Hatchet appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.78:1 on this Blu-Ray Disc. This was an inconsistent presentation, though I suspect most of its negative attributes stemmed from the source photography.
Most of the problems came during dark scenes, and since the movie took place almost entirely at night, that meant a lot of those shots. Shadows either tended to be too bright or too dense, as the lighting wasn’t consistent.
Scenes could look unnaturally like daytime or they could be tough to discern. The movie needed a happy medium that it rarely found, so dark scenes were a frequent concern.
Otherwise, this was a pretty satisfying image. Sharpness usually looked solid.
A few slightly soft shots occurred, but most of the movie offered nice delineation. I noticed no signs of shimmering or jagged edges, and edge haloes remained absent.
No print flaws cropped up either, and colors were positive. Given that so much of the movie took place in a dimly-lit bayou, we didn’t see a lot of bright hues.
These were evident mostly during the early, quick Mardi Gras sequences. Still, what we got looked solid, and blacks were nicely deep.
Really, only the problems with shadows created unattractive elements. Otherwise, this was a nice picture.
I found more consistent material from the film’s Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, which used the spectrum in an active way. Music pounded from all five channels, and effects occasionally followed suit.
Though much of the movie focused on creepy atmosphere, the big action/scare scenes brought out more dynamic information. Those presented involving material from the side and surround channels and became full partners in the experience.
Audio quality also seemed good. Speech was consistently crisp and natural, and music showed good range and vivacity.
Effects also demonstrated solid clarity and accuracy, and they used the low-end side of things in a strong manner.
The track contributed quite a lot of deep bass. All of this seemed more than enough for a “B+”.
Plenty of extras flesh out this set. We get two commentaries, the first of which comes from director/producer/co-writer Adam Green, co-producer/cinematographer Will Barratt and actors Tamara Feldman, Joel David Moore and Deon Richmond.
This running, screen-specific track starts with just Green and Barratt; Moore and Richmond come along a little later, and Feldman joins a bit after that. They discuss sets and locations, cast and performances, some character/story subjects, budgetary concerns, MPAA conflicts and general misery from the shoot.
Recorded for the original 2007 DVD, this commentary offers a fun chat. Green dominates, as he delves into his movie with a lot of useful notes.
The others chime in less frequently, but they throw in their thoughts about the flick and the experience of making it. The piece moves at a good pace and turns into a solid discussion of the movie.
For the second track, we hear from director/co-producer/writer Adam Green and actor Kane Hodder. They also sit together for a running, screen-specific discussion of the film's origins and development, cast and performances, locations and effects, story issues and connections to the sequel, issues with financing and distribution, MPAA concerns, and connected stories.
Recorded summer 2010, this chat occasionally feels like an ad for Hatchet II, as the pair tell us a lot about connections to that film. That’s not a terrible negative, though, especially since Green makes sure he doesn’t repeat himself from the earlier commentary.
We get very little redundant material, and I like this track’s emphasis on the difficult process of getting the movie financed and on screens. Though not as fun as the first commentary, this one gives us plenty of nice notes.
Five Featurettes run a total of one hour, 14 minutes and 35 seconds. These include “The Making of Hatchet” (39:18), “Meeting Victor Crowley” (9:24), “Guts & Gore” (10:59), “Anatomy of a Kill” (6:21) and “A Twisted Tale” (8:33).
Across these, we hear from Green, Barratt, Hodder, Richmond, Feldman, Moore, producers Cory Neal and Sarah Elbert, Fangoria’s Ryan “Rotten” Turek, special effects makeup artist John Carl Buechler, production designer Bryan McBrien, Steadicam operator BJ McDonald, composer Andy Garfield, line producer Sarah J. Donohue, musician Dee Snider and actors Robert Englund, Parry Shen, Mercedes McNab, Joleigh Fioreavanti, Richard Riehle, Patrika Darbo, and Joel Murray.
We learn about inspirations and the origins of the piece, development and getting financing, casting and performances, sets and locations, various pressures/challenges during the shoot, music and editing, aspects of the kills and gore, makeup and stunts, and an unusual influence on Green.
Expect a fine look behind the scenes from these featurettes. Though meant to be viewed individually, the clips mesh together well and feel like one long piece. We get lots of great behind the scenes material and receive a nice overview here.
In addition to the film’s trailer, we get a gag reel. This lasts three minutes, 43 seconds and shows a little of the usual goofs/giggles but also includes a lot of improv lines. Those help make it more interesting than expected.
The disc opens with some promos. We get clips for Frozen, After.Life, The Crazies and Pandorum.
One of the better modern horror films I’ve seen, Hatchet works best when it keeps things light. It demonstrates a surprising sense of humor to balance the violence, and that helps make it entertaining. The Blu-ray offers inconsistent but usually good picture, solid audio and a strong collection of supplements. I like this horror throwback, and the Blu-ray presents it well.