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Released by: Well Go USA
Released on: May 11th 2021.
Director: Hugo Cardozo
Cast: Francisco Ayala, Maria del Mar Fernandez, Abel Martinez, Pablo Martinez, Raul Rotela
Year: 2019
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Morgue - Movie Review:
Diego Martinez (Pablo Martínez) is a security guard who works in Encarnacií³n, Paraguay. On a day like any other, he takes a drive over to his girlfriend's place and, on the way, runs into someone. Rather than stick around and do the right thing, he splits - after all, it doesn't appear that there were any witnesses.
The next day, his supervisor calls him and asks him to come in and work the night shift since his co-worker is out sick. He agrees and after arriving at the hospital he's given a tour of the area by the guy who works the day shift, who seems to take some amusement in showing him a corpse in the morgue. Diego looks into things a bit and learns that this very same body was killed the night before in a hit-and-run accident.
The day shift worker splits and leaves Diego on his own, the new recruit clearly more than a little nervous about how that corpse wound up in the morgue. As day turns into night and Diego winds up flying solo in the morgue, strange things start to happen…
Morgue has some great ideas that should have led to a really strong horror movie, but director Hugo Cardozo stumbles with the pacing. What might have made a great short film winds up dragging, with way too much repetition softening the legitimately decent scenes of suspense that he manages to conjure up in the second half of the picture. The morgue locations used for the film work really well - this seems to have been shot in and around a real hospital rather than constructed sets - and add some very welcome authenticity to the proceedings that, had the movie been more effective, would have gone a long way towards making it effective. It just doesn't happen. It's too much of the same thing for too long that, once we get to the finale (which does have an interesting twist), doesn't really matter much anymore.
And that's about it. There isn't a whole lot to talk about here in terms of the film's style. It looks fine, just unremarkable. The cinematography is competent but rarely exciting and the performances sufficient but rarely more than that. I wanted to like this. I really did. The idea of a Paraguayan horror movie based around weird events in a morgue sounds awesome on paper. While hardly the worst film ever made, this one just doesn't offer up enough new or interesting entertainment to really grip you the way a good horror movie needs to.
Morgue - Blu-ray Review:
Morgue arrives on region A Blu-ray from Well Go USA in AVC encoded 1080p high definition framed at 2.35.1 on a 25GB disc with the feature taking up 21.3GBs of space. Shot digitally, there's obviously no print damage or grain to discuss. Detail is pretty strong, especially in close up shots, and while the film's color palette is limited, it's reproduced well enough. We get strong black levels and accurate looking flesh tones as well.
Audio chores are handled a 24-bit Spanish language DTS-HD 5.1 Surround Sound track with optional subtitles offered up in English only. An optional Spanish Dolby Digital Stereo track is also included, but the lossless one smokes it. There's nice surround activity evident throughout the film's many action scenes and it sounds quite good. No issues with any hiss or distortion to note and the levels are fine.
Extras are limited to a trailer for the feature, previews for a few other Well Go USA properties, menus and chapter selection. A slipcover is also included.
Morgue - The Final Word:
Morgue had potential but it didn't quite maximize it. There are a couple of interesting ideas at play here but the movie never capitalizes on them. The end result is derivative and uninspired. Well Go USA's presentation is strong but the disc is almost barebones. Nothing to see here…. move along.
Click on the images below for full sized Morgue Blu-ray screen caps!
