Release Date: February 12th, 2008
Running Time: 85 minutes

The Film

Horror films seem like one of the easiest genres to tackle with a minimal budget and yet the genre has become so oversaturated that you really have to bring something new to the table to make an effective film. Furnace is another casualty of mass produced direct-to-DVD horror films, and despite trying hard to be creepy, it never manages to craft a unique identity for itself.

At Black Gate Prison (that’s right, it’s actually called Black Gate) both prisoners and guards appear to be killing themselves. Detective Michael Turner (Michael Pare) is sent to investigate the grisly occurrences only to find out that an old furnace in a dilapidated section of the prison appears to be behind everything. Ghosts with a fiery rage have been picking of the inmates and Detective Turner has to figure it all out before he becomes a victim as well. If that wasn’t bad enough, one of the prison guards (Tom Sizemore) is a police officer who is consumed with getting revenge on Turner. With the inmates growing more and more unruly as the bodies pile up, the truth about the prison may be the only thing to save them all.

Furnace is all about atmosphere. There is no denying that an old, rickety prison is scary. However, without the character work behind the location, the deaths lose meaning and the overall tension is severely reduced.

The DVD

The video is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and features a relatively clean picture. Grain is an issue, but the colors are decent and the level of detail is what you’d expect from a format that has been out long enough to master.

The audio is offered in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. With sound being so important in horror, I wasn’t surprised that the track is pretty robust. Effects pan across speakers, the rear channels are utilized throughout, and the mix is balanced.

The Extras

Cast interviews are offered with: Danny Trejo (4 minutes), Ja Rule (14 minutes), and Tom Sizemore (16 minutes). These are completely EPK style and only worth listening to because the questions are unbelievably horrible.

Six Alternate Scenes run 9 minutes and don’t add anything significant to the film.

Also offered are the Trailer, Previews, and an Easter Egg.

Final Thoughts

Furnace is a horror film that relies completely on its setting and ambiance, unfortunately it fails to bring anything new and is simply another one of the dozens of direct-to-DVD horror films.