Billy (Mark Duplass) and Ray (Sterling K. Brown) are lifelong best friends, brothers from another mother – and the last two men on earth. Their survival is largely due to Ray, a brilliant scientist who designed a domed structure with all the systems necessary to sustain life on a planet that could no longer support it. Their custom biosphere is outfitted with basic necessities and creature comforts that make it possible to retain a sense of what life used to be like. A hydroponic garden provides fresh vegetables and a carefully managed fishpond supplies essential protein. Recently, however, fish have begun dying at an alarming rate. With a mere three fish remaining, Billy and Ray face an ominous future. But life may yet find a way.

For in-depth thoughts on Biosphere, please see my colleague Brandon Lewis’s review from its festival debut here.

Video Quality

Biosphere comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that favorably translates the film to home viewing. Due to narrative constraints, this is a very confined film, and you really feel like you know every inch of the space by the end of the story. While there is a bit more vibrancy in some elements, the movie primarily portrays a more sterile way of life that works well thematically. Highlights are handled carefully with no shortcomings with blooming, and the blacks are deep and do not succumb to any crush or compression artifacts. The transfer executes every moment with the appropriate amount of care. The transfer reveals texture within the clothing and production design that adds depth to the picture. Skin tones are detailed and natural all around. IFC Films has put forth commendable effort for fans.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a straightforward yet resolute DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that accomplishes everything that is asked of it. Dialogue is the focus of this conceit, and every exchange comes through clearly without ever being clipped by competing sounds. Sonic flourishes within the sphere ground the story in a space that feels lived-in. The sound design is not overly kinetic, but the sounds are positioned perfectly in the mix. The score guides the tone as it flows through the room with an agreeable presence. A handful of moments add some welcome texture to the low end at points. This is a worthwhile release on all fronts. Optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director/co-writer Mel Eslyn, co-writer/actor Mark Duplass, and actor Sterling K. Brown provide a jovial new commentary track in which they reflect on the conception of the story, the production of the film, the premiere at TIFF, inspirations for various moments, a pivotal reshoot, and more. This is such a delight to listen to!

Making Of Featurette: A 14-minute piece in which the cast and creative team talk about the themes of the story, why they wanted to tackle this project, introducing Sterling K. Brown into this long-time creative team, and more.

Booklet: A multi-page booklet is provided featuring the essay “Plenteous Depths to Mine” by film critic Claira Curtis that gives a thoughtful overview of the film.

Final Thoughts

Biosphere is a tonally delicate film that tackles a fascinating concept with the necessary amount of thought and care to make the outrageous feel reasonable and downright sweet. Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown are exceptional, as they carry this movie with nary a moment away from them, and they do so with admirable commitment to their characters. The film feels like it could have been tightened up in a few areas to avoid a handful of sluggish moments, but it is a really strong debut from Mel Eslyn that should not be overlooked. IFC Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and some valuable special features. Recommended

Biosphere is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome/OCN Distribution.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: IFC Films & OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.