Set in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, a sleepy hamlet nestled in the majestic mountains of Baffin Island in the Arctic Ocean, SLASH/BACK opens as the village wakes up to a typical summer day. No School, no cool boys (well… except one), and 24-hour sunlight. But for Maika and her ragtag friends, the usual summer is suddenly not in the cards when they discover an alien invasion threatening their hometown. These teenagers have been underestimated their whole lives but, using makeshift weapons and their horror movie knowledge, they show the aliens you don’t f*** with the girls from Pang.
For in-depth thoughts on Slash/Back, please see my colleague Devin McGrath-Conwell’s review from its SXSW debut here.
Video Quality
Slash/Back debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original aspect ratio that looks really fetching. The movie spends a decent amount of time in shadow, which is aided by deep black levels that hold together without issue. Objects retain their detail in these instances and maintain their depth with banding only showing up in rare moments. The transfer provides a stellar amount of detail and clarity even in less ideal settings. The movie itself has a slightly cool color palette that renders very nicely on screen, especially when observing the glorious expanses of nature. There are certain vibrant hues such as a colorful jacket which make a big impression. No damage or digital noise was detected that would detract from this transfer. RLJE Entertainment has treated this one with respect.
Audio Quality
The film comes to Blu-Ray with a favorable DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that brings the sound design to life perfectly. Surround channels conjure a very precise sense of spatial awareness with sounds emanating from all of their distinct points. Dialogue and sound effects are balanced deftly with the score where nothing lacks in clarity. The movie utilizes creeping environmental sounds to add to the sense of disorientation to the proceedings with a very immersive atmosphere. The low end is not consistently active, but it adds some memorable heft to certain moments. This audio track does everything that is asked of it and more. There are English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Slash/Back is a really thrilling and fun take on the alien parasite infestation subgenre which flourishes thanks to its distinct point of view. The direction of this one is really impressive as Nyla Innuksuk deftly uses her locations and eye for dynamic imagery to create a practical effects nightmare all within a taut runtime. Some of the performances from the non-professional performers can feel the slightest bit off, but by and large the entire ensemble works well together to bring a shared camaraderie to the story. RLJE Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a lovely A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. This one has flown more under the radar, but it is well worth a look for horror fans. Recommended
Slash/Back 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: RLJE Films 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.