All the Gods in the Sky Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

All the Gods in the Sky Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 18, 2020

Quarxx's "All the Gods in the Sky" a.k.a. "Tous les dieux du ciel" (2018) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Extralucid Films. The supplemental features on the disc include original trailers for the film; exclusive audio commentary by the director actor Jean-Luc Couchard; making of featurette; additional interviews; and more. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Prepare for the trip

The prologue is far more terrifying than everything else that happens in the film because it is instantly obvious that these kids have no idea that Death is breading in their faces. They are innocent and naïve, and they think that it is just a silly game. They are alone in a room and there is no one around to tell the boy to stop urging his sister to pull the trigger. The gun is too heavy for her and she struggles to keep it in her hands, but she keeps on trying. Then the gun suddenly goes off and destroys half of her angelic face.

Now the film moves to the present, which is some thirty years after the ‘game’. In a secluded farm somewhere in the countryside, Simon Dormel (Jean-Luc Couchard) lives alone with his siter, Estelle (Melanie Gyados), who looks like a creature from a vintage horror film. Her face is badly disfigured, her body underdeveloped, and her voice forever lost. She is so ugly that even Frankenstein would have felt uncomfortable in her company.

Initially, it looks like Simon is simply doing his best to hide his sister from the social workers in the area because he feels guilty for encouraging her to play his dangerous game. The more miserable his life becomes, the more it begins to look like he welcomes the ‘punishment’ because it is a way for him to pay for his sin. When he visits his sister, it looks like she very much agrees with him as well.

But then the film veers off in an entirely different direction. First, Simon uses his TV to connect with some alien creatures that give him explicit directions how to behave. Then he assures Estelle that her suffering will soon be over because ‘they’ are coming to pick them up. In the nearby field he draws big signs that are supposed to tell the alien visitors where to land.

As the point of contact nears, however, Simon’s anxiety begins disrupting his daily rituals and eventually he loses his job. He hides the bad news from Estelle, but when a social worker unexpectedly rings his door bell and proceeds to examine her the truth comes out. Facing the possibility of permanently losing Estelle, Simon then requests direct contact with the aliens and instructs Estelle to prepare for long-awaited journey.

Directed by Quarxx, All the Gods in the Sky sends chills down the spine in much the same way Pascal Laugier’s Martyrs does. Indeed, it tells its story in a way that makes it awfully difficult for the mind to remain at ease with it because it is improbable, while at the same time it builds a tremendous atmosphere that can legitimately force one out of one’s comfort zone. Yes, there is digital trickery in this film that is easy to identify and yet it is of the kind that makes what ought to be unreal appear very, very real.

Quarxx also wrote the script for the film, which is rather impressive. After the contact it looks a lot like the film will head down a familiar path and end with a logical but familiar message. It does go down the obvious path, but Quarxx then introduces shortcuts that produce an entirely new and unexpected thrills. (A minor spoiler: at the right time, this film becomes seriously spooky).

There isn’t a traditional music soundtrack, but the sound effects and sound editing are first-class.

All the Gods in the Sky Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, All the Gods in Sky arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Extralucid Films.

This release was made possible thanks to this public campaign, and I give the folks that launched it a lot of credit because the film looks stunning in high-definition.

Delineation, clarity, and depth are outstanding, and as a result on a larger screen this film produces quite a few 'wow' moments. Fluidity is outstanding as well. The primary colors are lush but natural, while the supporting nuances look very nicely balanced and steady. Image stability is as good as you can expect from new master of a recent film. Lastly, there are absolutely no digital anomalies to report in our review. A terrific technical presentation. (Note: The release is Region-Free. However, there is forced 1080/50i content that precedes the main menu, I have tested the disc on two different players, PS3 and Sony, and the content cannot be skipped. So, to access the disc's content you either have to have a Region-A player that can convert 1080/50i content to 1080/60i (like a cheap Insignia) or a Region-Free player. Remember, 1080/50i is not a standard format in North America and virtually all major brand name players do not support it).

All the Gods in the Sky Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I was hugely impressed with the 5.1 track. The film benefits from a wide range of sound effects and the lossless track handles them with incredible precision. Clarity, sharpness, separation, and balance are outstanding. If you can, turn up the volume when you sit down to view the film and I guarantee you will be sent on quite a ride. The English translation is flawless.

All the Gods in the Sky Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with Quarxx - interview with the director of All the Gods in the Sky. In French, not subtitled. (15 min).

• Interview with David Scherer - interview with special makeup effects artist David Scherer. In French, not subtitled. (13 min).

• Making of Featurette - an hour-long featurette with plenty of observations from Quarxx, discussions featuring cast and crew members, footage from the shooting of the film, etc. In French and English. (60 min).

• Commentary - an exclusive commentary by Quarxx and actor Jean-Luc Couchard (Simon Dormel). In French, not subtitled.

• Short Films - three short films by Quarxx. In French, not subtitled.
  
  1. Un ciel bleu presque parfait (37 min).
  2. Nuit noire (29 min).
  3. Rasta Kamikaze Bang-Bang (26 min).

• Extended Scene - in French, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Trailers -
  
  1. Original theatrical trailer for the film. In French, not subtitled. (4 min).
  2. International trailer. In French, with imposed English subtitles.

• Booklet - 24 page illustrated booklet with writings on the film and technical credits. In French.

All the Gods in the Sky Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There is a little more style than substance in All the Gods in the Sky, but the two are merged together by a director who understands very well what a modern horror film needs to do to impress. I was definitely impressed. This recent release of All the Gods in the Sky was produced by the newly launched French label Extralucid Films, and it is an all-around winner. If you decide to pick it up for your collection and you reside in North America, please keep in mind that more than likely you will need to have a Region-B or Region-Free player to access its content. (I have explained in the review why). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.