Umbrella Entertainment adds yet another phenomenal release to their "Ozploitation Classics" label with Ian Barry’s The Chain Reaction, an all-too-realistic and futuristic action thriller about the terrifying beginnings of a nuclear holocaust.
In the film, an earthquake in rural Australia causes a dangerous leak at WALDO (Western Atomic Longterm Dumping Organization), a nuclear waste storage facility. Heinrich Schmidt (Ross Thompson), an engineer who was exposed to the waste during the accident, knows that the leak will contaminate the groundwater for hundreds of miles around, and wants to warn the public. His boss, however, is only interested in saving his own ass, and enlists a top-secret government security team to cover up the disaster, even if it means thousands will die. Heinrich manages to escape from the facility, but his worsening physical and mental condition complicates his efforts, he is rescued by Larry Stilson (Steve Bisley), an auto mechanic and his wife, Carmel (Arna-Maria Winchester). At their retreat in an isolated mountain valley, Larry and Carmel strive to help Heinrich piece together his memories of what happened, but with an army of vicious decontamination workers closing in on the trio, they attempt a daring escape in order to spread the warning to the public.
The Chain Reaction is a thriller that works on many different levels, even with its unusual contrasting elements. The film features atmospheric suspense, high octane action in the form of thrilling car chases, which were second-unit directed by Mad Max creator George Miller, and instances of romantic encounters. Barry very successfully combined all of these elements into a uniquely enjoyable and equally shocking slice of Aussie filmmaking. And while The Chain Reaction is a product of its socio-cultural time, with its nuclear nightmare storyline, it's a film with a real message and commercial appeal that's still relevant to this day, secretive cover-ups and all.
Bisely skillfully plays the part of an average bloke who gets caught up in a dangerous situation while not fully comprehending the events unfolding around him. He has a casualness to his portrayal that's easily relatable and convincing. Thompson does a fine job in playing the role of a slowly dying amnesiac, even if some scenes are overacted. Ralph Cotterill as the film's main baddie totally sells the role and delivers a believable performance as a despicable and corrupt individual. Also, if you pay attention to the beginning of the film, Mel Gibson appears in a quick cameo role as a mechanic.
The Chain Reaction's region-free Blu-ray debut looks absolutely magnificent, presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and boasting a fully remastered 1080p transfer. I don't have any details on the lineage of the HD remaster, but it looks phenomenal! The transfer features a healthy amount of film grain and impressive detail, with very few blemishes to gripe about other than some minor white speckling and miniscule imperfections. Colors are rich, vibrant and convincingly natural. Overall, this is a wonderful presentation from start to finish.
The audio comes in the form of a single English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track with optional English subtitles. Dialogue rings crisp and clear, given that you have an ear for Australian accents (the subtitles may come in handy). I was blown away by the audio quality during the car chase sequences, which feature fantastic depth. Andrew Thomas Wilson's electronic score also benefits greatly from the wonderful audio quality.
Like most of Umbrella's releases, special features are plentiful, starting with extended interviews with stars Steve Bisley and Ana-Maria Winchester, director Ian Barry, and associate producer Ross Matthews from from Mark Hartley's documentary, Not Quite Hollywood. "Thrills & Nuclear Spills" is a vintage making of featurette that runs approximately 33 minutes in which cast and crew talk about how the film came to be, its blending of different genre elements and the relevance of its message. Director Ian Barry's sci-fi short The Sparks Obituary is presented with and introduction from Barry. A rough cut of Chain Reaction, titled The Man at the Edge of the Freeway and sourced from an analog master, is included. Rounding out the features are a collection of deleted and extended scenes, and trailers.
Very similar to Umbrella's previous Ozploitation Classics releases, Razorback and Next of Kin, The Chain Reaction still holds up as a thoroughly entertaining watch. I really enjoyed my time with this piece of Australian cinema, and though I hadn't previously seen or even heard of the film, I can comfortably say that this is the best the film has ever looked or sounded. Highly recommended!
