Reeling from a devastating loss, Tana (Lily Gladstone) is pulled back into the world by an unexpected invitation to her cousin’s wedding. She packs up her late grandmother’s Cadillac and hits the open road, driving from her home in Minnesota to South Dakota. After reconnecting with her Oglala Lakota family, Tana sets off to retrace a surreal journey that her grandmother took decades ago, searching for the spot captured in an old family photograph. As she travels, Tana finds connection in the stories of everyday people who’ve settled down far off the main roads including Isaac (Raymond Lee), who provides a pivotal clue to understanding the lost location that could cultivate closure. A personal reverie summoned from a beguiling mix of fact and fiction, THE UNKNOWN COUNTRY is an arresting debut feature from Morrisa Maltz.

For in-depth thoughts on The Unknown Country, please see my colleague Cody Allen’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

The Unknown Country arrives on Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation in its original 2.35:1 which is simply stunning. This is a beautiful film with transcendent shots of the country’s natural beauty in the midwest where you will find an impressive amount of detail. The transfer retains the dreamy look of the source format quite favorably with no dips even in the darker portions of the screen. The highlights hold firm without veering towards blooming while the black levels stay strong and avoid any compression artifacts. The transfer does showcase a bit of banding in a few of the skyline shots.

The film is replete with natural colors throughout with a multitude of moments that make an impression from the landscapes to various articles of clothing and lighting elements. The interiors are typically a more reserved environment that presents with moderate tones that the presentation delivers with a pleasing richness. Skin tones look very detailed and natural all around. Music Box Films Home Entertainment has delivered a strong presentation for this film.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with both a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track that captures the intended atmosphere for this story. The sound design complements the visuals with all of the elements positioned properly in the mix. The film conjures music which fills your room with a rich sonic experience. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever being drowned out by the sound effects or the score. The environmental effects create a rich soundscape of the open road and gentle expanses of nature. This is a low-key film that rarely experiences significant activity in the low end, but it provides some texture at various points. This is a perfectly realized release that brings the movie to life how it is needed. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided here.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Star Lily Gladstone, director Morrisa Maltz, and editor Vanara Taing provide a really lovely commentary track in which they reflect on the production of the film including the shooting conditions, the colorful characters they met along the way, scenes they wish they had been able to include, the music in the film, and more that is a warm and inviting listen.

The Unknown Country – An Exploratory Filmmaking Process: A terrific 67-minute panel from the Mill Valley Film Festival featuring Gladstone, Maltz, Taing, and actor Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux in which they discuss the development of the project, working with real-life people, the depiction of indigenous communities on screen, the balance of narrative and biographical footage, and much more that is a worthy viewing experience.

Director Q&A – Chicago Critics Film Festival: A 25-minute Q&A with director Morrisa Maltz in which she discusses her experiences driving across the country alone, how the people in the film guided what the story would be, the collaborative nature of the project, working with the performers, the inspiration from previous work, and more.

Odyssea – Short Film by Morrisa Maltz: A 12-minute short film is provided in which a young woman embarks on a surreal journey when she returns to her hometown.

“Looking For Knives” Music Video by Dyan: A seven-minute short film directed by Maltz is provided here.

Photo Gallery: A collection of really beautiful photos is provided.

Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

The Unknown Country is a gentle drama that balances biographical elements with a fictionalized narrative that never hits a false note. The mundane nature of the story may not resonate with all audiences, but there is a rewarding beauty that accompanies Tana’s journey authentically. The act of driving alone throughout the country can be both scary and peaceful, and you feel every beat during this film. Lily Gladstone is having one heck of a year, and her performance in this story is a tremendous high point. Music Box Films Home Entertainment has given this lovely film a Blu-Ray release featuring a top-notch A/V presentation and some worthwhile special features. Recommended

The Unknown Country will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on November 21, 2023.

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

Disclaimer: Music Box Films Home Entertainment 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.