A brutal story of an unlikely duo who will stop at nothing to find what they are looking for, Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s award-winning film Steppenwolf is “a nihilistic, hyper-violent redemption tale filled with social commentary” (Molly Henery, The Blogging Banshee) and “a must-see for fans of ultra-violent, vicious and unforgiving revenge films” (Gary Gamble, Moviehooker).

Tamara (Anna Starchenko), a young lady consumed by trauma, searches for her missing son, Timka, in a small town dominated by riots and violence. In a desperate attempt to get him back, she teams up with an amoral former police investigator (Berik Aitzhanov) whose methods prove to be frequently cruel and sadistic. Quietly determined, Tamara decides to complete the mission with the nihilistic detective, no matter the cost, as the pair embark on a bloody and bullet-riddled road trip in their combined search for salvation. Winner of the Golden Raven Grand Prix at the 2024 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and the Outstanding Performance Award for both Anna Starchenko and Berik Aitzhanov at the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival, Steppenwolf is the latest film from acclaimed director Adilkhan Yerzhanov (Cannes-selected The Gentle Indifference of the World and Venice-selected Goliath) and Oscar-nominated producer Alexander Rodnyansky (Leviathan).

This Limited Edition release also includes Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s 2022 feature film Goliath, available for the very first time in the US.

For thoughts on Steppenwolf, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Steppenwolf debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original aspect ratio from an HD master that is as striking and impressive as any modern movie. The film has shades of a post-apocalyptic aesthetic with a somewhat weathered look that presents complex textures and fine detail throughout. Much of this film takes place at night, in shadows, or under overcast skies, so it is important to note that the black levels are in good shape. Objects hold up very well in the shadows and retain their depth and form. At worst, some of the settings present the slightest bit of banding. The highlights thankfully do not get close to blooming as they provide a nice stability throughout. The project has a depressed yet complex color palette that is rendered effectively. There are no overt digital issues with this one. This is a solid disc that showcases the work perfectly.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Kazakh and Russian (with optional English and Spanish subtitles) that effortlessly handles the workload. One of our favorite aspects of the viewing experience is the synth-driven score that creates a vibe that ushers you along the narrative with impeccable fidelity. Dialogue primarily stays in front center channels outside of characters calling off-screen. Every exchange is reproduced clearly, and the track does a worthy job of ensuring neither sound effects nor the score ever overpowers any lines. There are some brutal atmospheric effects that will give your speakers a visceral layer of texture. There is some great ambient activity in the rear channels, especially since so much of the story takes place outdoors. There are memorable moments that inject some heft to the low end that help sell the brutality of the situation. This track has a stellar dynamic range that never comes up short.

Special Features

The first pressing of the Arrow Video Blu-Ray of Steppenwolf includes a booklet featuring new interviews with cast and crew members including writer-director Adilkhan Yerzhanov, producer Aliya Mendygozhina, actors Berik Aitzhanov and Anna Starchenko, composer Galymzhan Moldanazar and cinematographer Yerkinbek Ptyraliyev. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Critic and pop culture historian David Flint provides a commentary track that explores some of the themes of the picture, the background of the creative figures, parallels to other works of cinema, and more.

The Making of Steppenwolf: A 15-minute behind-the-scenes piece that details the production of the film.

Reading Steppenwolf As A Transnational Post-Western: A 23-minute visual essay from author, film historian, and academic Lee Broughton, in which he discusses the blending of western genre tropes from American and Italian cinema.

Goliath (2022): An additional 93-minute film is provided from director Adilkhan Yerzhanov in HD that is just as great as the spotlight feature on this disc.

Final Thoughts

Steppenwolf is a brutal, gripping, and darkly comedic odyssey in which no one is safe from the unhinged moral bankruptcy of the brute who is coerced into the role of an avenging force. The movie can be difficult to connect to at times due to the uncomfortable actions of the focal character, but the simple and sympathetic performance from Anna Starchenko gives you something to hold onto. The film rarely lets up with its propulsive pacing, and the direction of Adilkhan Yerzhanov adds some visual panache to the material. This is a welcome discovery from the world of international cinema. Arrow Video has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation and a vital array of special features including an entire second feature film. Recommended

Steppenwolf will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on May 27, 2025.

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

Disclaimer: Arrow Video 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.