After Blue Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

After Blue Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 13, 2022

After 2017’s “The Wild Boys,” there was some curiosity from cineastes to know what director Bertrand Mandico was going to come up with next. His first foray into dreamlike cinema made him a favorite for some, and, it turns out, he’s not ready to move on, continuing with his avant-garde ways with “After Blue.” A case could be made for shameless repetition, but Mandico’s fan base probably doesn’t see it that way, with the helmer once again arranging an odyssey into artful filmmaking, newly inspired to explore life on an alien planet while paying tribute to western tales of survival. “After Blue” doesn’t have an entry point when it comes to storytelling, but that appears to be the idea here, with Mandico once again trying to stun with his intense visuals and love for the unknown.

“After Blue” takes place on a fresh planet, with the destruction of Earth inspiring survivors to start again on an alien world, this time without the damaging ways of men. There’s Roxy (Paula Luna) and Zora (Elina Lowensohn), with the women trying to make sense of a mystery involving the violent ways of Kate Bush (Agata Buzek), who’s been freed from captivity on a beach.

There’s more to the movie, but Mandico isn’t interested in the restraints of dramatic filmmaking. As with “The Wild Boys,” he’s after a sensorial experience, trying to lull viewers into a sense of adventure as he takes the tale to a new world that’s loaded with color and menace, also offering a sensual journey that involves bodies covered in glitter (Mandico is by far the most glitter-positive helmer working today). It’s not easy to remain invested in Roxy and Zora’s mission, and there’s little evidence the production cares about characters as well. All the creative energy of “After Blue” is offered to set construction, costume design, makeup, and cinematography, with Mandico endeavoring to manufacture another world, and one that’s similar to sights found in his other efforts. Still, there are arresting visuals here, displaying a refinement of craft and a bit more adventure when it comes to surreal touches.

After Blue Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Dealing with a vision of wild colors and hazy events, the AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation does a fine job maintaining the intensity of screen elements. Hues are alive throughout the viewing experience, blasting the screen with lighting and costuming. More dreamlike hues are preserved as well. Skintones retain their alien appearance, along with elements from the world around the characters. Detail reaches about as far as possible with this style of cinematography, providing a sense of skin surfaces and body particulars. Costumes are fibrous. Delineation is satisfactory.

After Blue Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix delivers strong dialogue exchanges, managing differences in performance abilities and narration duties. Scoring brings a strong synth sound to the endeavor, which offers a circular sense of engagement and some low-end presence. Atmospherics are also active, detailing changing environments and confrontations.

After Blue Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (18 pages) provides an introduction and interview with director Bertrand Mandico.

• "J'ai Tue Kate Bush" (12:49, HD) is a collection of deleted shots from "After Blue," scored to new music from Pierre Desprats.

• "The Return of Tragedy" (24:33, HD) is a 2020 short film directed by Bertrand Mandico, starring Elina Lowensohn and David Patrick Kelly.

• And a Trailer (1:31, HD) is included.

After Blue Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Again, Mandico has his fans. Altered Innocence seems to be on a crusade to make sure the helmer acquires a wider audience, with "After Blue" their third release of his work. There's definitely plenty to appreciate here, with Mandico delivering on a wild sense of the strange and the unreal, working well with his cast, who seem happy to go wherever he leads. "After Blue" isn't a major step forward for the filmmaker, it's more of a 2.0 version of "The Wild Boys," highlighting Mandico's cinematic interests and love for all things exotic and bizarre. It's best left for the faithful, but those new to the director's ways are sure to find something hypnotic here.