Out of the Blue – DVD Review

The small, costal settlement of Aramoana in the south of New Zealand is a peaceful community with a picturesque bay. It’s the sort of town where nothing even remotely interesting happens. Kids play in the streets, and people go about their business. This is how director Robert Sarkies sets up the scene showing us static, tourist-friendly shots. But on November 13, 1990, the calmness that protected the community like a jacket on a cold day suddenly unraveled. For this is the day of the Aramoana Massacre.

We, as viewers, act as witnesses, watching the events unfold before our very eyes. We don’t know why David Gray (played by Matthew Sunderland), a local, snapped and went on a killing spree. Sarkies gives us vague hints as to what led to Gray’s psychotic breakdown: the police’s to-be-believed harassment of him and his domicile, the bank imposing a two-dollar service fee for cashing a check. He’s also alienated friends and neighbors and his mental faculties have deteriorated. When he confronts a girl about trespassing on his lawn and her father intervenes, well, the argument between the two quickly escalates. Gray guns him down in cold blood.

That first gunshot blast is jarring. But in the time leading up to Gray unloading into an unsuspecting neighbor, Sarkies had slowly introduced a cast of Aramoana residents. Now there isn’t any true attachment to these figures, because the film, at its heart, is a reenactment of twenty-two hours of pure hell. At times I was thinking back to that ‘70s TV movie about the UT sniper, Charles Whitman, with Kurt Russell in the sniper role.

Out of the Blue is not an exploitation film about caged violence finally being released, nor is it a melodrama that focuses on a singular character trying to put an end to Gray’s murderous ways. Using author Bill O’Brien’s novel, Aramoana: Twenty-Two Hours of Terror, as a template the filmmakers and actors stay true to fact. As a recount of those trying hours it is, at times, engaging even when the subject matter is far from it. Like the aftermath of a car crash – you know it’s bad but instinctively your eyes are drawn.

The Aramoana police are slow to respond to the violence mainly because they can’t bring themselves to accept what is happening. It isn’t until the killing of fellow officer Stu Guthrie (William Kirtcher) that reality finally sinks in. It’s time to act. The heroes of Out of the Blue aren’t celluloid creations, those with six-pack abs, barrel chests and catchy one-lines. The heroic acts are from normal people. Hunting Gray through the darkness of night is officer Nick Harvey (Karl Urban), who just hours before was working on his rooftop. The unlikeliest of heroes is seventy something-year-old Helen Dickson (Lois Lawn). With her recently replaced hips she drops her crutches and crawls on her belly looking for someone to help a neighbor who’s been injured. Now she hardly knows this neighbor, but in the moment she acts as anyone would.

Going into this film I didn’t know what to expect, and I really didn’t know how to approach the review. The mood and atmosphere presented has a similar ring, and ominous tone, to the shootings at Virginia Tech. Obviously David Gray is a horrible person, we know this, but we are not inundated with social commentary, which would have been expected. Director Robert Sarkies instead compels with a calm before the storm vibe, so to speak. In doing so, the tension and dread increases and lingers, as the rage builds up in Gray before it is finally unleashed. The end result is a film that is not easy to watch. It is depressing and somber, seeing the senseless killings of kids, adults, anyone who crosses paths with David Gray. But the experience of it all makes you want to know more about the events of that day. So in that respect, Out of the Blue is worth watching.

Shot using handheld cameras some scenes are brighter than others. Presented in 1.85:1 widescreen, the nighttime scenes are low, an apparent effect from how it was shot and not the transfer itself. The low lighting causes difficulty seeing some of the action, but only in certain instances.

Out of the Blue comes with a 5.1 Dolby Digital English mix with optional Spanish subtitles. The presentation is low, and the dialogue track is almost quiet. So, keep that remote control nearby to crank up the volume.

To expand on the background of the events of November 13, 1990, an audio commentary with director Robert Sarkies and author Bill O’Brien. Both have plenty to bring to the table, talking of the production and the actual events that inspired this film. First and foremost Sarkies wanted to honor those men and women who perished in the tragedy. Other than this commentary track, we get four short featurettes that I believe aired on the Independent Film Channel. “The Making of Out of Blue“ (7:07), “Out of the Blue: The Tragedy” (6:14), “Honoring Aramoana” (6:25) and “Recollections from the Actors” (3:13) fall short of being engaging, but there are moments of interest about the Aramoana Massacre. The only other supplements are a photo gallery and theatrical trailer.

Out of the Blue is both compelling and disturbing. Compelling in the sense that you are riveted and dreading what is going to happen next. That dread turns to sorrow seeing the people David Gray fires upon. Women, children, doesn’t matter. Robert Sarkies’ film is a change of pace from the traditional action drama, going for a dramatic reenactment effect. Definitely recommended, but probably a film you’d only watch once.

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IFC First Take and The Weinstein Company present Out of the Blue. Directed by Robert Sarkies. Starring Karl Urban, Matthew Sunderland and Lois Lawn. Written by Graeme Tetley with Robert Sarkies. Running time 103 minutes. Not Rated. Released on DVD: June 10, 2008. Available at Amazon.com.