Invitation Only – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Taiwan, 2009
Director: Kevin Ko
Writers: Sung In, Carolyn Lin
Cast: Ray Chang, Julianne Chu, Maria Ozawa, Jerry Chih-Wei Huang, Ying-Hsuan Kao, Lene Lai, Liz Ran Yang, Kristian Brodie, Joseph Ma, Tai Chung Chen, Vivi Ho

Release Date: January 24th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 28 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Mandarin/English, LPCM Stereo Mandarin/English, DTS-HD 5.1 Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Wade Chen, who works for a rich and powerful CEO, Mr Yang, accidentally sees his boss having sex with supermodel Dana. His boss supposedly rewards him by sending him to an exclusive party on company money. Wade's evening at the party includes receiving a new car, dancing, gambling and frolicking with the boss's mistress Dana. However, leaving the party is a problem and the guests are systematically hunted down and slaughtered by a masked slasher." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Invitation Only comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 23 GB

Feature: 21.6 GB

Here is a breakdown of the source, shot on HDCAM SR (1080p/24 source format) and Digital Intermediate (2K) master format. That said, the source is in great shape. Colors and flesh tones look correct, the image looks crisp, black levels fare well, and compression issues are minimal.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 Mandarin/English), 4.25/5 (LPCM Stereo Mandarin/English)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Mandarin/English, a LPCM stereo mix in Mandarin/English, and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Spanish. The two Mandarin/English audio tracks are in excellent shape. Dialog comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Range-wise, the DTS-HD 5.1 Mandarin/English audio track sounds fuller than its stereo counterpart. Included are removable English subtitles for the Mandarin/English audio tracks.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, a photo gallery (stills/posters/home video art), original theatrical trailer (2 minutes 18 seconds, DTS-HD 5.1 Mandarin/English with removable English subtitles), Spanish theatrical trailer  (2 minutes 18 seconds, DTS-HD 5.1 Spanish with removable English subtitles), and a behind the scenes featurette (6 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Mandarin with removable English subtitles).

Other extras are trailers for 2LDK, Tokyo Decadence, Evil Dead Trap, and Evil Dead Trap 2: Hideki.

Summary:

Invitation Only follows in the footsteps of films like Hostel and Saw, which took slasher film elements and pushed them to their limits. Notably in their depiction of brutal torture moments and sadistic killing sequences that frequently involve graphic mutilation.

Billed as Taiwan’s first slasher film, Invitation Only is a grueling, in-your-face horror film in which moments of carnage revel in their excess. And though the premise covers well-traveled ground, The way in which it injects class into the story at hand is its greatest strength. The poor are the exploited victims, while the rich are the predators.

The performances are best described as serviceable. The most memorable characters are the over-the-top psychopath killers. Invitation Only's most famous cast member is Maria Ozawa, a Japanese gravure idol most known for her work as an adult film actress.

From its opening moments, Invitation Only sets a sinister tone that does a great job building tension. In its opening sequence, a woman by herself in a bathroom sees an abandoned purse; her curiosity leads her to see what is inside. Watching her in the shadows is a masked killer who swoops in and kills her after she looks inside the purse. This scene's execution does an excellent job of laying the groundwork for the events that follow.

From a production standpoint, Invitation Only is a film that maximizes its resources. The bulk of the film takes place in a remote warehouse location, which reinforces the foreboding tone. The narrative does a good job establishing the characters. The kill scenes are overflowing with gore, and the method by which characters are disposed of is not for the squeamish. Another strength is how effective the special effects are in regards to moments of carnage. Ultimately, despite its familiarity, fans of modern slasher films should thoroughly enjoy Invitation Only.

Invitation Only gets a strong audio/video presentation from Unearthed Films, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer