BLU-RAY REVIEW

Mystery Road

Featured In Issue 191, November 2014

Picture4
Sound3.5
WSR Score3
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Well Go USA
(Catalog Number):
WGU01526B
(MPAA Rating):
Not Rated
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$29.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Single Layer (BD-25)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
120
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
2013
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
10/14/14
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Ivan Sen
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

in the modern-day western "Mystery Road," indigenous cowboy detective Jay Swan (Pedersen) returns to his outback hometown to solve the murder of a teenage girl, whose body is found under the highway trucking route out of town. Alienated from both the white-dominated police force and his own community, including his teenage daughter (now connected to the murdered girl), Jay stands alone in his determination to fight back—for his town, and his people. (Gary Reber)

Special features include a making-of featurette (HD 08:44), cast interviews, the theatrical trailer, and upfront previews.

The 1080p AVC picture is a pretty decent visual experience, with a natural overall appearance set against a barren Australian landscape hued in earthy tones. The color palette is well balanced and never exaggerated with over-saturated hues. Fleshtones are naturally rendered. Contrast is well balanced with natural black levels and revealing shadow delineation. Resolution is effectively revealing of fine detail in facial features, hair, clothing, and object texture. This is is a natural visual experience with an engaging sense of realism. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is monaural focused with subtle, directioinalized atmospherics that define the vast Australian outback, heightened with special effects, such as trucks and cars moving over dirt roads, and the occasional rifle shot, bird sounds, a church bell, and the roar of car engines. Dialogue is natural, presented with decent spatial integration. The presentation of atmospherics, while subtle, in terms of surround energy, projects a vast soundfield with a sense of dimension. Comprised of atmospherics, sound effects, and Foley, the music is sporadic but nicely recorded and enveloping. Overall, the sonic nuances are effectively engaging and perfectly complement the storytelling. (Gary Reber)