Hangman appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.78:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. Like most “found footage” movies, this one came with erratic visuals.
These reflected the source and were fine within the stylistic constraints. We’re supposed to see material shot on consumer-grade video equipment – primarily smart phones, one would assume – and the results fit. Sharpness was generally positive, as most of the shots offered decent delineation. Inevitable softness occurred, but nothing too serious could be seen, and the ill-defined moments made sense in terms of the material.
Occasional bouts of jaggies and shimmering popped up as well, both of which also were the result of the source footage. They were especially prominent when the movie showed TV images. No edge haloes caused problems, though, and I saw no print flaws.
“Found footage” flicks tend toward drab palettes, and that was the case here. The colors generally appeared flat and without much life, though I didn’t view that as a negative; the tones reflected the source. Blacks were inky and shadows dense, which also came from the style of photography. Nothing here looked especially good, but the visuals connected to the source.
In addition, the film’s Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack seemed restrained. Indeed, most of the material remained monaural, as only a few scenes bothered to use the side speakers. If any surround information occurred, I didn’t discern it, as only a few shots even bothered with any channels other than front center.
As low-key as the soundscape was, I actually felt pleased. Most “found footage” films violate their sense of reality with broad 5.1 mixes, so I was happy to get one that lacked breadth beyond what one might actually hear from original recordings. The results may have been one-dimensional, but they seemed logical.
Audio quality was acceptable. Speech could be a bit edgy but the results usually seemed natural enough, and I noticed no issues with intelligibility. Effects had little to do but came across with decent accuracy. Except during the end credits, the movie featured no score, so we heard no music other than from sources like stereos. This was a firmly average soundtrack.
The disc opens with ads for Howl, Frankenstein, and Charlie’s Farm. We also get a trailer for Hangman but no other extras appear here.
Two oft-visited genres combine in Hangman, a bland attempt at a thriller. It mixes both “found footage” and “home invasion” with poor results, as the movie seems slow and dull. The Blu-ray presents acceptable picture and audio but lacks supplements. Hangman ends up as a forgettable tale.