When brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón) discover that a demonic infection has been festering in a nearby farmhouse — its very proximity poisoning the local livestock — they attempt to evict the victim from their land. Failing to adhere to the proper rites of exorcism, their reckless actions inadvertently trigger an epidemic of possessions across their rural community. Now they must outrun an encroaching evil as it corrupts and mutilates everyone it is exposed to, and enlist the aid of a wizened “cleaner,” who holds the only tools that can stop this supernatural plague.
For in-depth thoughts on When Evil Lurks, please see my colleague Andre Couture’s review from its original theatrical debut here.
Video Quality
The film debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original aspect ratio which delivers a favorable viewing experience. The movie has a reserved amount of saturation when it comes to color with its natural palette that does not leap off the screen, but it impresses when it comes to detail and clarity. The warm aesthetic suits the festering narrative quite nicely in its own subtle way. There is a hint of loss in detail when it comes to some of the panning shots in the shadows, but it is not a persistent issue throughout. The movie utilizes darkness to build tension, and thankfully the transfer provides deep black levels that do not experience crush. Objects hold up well in the shadows and retain their depth with minimal banding at hand. There is no major damage or digital noise on display in this transfer. The movie would benefit from a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release, but it looks quite nice as is.
Audio Quality
When Evil Lurks arrives on Blu-Ray with a perfectly unsettling DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Spanish. Dialogue and sound effects remain deftly balanced with the score where nothing gets muddled in the track. The movie provides a visceral workout in key moments, and environmental sounds provide a very disquieting, immersive atmosphere for the story. The experience is overpowering in a good way and will be appreciated by horror fans who pick up this disc. The track’s low end provides some welcome texture when more horrific territory is being explored. Surround channels get some major activity with the interior ambiance and other noises during any lead-up to an unsettling reveal. There are optional English subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Behind The Scenes Photo Gallery: A collection of images from the production of the film is provided here.
Final Thoughts
When Evil Lurks is one of the most buzzed-about horror movies of the last year, and after watching it you will understand why. The movie sinks its teeth into you early on and refuses to let go until the credits start rolling. While the film does have some eerie moments in darkness, you cannot hide from the terror during the daytime during this cascading nightmare. The movie earns its shocking moments that will imprint on your brain. This is an expertly crafted narrative that stands among the best that horror has to offer. RLJE Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation but not much in the way of special features. While we wish this was a 4K UHD Blu-Ray, this deserves a spot in any horror collection. Recommended
When Evil Lurks is currently available to purchase on Blu-ray and DVD.
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.