A group of strangers find themselves imprisoned in a house. Unsure of why they are there or who is behind it, they are soon enlightened by a video advising them there is a way out. But the threshold they must cross in order to escape is one of excruciating pain and – in the face of torture – not everyone is willing to play by the newly created rules, as they are soon ripped apart by infighting, secret alliances, double-crosses and shattering outbursts of violence, and with the clock ticking down, the “one for all” mentality devolves. Just how far will each of them go to survive?

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Video Quality

Vile debuts on Blu-Ray with a passable 1080p presentation in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio from a high definition master that captures this aesthetically ugly film without major issues. The project has a cruddy color palette that delivers very little life to the screen after the characters wake up in the house. The digitally captured film showcases precious little when it comes to fine detail and clarity. Highlights do not show much in the way of blooming. The black levels hold up decently as they appear with some depth. There appears to be a hint of slight banding in certain shots, but it is not pervasive throughout. Objects hold up well enough in the shadows and retain their depth. The style of this feature is not conducive to a visually dazzling experience, MVD Entertainment has presented it as well as could be expected.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 track and an LPCM 2.0 track that feels a bit underwhelming. The LPCM track sounds a bit more robust than the surround track, which could have been enhanced in lossless form. This would not have provided perfect sound quality, though, as the feature appears to have been captured very poorly with distortion rearing its ugly head at times along with inconsistent volume levels to dialogue. The environmental effects are passable such as the sound of breaking bones and sizzling skin. It is a bit surprising to come across such shoddy source work even on a low-budget production, but we know Taylor Sheridan has evolved as a filmmaker since this one. Like the video side of things, this audio track leaves something to be desired. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.

Special Features

Deleted Scenes: There are three unused scenes provided here that provide more moments for some of the smaller characters in the film but are not necessary. The final scene is more of a humorous outtake rather than a genuine deleted scene.

- Drug Deal (2:24)

- Greg and Lisa (4:09)

- Director Taylor Sheridan Mops Up The Aftermath (1:01)

Trailers: This disc provides the minute-and-a-half-long trailer for Vile. There are also trailers provided for Ghoulies, One Dark Night, Witchtrap, and Swamp Thing.

Final Thoughts

Vile is somewhat of a rollercoaster as the film starts off on a very uninspiring and occasionally painful (to watch) note until it gets to the heart of the story. Once you get to the group in peril, the tensions start rising and you become genuinely invested in how things play out. Sure, some of this manifests in you yelling your suggestions at the screen for how things could be done more efficiently, but that is still a form of investment. The torture is effective, but more important is the paranoia and backstabbing that springs forth out of human nature. The performances are a bit too inconsistent to hit this one over the fence, but it makes for passable entertainment (even with the whimper of a finale). MVD Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray that has a somewhat disappointing A/V presentation and a slight number of special features. Hardcore genre fans and Taylor Sheridan fans with an insatiable curiosity can check this one out, but audiences at large will probably feel underwhelmed.

Vile will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on October 24, 2023.

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

Disclaimer: MVD 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.