'Rounding' Blu-Ray Review - Medical Horror Film Conjures Psychological Torment
After a traumatic incident, a driven young medical resident transfers to a rural hospital for a fresh start, but the demons of his past start to catch up to him when he becomes consumed by the case of a patient with mysterious symptoms. Director Alex Thompson assembles a strong ensemble of veteran character actors in this humanist and unconventional genre vision.
For in-depth thoughts on Rounding, please see my colleague Cody Allen's review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Rounding arrives on Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that provides an ideal viewing experience. This is a visually dynamic film with haunting shots where you can see an incredible amount of detail. The transfer retains the intended claustrophobic look where subtle elements of the costumes and production design are able to come through. The skin tones and makeup look very detailed and natural throughout. The film is not bursting with bold colors, but the hues in some of the design elements stand out in a welcome way. This film uses lighting deliberately as it establishes the mood of the locales to conjure tension. The highlights are handled beautifully, along with the deep blacks that do not appear to falter with any compression artifacts. This presentation represents this film to great effect.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that deftly handles the creepy soundscape introduced here. The environmental effects create a really haunting experience that believably realizes the world. This is not a particularly kinetic film, but activity in the low end is handled well thanks to the music and some key developments. The film uses the score in really notable ways that fill the room with grand fidelity. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without ever being covered up by the sound effects or the score. The sound design is just as precisely deployed as the on-screen visuals with all of the sounds positioned just right in the mix. This track accomplished everything that is asked of it. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.
Special Features
Audio Commentary:
Director Alex Thompson and editor Mike Smith provide an informative commentary track in which they give background details on how they brought the film together, memories from the production, the shooting locations, the movement of the camera, and more.
Behind The Scenes of Rounding:
A 16-minute featurette that takes a look at the story, the dynamics between the characters, the themes of the narrative, the performances, and more.
Interviews:
A selection of interviews featured in the above featurette is provided in an extended form.
Director Alex Thompson (5:13)
Co-Writer Christopher Thompson (4:20)
Namir Smallwood (3:42)
Sidney Flanigan (2:26)
Michael Potts (2:49)
Deleted Scenes:
A five-minute selection of unused material is provided in a slightly unfinished form.
Outtakes:
A six-minute collection of unused takes is provided.
Theatrical Trailer (1:34)
Final Thoughts
Rounding examines the psychological toll that the medical field takes on professionals, manifested through a genre lens. Hardcore horror fans may come away underwhelmed by the lack of overt scares, but there is enough body horror and psychological torment to make your skin crawl. The screenplay is a bit underdeveloped in terms of revealing motivations and shoring up dangling narrative threads, keeping the film from reaching its full potential. Even with its flaws, it is worth diving into the mental spiral. Music Box Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a worthy assortment of special features. Recommended
Rounding is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Music Box Films Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
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