‘Mothers’ Instinct’ Blu-Ray Review – Psychological Thriller Is Engaging Yet Uneven

Housewives Alice and Celine are best friends and neighbours who seem to have it all. However, when a tragic accident shatters the harmony of their lives, guilt, suspicion and paranoia begin to unravel their sisterly bond.

For in-depth thoughts on Mothers’ Instinct, please see my colleague Liselotte Vanophem’s review from its original theatrical release here. 

Video Quality

Decal Releasing brings Mothers’ Instinct to Blu-Ray with a fetching 1080p video presentation. One of the first things you will appreciate is how this transfer acts like a window to the past. The image is crisp and clear as we see all the efforts put into crafting the film. The production design and the costumes wow with delicious textural details. Flesh tones are natural and consistent with vivid detail present in close-ups. The color palette is reserved, but the shades on display have a welcome accuracy to them. The presentation delivers an amazing amount of depth to the screen. Black levels are deep with no egregious instances of digital noise. Some small bouts of banding and other minor digital hiccups show up in the transfer. The label has done a nice job with this one. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a faithful DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that translates this narrative without a hitch. The score from Anne Nikitin establishes the tone of this one as it emanates from the speakers with crisp fidelity. Environmental sounds enrich the surround speakers effectively. Ambient sounds are carefully placed in the rear channels for a fully immersive experience. Dialogue always comes through clearly without being overwhelmed by any competing elements. There are a few thrilling moments that add texture to the low end, but it is not a standout in that regard. The audio track serves this one quite well. Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

There are no special features provided. 

Final Thoughts

Mothers’ Instinct was surprisingly overlooked upon its debut given the level of talent involved. While the premise promises unsettling genre thrills, the narrative is a bit too reserved in its execution to register as a classic. The grief that is felt by the characters is palpable, and the support the leading women do not find from their husbands is enough to put anyone on edge. Therein lies the issue, as the film struggles over whether it wants to thoughtfully engage with the emotional unraveling of our leads or lean into psychological warfare. Both options are explored in passable depth, but neither feels especially satisfying. The performances are as great as you would expect from these actresses, but the story lacks something to put it over the top. The film is better than its profile may portray, but it is not the best version of itself. Decal Releasing has released a Blu-Ray featuring a rock-solid A/V presentation but nothing in the way of supplemental features. Recommended

Mothers’ Instinct is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital. 

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

Disclaimer: Decal Releasing has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.