Latest Reviews 

---

• The Woman in Black (Theatrical)
• Chronicle (Theatrical)
• Man on a Ledge (Theatrical)
• The Grey (Theatrical)
• Red Tails (Theatrical)
• Haywire (Theatrical)

Weekend Box Office

---

Supernatural Season One Blu-ray Review

Marco Chacon It is a simple concept…we join the younger brother who is resentful of having his normal life taken away by the family “business”, and the older, more handsome brother, who fully embraces that same destiny, as they drive the great highways of America. They are on a road trip to fight supernatural evil. They are looking for another hunter like themselves, their dad, but each week they stop at some small town to investigate a grisly killing, research the monster of the week, and then find and defeat it.

The lack of chemistry between the Winchester brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) demand that the creators rework their show and exhibit it prominently. Combine this with the stylistic choice to have them drive a dead-black '67 Impala, play classic rock and be a reasonably well-done show, will definitely keep me watching.

The monsters of the week are heavily based around urban legends come to life, and while this has been done other places, it is done well enough here that it doesn’t bog down the show in legendary exposition. They also manage to make it as scary as they can without requiring out-of-character seriousness from Dean.Overall, Supernatural, is a pretty darn good ride. It uses its formula rather than allowing itself to be used by it, and it learns from its mistakes. The Season 1 material is consistently good, and while I was somewhat skeptical in the beginning, it eventually won me over.

Special Features: The Blu-ray edition comes with the usual commentary and the “making-of” material. The “Devil's Roadmap” feature on the last disc is a pleasant surprise; this bonus material gives you an interactive map of the US with a car icon for each episode. Click on each to see some additional information for a particular episode.

The Blu-ray also contains diary notes and further production details in the form of one of the more awkward exposition devices in the show proper. I was actually interested in using this feature to look up some of the shows I had questions about; you can expect more than a modicum of honesty from these, which is, as always, helpful in understanding the background of the series.

Having previously owned a copy of Supernatural Season 1 on DVD, I can tell you that it is well worth the “double dip”. The picture quality (presented using the VC-1 codec) is amazing. The show's palette is so dark that although the resolution is fine, what is really relevant is how well you’re TV handles blacks. Just like the other Blu-rays of the show, it is sharp, crisp, and the perfect quality for any Supernatural fan. The audio, presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, really packs a punch and makes you really feel like you are there with the Winchesters.

Supernatural: The Complete First Season Blu-ray is perfect for anyone who owns the DVD, has seen the show, is looking to buy the first box set, or even someone who is just curious and has never seen the show. For a classic rock and roll, monster-chasing good time, Supernatural is it!

* This product was provided to FlickDirect Inc at no charge for the purposes of this review.

-- Marco Chacon

Be sure to visit FlickDirect's movie database for more information about Supernatural.

© Warner Bros.. All Rights Reserved.