Review of Risk

Introduction

Risk is another in a long line of Australian films to get a very low key release in the UK. Chances are that you don`t know much about it and its cinema release passed you by, as it didn`t get a mainstream release. That`s certainly the position I was in when I sat down to watch it.

Starring Aussie veteran Bryan Brown (perhaps veteran is slightly unkind, but he`s been around for a while), and two relative newcomers in Tom Long and Claudia Karvan (you`ll be seeing a lot more of her in the future for sure), the plot revolves around an insurance company. It opens up with some footage of crash tests, which is in some ways a taster of things to come. Brown plays a slightly stereotypical foul-mouthed Australian, with Long as the wet-behind-the-ears new kid, and Karvan as the sexy, super-cool lawyer.

Video

A very nice looking 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer, almost totally free of dirt and dust. Colours look good, with artefacts and film grain nowhere to be seen. All very pleasing for such a low budget film.

Despite being filmed in Australia, this film is very much set in the urban jungle, so the best scenery that you can expect are some shots of skyscrapers, although there is a very brief sojourn down to a picturesque coast along the way.

Audio

A DD2.0 stereo track which, although it sounds good and does its job, seems like a bit of a let-down overall. Although it`s not a big "boom and bang" action thriller, there were certainly times when the on-screen action would have enjoyed a boost from a DD5.1 soundtrack.

The soundtrack includes several tracks from Skulker, including a rather weak cover of "20th Century Boy". At times the score drifts off into some Elton John style piano, but then gets back up to date with some more modern sounds, and it fits in well with the film.

Features

I`ve already mentioned that the film was a low budget one, so if you`re not expecting much then you`re right. We do get the trailer, which is a 4:3 affair which doesn`t look great, and spoils some key scenes of the film.

The other extra is a 10 minute "making of" featurette, which features some interviews with cast and crew, and a few behind the scenes moments which concentrate on the filming of a couple of scenes. It doesn`t really tell you very much though.

Conclusion

Although you may not have heard of it, you`ll certainly enjoy watching it, as there`s plenty of entertainment to be had. The plot isn`t too complicated, but there are a few twists along the way which make it stand out as a "break from the norm". Claudia Karvan very definitely steals this show as she positively smoulders when she is on screen. Channel 4 viewers may recognise her from "The Secret Life of Us", but she`s also starred in a lot of films that have never made it across to this side of the equator.

The DVD is probably as you would expect from a low budget film, and it probably won`t find its way into too many collections. However it`s definitely worth a rental as a bit of a change from the usual Saturday night pop corn film.