PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Devil's Gate (2017)

Devil's Gate (2017) (NTSC)

If you create a user account, you can add your own review of this DVD

Released 7-Nov-2018

Cover Art

This review is sponsored by
BUY IT

Details At A Glance

General Extras
Category Horror / Thriller None
Rating Rated MA
Year Of Production 2017
Running Time 94:04
RSDL / Flipper No/No Cast & Crew
Start Up Programme
Region Coding 1,2,3,4,5,6 Directed By Clay Staub
Studio
Distributor

Umbrella Entertainment
Starring Amanda Schull
Milo Ventimiglia
Shawn Ashmore
Bridget Regan
Case Amaray-Opaque
RPI ? Music Keefus Ciancia


Video (NTSC) Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame None English Dolby Digital 5.1 (384Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio 2.35:1
16x9 Enhancement
16x9 Enhanced
Video Format 480i (NTSC)
Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1 Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures No
Subtitles None Smoking Yes
Annoying Product Placement No
Action In or After Credits No

NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.

Plot Synopsis

     FBI Special Agent Daria Francis (Amanda Schull) is sent to the tiny North Dakota town of Devil’s Gate to investigate the disappearance of Maria Pritchard (Bridget Regan) and her young son. Working with local Sheriff’s Deputy Colt Salter (Shawn Ashmore) their attention quickly centres on Maria’s husband Jackson (Milo Ventimiglia), a troubled man and religious fanatic. Before the two arrive at the isolated ramshackle Pritchard farm to interview Jackson the audience has already seen a man with a broken down car impaled on a booby-trap at the farm and that Jackson is keeping something locked in his basement behind barred and barricaded doors. When Daria and Colt arrive a storm knocks out all communications and their car battery and they find an age old evil that is beyond their wildest imaginings.

     Devil’s Gate is the first feature by director / cowriter Clay Staub and an impressive piece of work it is too. It is an atmospheric and tense horror/ supernatural thriller, a dark film set in a flat, featureless landscape under grey, leaden skies and during one long dark night. The film makes full use of the “haunted house” in its audio, with the creaks and groans of the timbers and walls, footsteps overhead, half heard rattling and chains or growls accompanied by loud thunder and lightning outside. The film is at its best with things not seen, only heard, or imagined in flashes of light (SPOILER ALERT: highlight with mouse to read) indeed, the least impressive part of the film is when the alien creatures are shown, which is a let-down.

     Devil’s Gate starts out as a police crime mystery but after about 30 minutes turns into something completely different. The genre shift may not be quite as abrupt or extreme as that of, say, From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), but it is up there, a change that a number of people have criticised the film for being too silly. However, the way the film explains what is happening is reasonable enough (if you are prepared to accept the premise) and the impressive acting, atmospheric visuals and enveloping audio mean that it may not matter.

Don't wish to see plot synopses in the future? Change your configuration.

Transfer Quality

Video

     Devil’s Gate is in the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, 16x9 enhanced and NTSC.

     Set under dull, grey, leaden skies or during the darkness of night, colours were never going to be vibrant. In compensation, blacks are inky and shadow detail wonderful, allowing everything to be seen that the director wants us to see. Skin tones are natural and brightness and contrast consistent. During the lightning and flashes of light when the creature appears there is no blurring; detail is always strong. I saw no obvious artefacts or marks.

     There are no subtitles provided.

Video Ratings Summary
Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     Audio is English Dolby Digital 5.1 at 384 Kbps.

     Despite the lesser specification this is stunning and enveloping, with copious directional effects right from the first scene of the car roaring past down the road. Doors and gates close behind you, the creaks, bangs within the house are all around the sound stage, footsteps overhead, rattles and groans abound. The subwoofer boomed with thunder and the crack of lightning, with the appearance of the creature and general deep noises. Dialogue was sometimes a bit difficult to hear when subtitles would have helped. The score by Keefus Ciancia perfectly added to the atmosphere and tension without too obviously signalling scares.

    Lip synchronisation was fine.

Audio Ratings Summary
Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Extras

     Nothing. The programme starts when the disc loads.

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.

     The Region 1 US release of Devil’s Gate looks to be the same.

Summary

     First time co-writer / director Clay Staub has delivered a surprising, and impressive film. With essentially one location and a tiny cast but driven by atmospheric visuals and very impressive audio Devil’s Gate keeps the tension ramped way up so that while one may question the genre change, by then if the film has drawn you in it will not matter.

    No extras.

Ratings (out of 5)

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

© Ray Nyland (the bio is the thing)
Monday, December 10, 2018
Review Equipment
DVDSony BDP-S580, using HDMI output
DisplayLG 55inch HD LCD. This display device has not been calibrated. This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 1080p.
Audio DecoderNAD T737. This audio decoder/receiver has not been calibrated.
AmplificationNAD T737
SpeakersStudio Acoustics 5.1

Other Reviews NONE