The official Iranian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 2023 Academy Awards, and the Winner of the Orizzonti Awards for Best Film and Actor at the Venice Film Festival 2022, director Houman Seyedi’s savage, mysterious thriller/drama WORLD WAR III is one of the darkest, most enigmatic portraits of class inequality, desperation and murder since Lee Chang-dong’s BURNING and Bong Joon-ho’s PARASITE. Mohsen Tanabandeh delivers an unforgettable performance as Shakib, an anonymous day laborer still grieving the deaths of his wife and son who’s given a job guarding the set of a film about the Holocaust. When the lead actor playing (yes) Hitler is struck ill, Shakib is enlisted to wear the costume and mustache – and for the first time in his life, he has a little money, respect, and a place to sleep. Unexpectedly, his sex worker “girlfriend” Ladan (Mahsa Hejazi) shows up, threatening to upset his tenacious hold on prosperity. When Ladan suddenly disappears during filming, it sets off a violent chain of events. What starts out as a dark satire of the Iranian film industry quickly evolves into a near-Hitchcockian thriller of the underclass struggling violently to be heard, to be seen – with an apocalyptic ending that is truly something to behold. Rated 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. In Persian with English subtitles.

For thoughts on World War III, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/ThQZmup1JxI?si=s32cbLAtpdMi_LtQ&t=693]

Video Quality

World War III comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that is perfectly realized. The narrative takes place mostly within the confines of the film set with small detours to the city, which yields a visually dynamic experience where you can spot an incredible amount of detail. Skin tones are consistent and natural all around. While a bit subdued in tone, there are some notable colors featured in some of the clothing and production design. There is nothing candy-colored here, but the natural world is captured in a way that turns up well on screen. Highlights are handled well with no instances of blooming, and the blacks do not suffer from any significant crush, banding, or compression artifacts. The transfer delivers some rich texture within the environment that adds depth to the frame. This presentation is first-rate all around.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Persian that brings this narrative to life effortlessly. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without ever being overpowered by the sound effects or the music. The sound design is more complex than you might expect, and it remains pinpoint accurate with sounds positioned just right in the mix. The environmental effects create a really lively soundscape of nature that makes the location feel more lived-in. The track brings the consistent rainfall through effectively along with the sounds of the bustling crew members. The film uses music in really special ways, and all of these moments fill the room appropriately. This is not an especially action-packed film, but activity in the low end adds some texture to certain moments that ramp up further in the end. This is a great audio presentation from Deaf Crocodile. There are optional English subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film critic Walter Chaw (Film Freak Central) provides an engaging and informative commentary track in which he provides great context for its place in Iranian neorealism, how this film is something of a satire, the social themes on display, the work of director Houman Seyedi, the production of the film, and much more.

Interview with Director Houman Seyedi and Co-writer Azad Jafarian: A 59-minute interview with director Houman Seyedi and co-writer Azad Jafarian moderated by Dennis Bartok from Deaf Crocodile in which they discuss their background, their earliest cinematic inspirations, the movie from acting to directing, what it was like working with the performers, the evolution of the script, and more.

Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided.

Booklet: A multi-page booklet is included in this release which features a director’s statement, various quotes from filmmakers, and a listing of festival dates.

Final Thoughts

World War III is one of the best films to come out in the last few years that has had next to no footprint with Western audiences. This gripping mixture of satire and thriller blossoms into something completely unsettling that you cannot look away from. Mohsen Tanabandeh puts forth one of our favorite recent performances as a many who slowly gets swallowed up by the system to surprising results. This deserves an army of film fans championing it. Deaf Crocodile has released a Blu-Ray which sports a fantastic A/V presentation and a terrific assortment of special features. This film is a complete knockout that will burrow itself in your head long after the credits have stopped rolling. Highly Recommended

World War III is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Deaf Crocofile, OCN Distribution, and select indie retailers.

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

Disclaimer: Deaf Crocodile 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.