Green Room – Blu-Ray Review

Struggling punk band Ain’t Rights travel miles to get to a gig, not knowing it’s been cancelled as the organiser has lost their licence. Pat, Sam, Reece and Tiger must find another way of making the money that they were expecting from the gig, and are in desperate need of.

They hear of the opportunity to play a different gig, at a venue out in the middle of nowhere so, with no other choice, they agree to play.

The venue turns out to be a neo-Nazi bar, and when the band walk in on someone having the longest nap with a knife poking out of their head, things quickly spiral out of control.

Locked in the green room, with little chance of escape they’re forced to fight for survival using anything and everything at their disposal, can they make it out alive?

The film stars Patrick Stewart giving a (as expected) phenomenal performance in a departure for him as Darcy, a sadistic neo-Nazi, the late Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Hearts in Atlanta)plays Pat, Imogen Poots (Vivarium, 28 Weeks Later) is Amber, Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development, Whip It) Sam, Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders, Skins) Reece and Callum Turner (War & Peace, Victor Frankenstein) is Tiger, all give fantastic performances.

Green Room is shot in that moody Teal/Orange colour palette which works well in this, giving it that extra punk feel and whips along at such a pace that you’re halfway through and it feels like it’s been on for five minutes, mainly thanks to the cast’s performances and a tight script.

The cat playing with trapped mice story plays well with Darcy’s menacing intelligence and charm as he speaks to the band through the locked door, trying to convince them they’re in no danger. Until we reach the first real violence in the film around 45 minutes in, and it’s a real wince maker, then just as you calm down there’s a moment of horrendous, quiet, matter of fact violence that is genuinely shocking.

From then on in, the violence doesn’t really stop, with dog attacks, shotgun blasts and machetes coming into play and a gay abandon for the correct use of fire extinguishers that would give health and safety officers nightmares. All while Patrick Stewart commands his Skin head army from outside the club it certainly keeps your heart rate up.

With the aforementioned acting masterclasses, beautiful, if “green” cinematography, and a brain rattling soundtrack and powerful score, Green Room is certainly one to add to your collection.

Green Room is presented as a dual format edition that includes the UHD and Blu-ray with the main feature and bonus features on both discs. The Limited Edition comes complete with a rigid slipcase, new artwork created by Adam Stothard and is accompanied by a 120-page book. The UHD is presented in Dolby Vision HDR, and the insightful special features include a new audio commentary and new interviews with writer–director Jeremy Saulnier, actor Callum Turner, composers Brooke & Will Blair and much more. Lets get into those special features shall we?

Special Features:

Dual format edition including both UHD and Blu-ray with main feature and bonus features on both discs
UHD presented in Dolby Vision HDR
New audio commentary by Reyna Cervantes and Prince Jackson – Reyna Cervantes (writer and podcaster) and Prince Jackson (night light podcast) give a fairly by the numbers, but interesting and conversational commentary.
Audio commentary with writer–director Jeremy Saulnier – A slightly more in depth commentary about the making of the film. Discusses the making of, scenes, shots etc more than the other commentary which is of course as you’d expect from the writer/ director.
Going Hardcore: new interview with writer–director Jeremy Saulnier – 30 minute interview with Jeremy Saulnier talking about his career and the film. Holds your interest throughout and the parts he talks about getting Patrick Stewart are inspirational. If you don’t ask, you don’t get!
Punk Rock: new interview with actor Callum Turner – Shorter 15 minute interview with Callum Turner who plays Tiger in the film and can currently be seen in Masters of the Air on Apple TV. Fairly standard press junket feel to the interview but it’s interesting enough.
Rocking Out: new interview with Composers Brooke & Will Blair – Another 15 minute interview, this time with the composers of the superb score. If you have any interest in film making this is a great interview.
Going Green: interview with production designer Ryan Warren Smith – Again a 15 minute interview, this time with the talented production designer. Another great one if you have any interest in film making. Fascinating insight into the set building.
Nazi Punks F*ck Off: Thomas Caldwell on Green Room – Award winning, Australian film critic from Cinema Autopsy gives what amounts to a reading of a piece about the nazi punks in film. Really good.
Archive featurette: Into the Pit – Making Green Room – 10 minute bog standard archive “making of”.

Limited Edition Content

Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Adam Stothard
120-page book with new essays by Eugenio Ercolani and Gian Giacomo Petrone, Alexandra Heller- Nicholas, Josh Hurtado, Jolene Richardson, Shelagh Rowan-Legg and Thomas Watson
Six collectors’ art cards

The brand-new Limited Edition release of Green Room will be music to your fears, as Second Sight Films gives acclaimed director Jeremy Saulnier’s (Blue Ruin) hit horror the physical release it deserves on 18th March 2024, standard editions will also be available.