HIGH DEF UNIVERSE

Based on Jane Mendelsohn's best-selling young adult novel of the same name, the chilling story comes to life in the spine-tingling horror film, Innocence, arriving on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD March 3 from Cinedigm . Directed by Hilary Brougher (Stephanie Daley), the eerie feature stars Sophie Curtis (Arbitrage), Kelly Reilly (Flight, Heaven Is For Real) and Graham Phillips (“The Good Wife”). Haunted by the death and dreams of her beloved mother in a Montauk surfing accident, 16-year-old Beckett and her father, novelist Miles Warner, move to Manhattan and attempt to piece together their shattered life. Now enrolled at the exclusive Hamilton preparatory school, her psychosis and hallucinations intensify with the dubious suicides of current and past students, as does her first love for Tobey Crawford. The discovery that her new school may be run by a coven of beautiful and seductive women who perpetuate their youth by drinking the blood of virgins becomes the ultimate challenge of Beckett and Tobey’s young lives.

After Beckett Warner loses her mother in a surfing accident, she and her father, Miles, move to Manhattan where she enrolls in an exclusive prep school.  On her first day, she begins to feel strange and takes a rest in the nurse’s office.  Her father picks her up and as they leave, another student falls from the roof in an apparent suicide.  Once home, the school nurse, Pamela, comes to check on her.

As time passes, Pamela begins dating Beckett’s father and is always around.  The other staff members and mothers are also acting strangely.  Beckett senses something strange and tries to figure out what’s going on.  At school, she begins seeing students who have previously died.  She enlists the help of her friend Jen and maybe boyfriend, Tobey, but is blocked at every turn.

One night, after what she thinks is a nightmare, but really isn’t, Beckett runs to Tobey’s where she spends the night. The next morning, she takes Tobey’s phone and runs away, but is caught by Pamela after she calls Tobey for help.  During a ritual, where Beckett is to be sacrificed, she is saved by a distraction from Tobey and escapes.

Innocence is just okay. It was slow to start and after seeing that it was based on a book, I’d be interested in reading the book to see if it’s any better. The actors were fine and the story was interesting.  I just think the movie as a whole could have been better. It wasn’t bad, it just average and I have a feeling I will forget about it in a week. 

Innocence is presented in widescreen and is good.  Colors are sharp and accurate and the picture is clear.  Night scenes are realistic and not too bright.  Everything was still easily seen.   Innocence is an easy movie to watch.

The English HD Master Audio for Innocence was okay.  Much of the dialogue was soft and hard to hear, so I’d turn up the volume.  Soon after the background became too loud and I had to turn it down again.  It got to be rather annoying.  That said, when I was able to hear it, the dialogue was clear.  Subtitles in English SDH are also available. 

The only extra feature is the trailer for the movie.  It’s not even listed as a special feature, just on the main menu as Trailer. 

The fact that there are no special features brought the score down a little bit, but it still wasn't a great movie.  I probably won’t watch it again and will forget I even saw it.  It’s one of those movies you shouldn't buy, but instead, wait for it to show up on cable TV. It’s worth watching if there’s nothing else to watch, but make sure it’s on TV, or get it on Netflix.