Plot: What’s it about?
Seth Reed (Jonathan Jackson) is a teenager with a troubled past, although he is unable to remember most of it. He lost his mother in a tragic fire and while he can’t remember the night, he does have dreams about the event. In those dreams, his father Will (Treat Williams) was behind the fire, although he is unsure if that is the truth or not. He and his father are not the closest of relatives, although Will tries to be involved and help Seth when he can. As of late, Seth has been acting in strange fashions and when a local teen turns up dead, some evidence points toward Seth as the killer. Will refuses to believe this at first, but Seth does have some reason for concern, as he was at the party and was seen with the dead teen. But then someone else is arrested and it seems to be clear he is innocent, which prompts him to leave for boot camp. Then the arrested man is proven innocent and while Seth is at boot camp, another person disappears. Is Seth behind these murders, or is Will the disturbed one and in any case, what is truth about the night of the fire?
It took the team of Wayne & Donna Powers a decade to bring Skeletons in the Closet to completion, but was it worth the effort? I had low hopes for this film, as it is a direct to video thriller and of course, that sub-genre is overrun with duds. But it did have an interesting premise and as such, I decided to give the disc a spin and see how it worked out. I have to say, the storyline is a good one and while it unravels a little toward the end, it remains solid from start to finish. As often happens in thrillers, some details seem glossed over or tossed in at the last second, in an effort to justify certain twists, but nothing too serious is off the mark here. Treat Williams and Linda Hamilton lead the cast and work well together, especially Williams, who isn’t often handed a role with some depth, like this one. If you’re a fan of thrillers and need a rental one night, Skeletons in the Closet is a wise choice, and make sure to spin the commentary track afterwards, if you liked the movie, that is.
In the lead here is Treat Williams, who has been in mostly direct to video action movies of late, but is allowed to show some range here. Williams has some solid material to work with here and he makes good use of it, with a great performance and one of his better of late. I like Williams and I am pleased to see him in a good role, as he hasn’t seen many of those these days. He doesn’t give a flawless turn here, but he handles the material and manages better than expected, as I forgot he was a talented worker, after all his recent drek. You can also see Williams in such films as The Substitute 2, Extreme Limits, Deep Rising, The Devil’s Own, and The Empire Strikes Back. The cast also includes Linda Hamilton (The Terminator, Dante’s Peak), Jonathan Jackson (Camp Nowhere, On The Edge), and Schuyler Fisk (Snow Day, The Baby-sitters Club).
Video: How does it look?
Skeletons in the Closet is presented in a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This film was shot on hi-def video and as such, the image is pristine and very sharp, but lacks the usual “look” of a film. I was never put off by this however, as the presentation here is so good and the image never slips in the least. The colors have a natural look, but some hues come off in more vivid form, while flesh tones are normal throughout. The contrast can be a little dark at times, but never to an extent where detail is obscured, so I won’t complain. This kind of image is a little different than a normal filmed release, but the results here are superb indeed.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 5.1 option is a good track, but this material never takes full advantage of the added audio depth. A few scenes have some subtle use that enhances the eerie atmosphere, but for the most part, this is a conservative mix. That is how this should be presented however, so no complains and since the surrounds are never forced, the mix comes off as very natural. The suspense is added to by the additional surround presence at times, but unless that is called for, this remains a basic, but effective track. The dialogue is well presented also, with no errors in the least to discuss. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround option, as well as Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains production notes, talent files, and the film’s trailer. You can also listen to an audio commentary by Wayne & Donna Powers, the creative minds behind the movie. The two have a lot to discuss here, as they trace the film from inception to completion, a most interesting trek in this case, to be sure. I found this to be an informative and enjoyable commentary session, one of the better ones I’ve heard of late, in fact.
