Shotgun Stories Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Shotgun Stories Blu-ray Movie Review

Two families. One feud. No going back.

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 7, 2025

Filmmaker Jeff Nichols first caught my attention in 2012 with Mud, the lowest of excellent lowkey dramas in the early 2010s and one that would go on to become one of my favorite films of the decade. From there I discovered Take Shelter, a loose adaptation of the Noah story, followed in the coming years by Midnight Special (which stands shoulder to shoulder with Rian Johnson's Looper in my book), superb heart-aching romance Loving, and most recently The Bikeriders, one of the biggest surprises of 2024. But it's only now, some seventeen years after Nichols made his feature film debut, that I've gotten around to watching Shotgun Stories, a film about family conflict, brotherly love (or lack thereof) and consequences. And while it's certainly early Nichols, before he would develop the polish of later his films, it remains a gripping drama worthy of his future body of work.

All hell breaks loose when Son Hayes (Michael Shannon) tells those in attendance at his father's funeral that he and his brothers hated the dead man, before spitting on his father's grave. This triggers a battle between Son's brothers Kid (Barlow Jacobs) and Boy (Douglas Ligon) and the trio's half brothers; a feud that soon leaves Kid lying in his own grave and Son seriously injured. As the half brothers stockpile weapons for the coming war, Boy visits with a shocking offer of peace. Set against the cotton fields and back roads of Southeast Arkansas, the young men in Shotgun Stories discover the lengths to which each will go to protect their kin. Written and directed by Nichols with cinematography from Adam Stone, the film also stars Michael Abbott Jr, Travis Smith, Glenda Pannell, Coley Campany, Lynnsee Provence, David Rhodes, Vivian Norman, Cole Hendrixson, Natalie Canerday, Tucker Prentiss, Wyatt Ashton Prentiss, Cammie McKee, Cosmo Pfeil, Mark W. Johnson, Tom Kagy, Gary Hawkins, and Merle A. Johnson.

What begins with almost a sudden eruption of violence slows down to a crawl, albeit a satisfying crawl steeped in regret, fear and anger. The initial brutality that sparks in Shotgun Stories soon turns into a dance of death in which half brothers circle one another, unsure of when to strike or how to react, much less feel. Emotionality is difficult for the Hayes children, a product of their upbringing, but there bonds are nigh unbreakable, ironically also a product of their upbringing. Each set of brothers is believably bonded, with a sense of loyalty and livelihood that extends beyond blood and into just how many years each have preserved one another in spite of their deadbeat dad's worst efforts. Even the names Son, Kid and Boy tell you all you need to know about how the three were raised, and how much animosity lies within their hearts compared to those given proper monikers like Mark and Cleaman.

Nichols captures the push and pull of reactionary impulse and cooler heads, neither of which prevail exactly but both of which battle against pacifism and heartbreak. The film doesn't take a right turn into revenge as you might expect, with Son's role as potential peacemaker throwing a strange gear in the works, but that only allows it to retain its unpredictability, tension and stakes from start to finish. Shannon's performance anchors the entire picture to his stoicism and inner rage, which he longs to be rid of now that his father is gone. His character is also well aware of what happens when a feud spills out of control and trickles down through generations, making him desperate to be a better man than his father could ever be. The turmoil that ensues as a result holds the drama squarely centered between retribution and forgiveness, allowing Nichols to explore both in the abstract and literal sense; the terrific cast merely contributing realism to a story that already feels all too tragically real. It's not Nichols' best work but it certainly was a strong start for the award-winning filmmaker, and continues to be a film well worth watching.

Shotgun Stories Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shotgun Stories boasts a top notch 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer that captures its filmmakers intentions simply but magnificently. Colors are skewed toward blue but lend the image a cooler, more sun-bleached tone that bolsters its low-budget indie cred without venturing too far into the stylistic weeds. Primaries are a touch too strong but still pop nicely. Black levels are deep and inky, even though low lighting leads to far less clarity in nighttime shots. Likewise, contrast is excellent other than when the sun goes down (which thankfully isn't very often). Detail is revealing at every turn, with clean, naturally defined edges and plenty of refined, well-resolved textures. The age and rust that scars the trailers, furniture and cars gives everything a worn, lived-past aesthetic and the encode's detailing is more than happy to showcase every fleck, stain and gash. Moreover, blocking and banding are nowhere to be found. Sony's encode is given plenty of room to work, and work it does.

Shotgun Stories Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sony's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is a strong lossless offering. Though Nichols' sound design isn't quite as enveloping as that of his later films, the rear speakers still have plenty of ambient activity that creates a reasonably immersive series of outdoor soundscapes. Directionality is convincing, pans are smooth, and dynamics deliver, even though the LFE channel isn't afforded much beyond the roar of car engines or the occasional bark of a gun. Dialogue is nicely centered and intelligible at all times, prioritization is fairly faultless, and only the noise floor of shooting in the wild holds the track back from a higher score.

Shotgun Stories Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Mistake of mistakes! I completely missed Shotgun Stories' extras. Thanks to the members who let me know. The Blu-ray edition indeed includes a decent complement of special features, including:

• Audio Commentary - Director Jeff Nichols

• Jeff Nichols Interview (SD, 14 minutes)

• Photo Album (SD, 1 minute)

• Theatrical Trailer

Shotgun Stories Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shotgun Stories isn't writer/director Jeff Nichols' best but it is a powerful family drama nonetheless. Sony's Blu-ray release makes it that much easier to be introduced to the film as well, thanks to a superb video transfer and a strong audio track. I only wish the disc included some more in-depth extras. The director's commentary is great but a more comprehensive production documentary might have been really insightful and informative.