Jaded police detective Travis (Simon Baker) arrives in the remote Australian Outback town of Limbo to investigate the cold case murder of a local Indigenous girl 20 years ago. As truths about the crime begin to unfold, Travis gains new insight into the unsolved case from the victim’s fractured family, the surviving witnesses, and the reclusive brother of the chief suspect. Shot in starkly beautiful black and white, Limbo is a penetrating modern noir and a poignant, intimate journey into the complexities of loss. Writer-director Ivan Sen, one of Australia’s foremost Indigenous filmmakers, deftly wields the police procedural to chart the impact of the justice system on Indigenous families in Australia.

For thoughts on Limbo, please see my colleague Cameron Ritter’s review from its theatrical debut here.

Video Quality

Limbo arrives on Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation in its original 2.35:1 that captures the stark aesthetic with the utmost care. The film is presented with a commendably realized black-and-white palette throughout that preserves the firm contrast with ideal control. This artistic choice brings a desolate quality to the narrative that does not seem carelessly composed for artistic indulgence. There are numerous shots filled with a resplendent amount of detail. The highlights hold together without veering towards blooming, while the black levels stay powerful and avoid any compression artifacts. The transfer does exhibit fleeting instances of banding in a handful of shots, but this is not a persistent issue. Brainstorm Media has delivered a worthy presentation for this film.

Audio Quality

The film arrives on Blu-Ray with an exceptional DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures the sonic intention without missing a step. Surround channels provide some surprising activity with the environmental soundscape hauntingly isolating. The track’s low end is not overly aggressive, yet it provides some texture when the story asks for it. Dialogue and an array of sound effects stay respectably balanced throughout the duration. All elements play well with the score where nothing gets overrun in the track. There is nothing that goes wrong with this audio experience. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Interviews: A selection of brief interviews is provided in which the talent discuss their roles on the movie, the process of bringing it to life, the challenges faced along the way, how they prepared for the experience, and more.

- Director Ivan Sen (3:24)

- Actor Simon Baker (7:07)

- Actor Rob Collins (7:21)

- Actress Natasha Wanganeen (4:18)

- Actor Nicholas Hope (6:53)

- Associate Producer Elaine Crombie (7:57)

Behind The Scenes Footage: A nearly 21-minute piece that provides fly-on-the-wall footage of the production.

Original Trailer (1:30)

Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring an essay from film critic and historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas is provided.

Final Thoughts

Limbo is a slow burn crime tale that finds our detective chipping away at secrets of the past to expose the ugly realities within the community and himself. Simon Baker delivers one of the best performances of his career as he is given a chance to truly lose himself in a character. The pace of the narrative can be a bit too languid at times, but there is an eerie quality to the investigation that keeps you engaged throughout. If you like a good crime tale, this one is worth checking out. Brainstorm Media has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a nice selection of special features. Recommended

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

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

Disclaimer: Brainstorm Media and 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.