Apostasy Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Apostasy Blu-ray Movie Review

A one-of-a-kind film that is unmissable

A quiet gem worthy of consideration, Apostasy is one of the few films produced about Jehovah's witnesses and those involved in its sometimes controversial beliefs. From executive producers Christopher Granier-Deferre (Lady Macbeth) and Christopher Moll (Nowhere Boy), the film is an introspective exploration of faith which takes viewers on a path which is little seen but will be well remembered. Featuring top-notch direction by first-time filmmaker Daniel Kokotajlo (who has now graduated to feature-length efforts following a series of short-films), Apostasy is a unique story (well-told).

Is the Apocalypse approaching humankind and its ignorant masses? Will fire, rain, and torched skies be the nearby future of our beloved Earth? These are the questions on the minds of Jehovah's witnesses. Ivanna (Siobhan Finneran) is one of the most devout of the Jehovah's witnesses and she is the mother of two highly intelligent teenage daughters (both of whom are also a part of the religion): the devoted Alex (Molly Wright) and her sister Luisa (Sacha Parkinson). As the storyline unfolds, Luisa becomes outcast from the religion and is given an eye of shame from the religious community's elders following her unwed pregnancy.

One of the key components of the storyline is how Alex responds to her sister's poor treatment from the leaders of her community and how it starts to test her own spiritual faith in being a Jehovah's witness. As Alex becomes consumed with her own spiritual doubts, the story becomes more compelling and introspective about the very nature of the religion and what it stands for (and what it means to her personally). The questions the film poses are as thoughtful, complex, and introspective as the multilayered characters within the story. The fall-out with Luisa even leads to the mother, Ivanna, starting to question her own religious beliefs.

Apostasy is a fascinating production exploring a topic which is rarely even approached in the language of cinema. To get a glimpse into the world of these characters is more than enough reason to check out the film. Writer-director Daniel Kokotajlo came from a family of Jehovah's witnesses (though he left before making Apostasy his debut feature-length effort) and his own experiences clearly helped to shape the filmmaking. That makes the journey more exciting and gives it a more inspired energy as well.

The Apocalypse?

It is clear that Kokotajlo wants viewers to consider the apocalyptic headlines, the lack of celebration of birthdays (and holidays like Christmas), and the way these women are mistreated. Yet the film explores the Jehovah's witnesses and its people with an observational eye without being judgmental of everyone (so it ultimately leaves the interpretation and meaning of the film to the viewers). That element makes it a compelling work of art which stands as a unique work of cinema with much to appreciate. (After all, even though director Kokotajlo ultimately left behind the Jehovah's witnesses culture his family remains a part of it.)

There are many layers of the filmmaking which greatly impress with their unique contributions to the foundations of the film: the quietly compelling score composed by Matthew Wilcock (Sea of Light, The Beyond) gives the film a surrealism which works wonders while the hypnotic cinematography by Adam Scarth (Top Boy, Reality Mine) creates stunning imagery which is highly evocative and gives the film a documentary-like framing (with the so-infrequently used 1.50:1) which adds a layer of claustrophobia and makes the film feel a lot more dream-like at the same time. It certainly adds visual flair which is undeniable.

As one of the few films to be produced with the backdrop of Jehovah's witnesses, Apostasy is a film which has a lot riding on its shoulders. Director Kokotajlo proves he is up to the task and makes a compelling examination of those involved in the faith. The filmmaking is beautiful, dramatic, and thought-provoking. There are more questions than answers. Sometimes that's the best way to tell a story and this stunning-debut is a perfect example of that ideology. A must-see experience.

Apostasy Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Apostasy arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation. Director Daniel Kokotajlo has given the film an unusual aspect ratio of 1.50:1. It gives the film a claustrophobic and surrealist visual flair that helps it to stand out from the pack. The unique framing of the film is a true testament to Kokotajlo as a director and it shows his creativity in spades.

The film looks absolutely beautiful on this release and though it has a subdued color palette one can't help but become absorbed by the rich imagery on display. The presentation is superb with remarkably crisp and clear resolution with fine detail appearing fully intact from beginning to end. There are no issues with distracting banding or encoding issues. The fantastic imagery helps the filmmaking to feel even more sophisticated and unique and it was a wise decision for Kokotajlo to choose such a unique aspect-ratio: the story is unique and the imagery is equally uncommon.

Apostasy Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a lossless 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound presentation (as well as a uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo option). The film has a pristine sound design with great fidelity from start to finish. Dialogue reproduction is altogether exceptional. The clarity and detail in the track is truly superb.

The surround sound usage is highly reserved throughout the entire film and the surround speakers are barely utilized except for occasional scenes featuring subtle ambient sounds and music as a backdrop (such as a party sequence with a pulsating soundtrack). While even the surround option is not too far removed from a standard stereo track on this particular sound presentation, the quality of the track itself does not disappoint and is well rendered by the lossless audio mix. Optional English SDH subtitles (for the deaf and hard of hearing) are also provided.

Apostasy Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with writer-director Daniel Kokotajlo and the cast

Deleted/Alternate Scenes (HD, 9:15) features three different sequences which were altered or removed from the final cut of the film. The last sequence included in this collection is the most powerful of the three scenes and features a core character as she has a discussion with leaders from within the Jehovah's witnesses community. A must-watch sequence.

Above the Scenes (HD, 6:55) is not a typical making-of featurette about Apostasy and its production. Unlike a more traditional behind the scenes piece (which is inter-cut with the filmmaker insights) the short piece offers a birds-eye view of the production crew working on set to construct sequences and put together equipment. The revolving-style cinematography makes the piece unique and it gives some brief glimpses into the production and its crew.

Interview with Cast (HD, 28:16) is a compilation featuring a series of interviews with several key cast members: Siobhan Finneran, Molly Wright, Robert Emms, and Sacha Parkinson. Each member of the cast gives their own perspective on the story and the significance of working on such a unique project. There are some beautiful insights gained and it makes these interviews a compelling component of the release.

Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:56)

Apostasy Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Given that there are so few films featuring Jehovah's witnesses as a key component of the storytelling, I had no idea what to expect from Apostasy. In a sense, there is not much to even compare it to (other than to consider its obvious parallels to other films which center around religion). This makes the film feel even more compelling and ultimately essential. I found the filmmaking intelligent, interesting, and unique.

Writer-director Daniel Kokotajlo came from a family of Jehovah's witnesses (though he is no longer a part of the culture) and he explores the story in an even-handed and introspective way. Thoughtful, quietly compelling, and brilliantly realized, Apostasy is a must-see gem of independent filmmaking. This is a brilliant debut feature which is worth seeking out. The Blu-ray release features a exceptional audio-video presentation (with the uncommon and impressive 1.50:1 aspect ratio helping the film stand out even more) and comes highly recommended.

Please note that the release is Region B locked and can only be played back in multi-region (region free) or Region B players. For the US release of the film on Blu-ray, please refer to the following release available here.