Unkindness of Ravens, The (DVD/Blu-ray)

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The Unkindness of RavensStarring Jamie Scott Gordon, Amanda Gilliland, Daniel Casey, Dougie Clark

Directed by Lawrie Brewster

Distributed by Hex Media


Derelict on the streets of Scotland, Iraq war veteran and budding poet Andrew (Gordon) struggles daily with a PTSD-induced fear of, and obsession with, ravens. In an effort to get him off the streets and help him overcome his mental struggle, Andrew’s social worker, Angela (Gilliland), sorts him out with the keys to her friend’s cottage in the remote Highlands.

She promises that after a few days out there, she’ll have found him a permanent home. The only thing he has to do in the meantime is unwind, continue writing his poetry and keep a daily journal of his thoughts and feelings.

If only it were that easy…

Very soon after arriving, the crippling nature of Andrew’s malady becomes apparent as his serene traipses across the countryside are regularly interrupted by sudden and aggressive hallucinations that recall his experiences on the blood-soaked sands of Iraq – and usually, they involve the ominous presence of ravens.

But these aren’t just the usual kind of ravens one can spy occasionally, but a set of humanoid raven warriors, decked out in armour, shrouds and masks that recall a mixture of medieval battlefield and plague doctor garb.

Tormented by the vicious, weapon-wielding warriors and another, more militaristically-minded (and manic) version of himself, Andrew’s battle moves from the internal to viscerally external realms – and this fight may just be one that holds his very soul in the balance.

A wonderful piece of home-grown horror artistry, The Unkindness of Ravens is as sombre as it is unsettling and ambitious. Obviously not made on a huge budget, the film nonetheless makes excellent use of its locations (both internal and external), and even manages to pull off its low-key battle scenes with enough gusto to ensure its success never once feels beholden to the amount of money pumped in.

Simply put, this one punches above its weight and lands the swings.

That’s a noteworthy achievement in independent cinema, and testament to the strength of the writing and performances found within. Scenes that may otherwise demand a greater element of visual authenticity are handled in just the right way so that they truly serve the story – adding revelations regarding Andrew’s fragile mental state rather than merely existing to deliver action.

And Andrew’s fragile state feels oh so authentic thanks to the efforts of leading man Jamie Scott Gordon, who pulls off every measure of confusion, anger, horror and despair with a layer of vulnerability that makes him eminently sympathetic – a gentle soul who has been through hell, and never truly returned. Throughout the picture, he feels like a sacrifice just waiting to happen – an underlying tension that rings of classic horror themes.

Speaking of classic horror, piling on top of the writing and performances is director Brewster’s cinematic language. Perturbing in his rhythm, Brewster knows just when to make that sudden smash cut, echoing classic horror stylistics with a discombobulating bent as he suddenly dips into complete chaos, and abruptly ceases the same with unpredictable cadence.

It’s confrontational, even confusing at times – but never uncalculated, and makes for a convincing rendition of the fractured mind of his protagonist and a disquieting experience for the audience.

In this microcosmic world where peace and chaos reign as one, The Unkindness of Ravens’ score fits ably amidst the proceedings, with a number of original pieces and songs that swing suitably between soothing and malevolent (though there’s perhaps a little too much repetition of traditional English ballad “The Three Ravens”).

It starts off slow, but The Unkindness of Ravens has more than enough horror to go around once the wheels start turning and the (superbly costumed) raven warriors move in for the kill – including the transportation of Andrew to their very own realm of the damned, full of the screaming, eyeless forms of their many other victims.

There’s a great mythology to these beings, whether or not you choose to believe they actually exist at all outside of Andrew’s psyche, and they’re fleshed out with as much impressive efficiency as Andrew himself.

And that’s what makes The Unkindness of Ravens such a success – everything comes together to create a cracking story through and through. One of anguish, rage, regret and redemption that’s impossible not to become absorbed in on a distinctly human level.

No melodrama, no over-the-top discoveries, bombastic revelations or amped-up action sequences… just an intelligent tale of a broken man facing one of the hardest battles imaginable – and a bunch of monstrous enemies you really wouldn’t want to meet in a darkened alley.

Hex Media bring The Unkindness of Ravens home in a fan-friggin’-tastic looking collector’s box, which folds out to reveal some stunning artwork and houses the film on DVD and Blu-ray along with the full soundtrack on CD.

In terms of on-disc extras, both the DVD and Blu-ray mirror the same materials. There’s a feature length behind the scenes documentary packed to the gills with content. There’s something called “Mythos” which sees a low-lit Brewster present fabricated tape recordings and writings which expand on the mythology of the film’s raven warriors and their penchant for torturing and consuming souls. It feels like an old campfire tale, and it’s great.

Besides that, there’s over an hour of interviews with cast and crew – all of which offer a real sense of personality that keep them consistently engaging (these folks aren’t afraid to have a laugh, no matter whether they’re in front of our behind the camera!), a couple of trailers and around 20 minutes of deleted scenes and abandoned/unused concepts.

And then we have a series of short stories – which are more like poems than narrative tales, much in the vibe of the film – entitled “When the Light Goes Out”, “The Fallen Man”, “Scavengers”, “Wilderness” and “The Unkindness of Ravens”. All of these are written by the film’s writer, Sarah Daly, and read by Brewster and Gordon. Backing those up, the Hex Media team serve up a number of pranks they performed on members of the public, confronting them with armed raven warriors at a few inopportune moments. Funny stuff.

Finally, we have a feature commentary with director Brewster and star Gordon, which – as with the interviews – is brimming with character.

With the added benefit of being produced region free, this is an astounding package for a remarkable film. My only gripe? No chapter breaks! Come on, guys!

Still, don’t let that put you off. Make sure you grab this one… before the ravens get their sharp black beaks in your soft, white eyes…

Special Features:

  • Soundtrack Audio CD
  • Behind the Scenes documentary
  • Mythos
  • Interviews
  • Trailers
  • Short Stories
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Commentary
  • Pranks
  • Film
  • Special Features
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User Rating 3.33 (12 votes)
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