BLACK SITE (2018)
Label: Epic Pictures/Dread Presents
Region Code: A
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 87 Minutes
Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 & Surround EX 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1)
Director: Tom Paton
Cast: Angela Dixon, Bentley Kalu, Kris Johnson, Mike Beckingham, Phoebe Robinson-Galvin, Samantha Schnitzler, Sophia Del Pizzo
Black Site (2018) is an occult/sci-fi actioner with an intriguing Lovecraftian premise, that Earth has long been visited by a race of ancient beings, the Elder Gods. Through magic these ancient gods were banished to another realm, but in the 1920's they were able to find their way back, sparking the creation of an elite occult/military protection unit known as Artemis. This unit has been tasked with capturing the Elder Gods, and transporting them to a fortified military base known as Black Site, where they are ingterogated and deported/banished from Earth into a Hell-ish dimension.
In recent years most of the Elder Gods have been captured and the Black Site runs on a minimal crew, which is where we find Officer Ren Reid (Samantha Schnitzler), who twenty years previous lost her mother and father when they were killed by an Elder God named Erebus (Kris Johnson), who as it so happens has just been captured by Artemis and is transported to the Black Site.
The general wisdom is that Ren and her parent's killer should be kept separate until this particular Elder Gods deportation, but when Erebus's human cult-followers, lead by the dead-eyed swordsman Ker (Phoebe Robinson-Galvin), who wipe out most of the skeletal military personnel in a surprise attack. Now it's up to Ren and a decidedly non-military spell-caster named Sam (Mike Beckingham) to thwart what looks to be an Elder God jail break!
Black Site (2018) could have gone so wrong on many levels, rarely have I seen a indie film that manages to combine the Lovecraftian with sci-fi/action and have it work on any real level. Those that do attempt it usually feel like million dollar ideas executed on a torn $20 bill budget, but director Tom Paton has managed to craft a low-budget indie that style, charisma, and a story that has some good twists and characters with interesting arcs, including a bad-guy by way of Elder God Erebus who is very charismatic and villainous, with Kris Johnson giving off a bit of a Brad Dourif vibe in his performance.
The film wisely isn't centered around dazzling special effects, though the film is peppered with some arresting visuals, including full-on Lovecraftian god floating in the sky, but for the most part is stays rooted in military-style reality with some slight augmentations like an energy field used to contain the Elder Gods at the Black Site. Big FX are used sparingly, just enough to give it some sci-fi/occult flavor without straining the budget and the belied of the viewer, which is something I think a lot of indie sci-fi films do, they tend stretch their budget and capabilities a bit beyond, and that's when you begin to see the cracks in the veneer, and the illusion begins to crumble.
If you're a fan of Hellboy I think Black Site will absolutely ring a little bit familiar, reminding little bit of Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD), what with the blending of sci-fi and Lovecraftian occult themes, it's fun stuff, and it makes for a very entertaining watch.
Audio/Video; Black Site (2018) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from Epic Pictures, the 1080p HD widescreen (2.35:1) image looks solid with some limitations, the blacks aren't always the deepest, and some of the visuals are soft, but overall this is a sharp looking film with vibrant colors punctuating the prevailing blacks. Audio chores are capably handled by Dolby Digital Surround EX 5.1 and stereo options with English subtitles, dialogue is clean and crisp even without the benefit of a lossless audio option, and the retro-synth score from Max Sweiry that hits all the right dark wave notes for me.
Extras include a director's commentary, a handful of deletes scenes, a behind-the-scenes featurette and a half-hour's worth of Dread trailers. The single-disc release comes housed in a standard Blu-ray keepcase with a one-sided sleeve of artwork featuring a cool-looking design by artists Johnny Tabor (The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot).
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary with writer/director Tom Paton
- Behind-The-Scenes Featurette (13 min)
- Deleted Scenes (7 min)
- Trailer (2 min)
- DREAD Presents Trailer Reel (27 min)
Black Site (2018) offers some cool John Carptener-esque sci-fi visuals infused with a Lovecraftian occult themes that really hit the spot for me, plus the swordplay and fight-scenes are pretty damn decent, offering a lot on a limited budget. This comes recommended for fans of indie sci-fi and occult cinema with a retro-80's flavor.
