retain their depth. There is no damage or digital noise detectable in the “standard” portion of the film. There are aspects of the production I take issue with, but this presentation represents it as properly as the source material will allow.
Audio Quality
The Owners 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 when the intruders are terrorizing the family. The low end of the track is especially active during these moments with a bit of wall shaking happening in the commotion. The dialogue and sound effects are appropriately balanced with the unsettling score where nothing gets lost in the track. Surround channels get some nice activity via creaky house noises and through off-screen yelling. This track is quite powerful, and will be appreciated by fans who pick up this disc.
Special Features
- The Making Of The Owners: A seven-minute look at the film with the cast and crew in which they go over the themes of the film and delve a bit into the character traits. Nothing too substantial, but you get some good insights from Williams.
Final Thoughts
The Owners is a frustrating experience since you can see how close it came to being a wonderfully bonkers thriller a la Ready or Not. The film has a lot of admirable aspects, but it makes too many creative missteps to be considered totally satisfying. RLJE Films has delivered a fairly solid Blu-Ray with a decent A/V presentation. The film is worth a watch if you want to see more Williams post Game of Thrones and need some bloody thrills for the Halloween season, but don’t go in expecting a masterpiece.
The Owners will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on October 20, 2020.
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.