Abruptio – Anchor Bay Entertainment (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2023
Director: Evan Marlowe
Writer: Evan Marlowe
Cast: James Marsters, Christopher McDonald, Hana Mae Lee, Jordan Peele, Robert Englund, Sid Haig

Release Date: December 10th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 1 Second
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.95

"Les Hackel hates his life. He works a dead-end job, was just dumped by his high-maintenance girlfriend, and still lives with his nagging mom. One night, he discovers a fresh incision behind his neck. His friend Danny tells him it's a bomb, that someone has implanted one in his neck, too. And then the messages start coming in, forcing Les to carry out missions with deadly results. Les is partnered up with a series of oddball characters to commit heinous tasks. The violence escalating around him, Les pieces together the clues that reveal the horrific plans to breed a monstrous race of beings." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Abruptio comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.7 GB

Feature: 20.7 GB

The source looks excellent; colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are solid, and compression is very good.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds clear and balanced, and range-wise ambient sound is well represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a featurette with the performers and filmmakers titled A New Kind of Horror (4 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with screenwriter/director Evan Marlowe and producer Kerry Marlowe, an audio commentary with puppeteer Danny Montooth, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

A man with a hatred for his life discovers a bomb in his neck. Mysterious texts compel him to kill, threatening that the bomb will explode if he refuses.

Though the above synopsis gives you a clear idea of what Abruptio is about, the narrative is filled with moments that pose more questions than they answer. Also, just when it appears things are going one way, a moment of misdirection changes the course. Everything comes to a head with a twist ending that puts the events that have just occurred in doubt.

Abruptio is a horror/comedy hybrid in which all of its characters are puppets instead of flesh-and-blood actors. When it comes to the kill scenes, they are surprisingly gory for a film populated with puppets. On the comedy side, it's a film that's laced with subversive humor, a lot of which is not politically correct.

Though there have been other films with puppets, Abruptio is an interesting concept that’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Instead of puppets navigating on artificial sets, Abruptio inserts them in a world that resembles one that flesh-and-blood actors normally populate. The juxtaposition of these polar opposite worlds creates a most unusual reality.

Abruptio is a film that’s overflowing with creativity, and when it comes to tone, there is a creepiness that perfectly complements the story that unfolds. Another strength is its solid cast, who go all in on their voice performances. Ultimately, Abruptio is a one-of-a-kind cinema experience that quickly draws you in and stays with you after its moment of truth.

Anchor Bay Entertainment gives Abruptio a solid release that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer