Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Desperation Road Blu-ray Movie Review

The road to redemption may be twisted but Desperation Road is too straight a shot...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 6, 2024

"A woman and her young daughter are caught in the crossfire when whiskey, guns and the desire for revenge violently intersect in a tough-and-tumble Mississippi town." Has there ever been a more perfect neo-western plot synopsis? You can practically hear the sizzle of the sun, the crickets lurking in the darkness, and the hiss of the wind as guns are drawn and blood is shed. Unfortunately, that "practically" is about as good as it gets. Desperation Road isn't a bad film; just an unremarkable, wholly average genre pic that doesn't rise above its own tropes. Gibson is back (monthly it seems, at least in the world of direct-to-market movie releases), aiming to dust off his image and try again, while Hedlund is the real star, stuck here doing too much of the heavy lifting while scene partner Willa Fitzgerald struggles to mine gold out of a shallow mine. It doesn't help that sexual assault is once again the propellent of a thin revenge plot, with too little time devoted to the nuanced anguish and maternal drive of Fitzgerald's single mother in favor of an old standard: the hesitant heroics of a tragically misunderstood ex-convict. It all collides in truly predictable fashion, though it tells a decent enough tale along the way.

The film's official synopsis is decidedly less effective. In a small Mississippi town, justice and the law are two very different things. Academy Award winner Mel Gibson (Braveheart), Garret Hedlund (TRON: Legacy) and Willa Fitzgerald (Scream: The TV Series) star in this modern noir thriller based on the acclaimed novel by Michael Farris Smith about two lost souls tortured by the mistakes of their past and bound by a secret that keeps them running. Smith's well-received 2017 novel was a 2018 Southern Book Prize finalist, and he pens the screenplay here. The film is directed by actress Nadine Crocker (Continue) and also stars Ryan Hurst, Kat Foster, Shiloh Fernandez, Pyper Braun, Ella Thomas, Woody McClain, Kyle Rankin, Michael Aaron Milligan, Bonita Elery, Cassandra Schomer, Katy Bodenhamer, Frank Blake, Mike Seely and Brady Gentry.

Justice and the law are two different things. Never heard that one before (he says sarcastically with a roll of the eyes). "Seems like you and I are tied together by some invisible rope," Russell mumbles in a thick suuh-thuun draawl. Sigh. Desperation Road may have worked as a novel but on screen it's limp and languid, taking far too long to find its momentum. Fitzgerald is afforded just enough screentime to establish her recovering mama as desperate -- title meaning unlocked! -- but this is Hedlund's movie, with Russell at the center of nearly everything that transpires. His fresh-out-of-prison story isn't remotely as interesting as Maben's messy past or present struggles to raise a daughter, though, no matter how much the man's father (Gibson) tries to prevent his son from falling back into a life of crime. From there it's a checklist of cliches. There's the obligatory subplot involving old associates roughing up the ex-con. The crisscrossing of paths, as if crime and consequence have a destiny all their own. The slow, slithery cinematography holding too long on every Louisiana locale. The decidedly unromantic peril that leads to romantic feelings. The child as neo-noir MacGuffin. And of course the bloodshed, which is as inevitable as the brows that only seem to sweat in the bayou-bake when the thematic heat is on.

Performances are quite good, I have to say surprisingly, considering how manufactured the screenplay rolls. Hedlund is Hedlund (that's a plus), but Fitzgerald is one to keep an eye on. Having previously appeared in Reacher and, more notably, The Fall of the House of Usher, there's just enough convincing fearlessness in her eyes and clinched determination in her jaw to make her read as believable, despite her made-for-Hollywood demure face and frame. And she overcomes what might make her easily dismissed by anyone not paying attention with some scenes that allow her to prove her mettle. Given a proper movie, a Scorsese or a PTA, she could be a haunted, waifish Margot Robbie. Meanwhile, Gibson, God love 'im, is as good as always. It's a shame his past transgressions always seem to hover over his shoulder in the public eye and in studio calculus, as his work consistently suggests he should, maybe just maybe, be afforded some A-list movie roles again. (Perhaps prison-like sentences should be attached to celebrity cancellations. Sexist comments? Cancelled for two years. Racist comments? Cancelled for ten. Occurred under inebriation? With a family history at work? Reduced to five for good behavior. Et cetera.) Everyone else is... fine. Par for the southern gothic western course. But, here I go repeating myself, that screenplay. Hrm. In a novel intricacies and character thoughts shine. Here the colorful Louisiana low-lifes and locals come across as rather dim, racing along a pre-set track they can neither escape nor alter.

Desperation Road Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Lionsgate at least doesn't discriminate. Desperation Road may be direct-to-market fare but its 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer looks every bit as good as that of a top-dollar theatrical release. Colors are desaturated on the whole (by design), though swaths of sun-kissed amber, oddly tropey neo-noir teal, and shallow but ominous black levels lend some striking genre flair. Skin tones follow suit, as do a series of blood-drained primaries, which all sounds negative but falls perfectly in line with Crocker and cinematographer Sy Turnbull's intentions. Detail is excellent, as is delineation, with plenty of revealing fine textures and crisp edge definition on hand to sweeten the pot. There also isn't anything in the way of significant banding, blocking or noise, making for a clean digital image whose only wear and tear comes courtesy of Turnbull's modern southern gothic-stylings, rather than anything attributable to the Blu-ray presentation.

Desperation Road Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Desperation Road offers a quieter crime drama than you might expect, particularly in its first hour, but the film's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track gets a good workout all the same. Violence erupts with wince-inducing weight and LFE-backed brutality, chaotic scenes are quite immersive thanks to exacting directional effects and slick channel pans, and the soundfield is notably involving, with rear speaker activity that boasts everything from subtle environmental realism during subdued, reflective moments to explosive engagement when it all goes sideways. Dialogue is always clear and intelligible (even when Hedlund does his best to muddle his words and give sub-junkies another excuse to watch every film with subtitles) and the fidelity of the original sound design is spot on. No complaints here.

Desperation Road Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No, Amazon didn't send you the wrong item. The Blu-ray release of Desperation Road comes packaged in a standard DVD case, which has become a bit of a fairly common practice with direct-to-market Lionsgate titles. The combo pack features Blu-ray, DVD and Digital copies of the film.

• Director's Commentary - Director Nadine Crocker is on hand to discuss her approach to Michael Farris Smith's novel, screenplay, characters and southern gothic trip through deep-woods Louisiana.

• The Making of Desperation Road (HD) - A standard behind-the-scenes quickie.

• Deleted Scenes (HD) - A small collection of wisely cut deleted scenes.

• Trailer

Desperation Road Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Desperation Road might have been more effective had Crocker found a way to translate the untranslatable from page to screen. No small feat for any director, but one the two-time filmmaker struggles with. The film is a solid southern gothic neo-noir western, sure. Its burdens, though -- tropes and cliches aplenty -- are a bit too much for it to bear. Lionsgate's Blu-ray release is a step up, thanks to an excellent AV presentation and welcome selection of supplements, despite the fact that the DVD-size case the release is packaged in proves to be a cumbersome nuisance. All told, you could certainly do worse. A decent flick and a reasonable pricepoint? Go for it.