New on DVD: ‘Seventh Son’ a fantasy film throwback

Capsule reviews of this week’s video releases, on DVD and Blu-ray, including special features:

• “Seventh Son” (PG-13, 102 minutes, Universal): In this medieval magic fest based on the Joseph Delaney book, a mystical warrior (Jeff Bridges) trains a young apprentice to battle supernatural forces. Master Gregory, a grizzled knight, hunts witches in a land that might be Europe in the Dark Ages and later Asia. When he battles the powerful Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore), his young apprentice dies. Gregory searches for “the seventh son of the seventh son” to be his next trainee. He finds Tom (Ben Barnes), the son of farmers with special powers of his own. When Tom meets Alice (Alicia Vikander), the daughter of Mother Malkin’s right-hand witch, their love complicates the battle. Even with 3-D and massive digital effects, the film is a fun throwback to the lower-tech fantasy films of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s (such as 1963’s “Jason and the Argonauts”) with effects by the legendary Ray Harryhausen. Contains intense fantasy violence and action throughout, frightening images and brief use of strong language. Extras include two making-of shorts, “Defenders of Good” and “Resurrecting the Wicked,” the featurette “The Legend and Lore of the Seventh Son” and a visual effects gallery.

• “Cut Bank” (R, 108 minutes, Lionsgate): Liam Hemsworth leads a strong cast including John Malkovich, Billy Bob Thornton and Bruce Dern in a Western noir-thriller set in the sleepy town of Cut Bank, Mont. Looking to leave Cut Bank, Dwayne McClaren (Hemsworth) hatches a get-rich scheme to get himself out. But when his plan backfires and he’s swept into a murder investigation led by the local sheriff (Malkovich), he discovers that Cut Bank is a small town full of big — and deadly — surprises. Extras include commentary with director Matt Shankman and writer Roberto Patino, deleted and extended scenes and a “Bad Karma: Life in Cut Bank” featurette.

• “The Loft” (R, 108 minutes, Universal): In “The Loft,” a group of married men share an apartment so they can have a space to have sexual liaisons with women and argue about whose turn it is to take out the trash. Of course, something goes wrong and everyone in the group suspects each other. No special features.

Also on DVD

“Assassin’s Game” (with Tom Sizemore and Vivica A. Fox, Lionsgate), “Ballet 422” (documentary on New York City Ballet choreographer Justin Peck, Magnolia), “Sword of Vengeance” (historical drama, with Stanley Weber and Annabelle Wallis, WellGo USA), “Dial a Prayer” (with Brittany Snow, William H. Macy and Glenne Headly), “See You in Valhalla” (with Sarah Hyland), “The Confession” (1970 Costa-Gavras classic, with Yves Montand and Simone Signoret, The Criterion Collection), “State of Siege” (1972, another Costa-Gavras thriller with Montand, The Criterion Collection), “The Merchant of Four Seasons” (1971, by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, The Criterion Collection), “Magician: The Astonishing Life & Work of Orson Welles” (documentary, Cohen Film Collection), “Nightlight” (supernatural thriller), “Mutant World” (sci-fi, with Kim Coates and Holly Deveaux), “So Bright Is the View” (Romania), “Gun Woman” (Japan), “Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued,” “Looney Tunes Musical Masterpieces” and “Murdoch Mysteries: The Movies” (2004, three made-for-TV films based on the books by Maureen Jennings and a darker precursor to the Canadian mystery series, Acorn).

TV on DVD

“Sons of Liberty” (Revolutionary war History mini-series), “Major Crimes: Third Season” (TNT), “Ray Donovan: Season Two” (Showtime), “The Wonder Years: Season 3” (1989-90, four-disc set), “Bob’s Burgers: 4th Season” (Fox), “The Nanny: Complete Series” (1993-1999), 19-disc set) and “The Rockford Files: Complete Collection” (34-disc set; also, two-disc “The Rockford Files: Movie Collection: Volume 2.”