Hush (Blu-ray)

Mark Tonderai’s Brit debut focuses on Zakes and Beth, a young couple on the brink of a break-up, whose night of travelling down a late-night motorway is about to get a whole lot worse thanks to a mysterious (and possibly psychotic) truck driver.

Hush may not boast the most original of set-ups, but while the likes of Duel and The Hitcher frequently spring to mind throughout the proceedings, the film’s breathless pace barely allows time to ponder the various influences, with Tonderai’s tight direction managing to keep the palms sweaty and the fingernails chewed thoroughly from start to finish. 

Cheap, simple and heart-poundingly effective, Hush is a great exercise in making the most of a modest budget, so as you’d expect, it’s not the glossiest, most visually impressive movie ever to grace the Blu-ray format. As the film takes place mostly at night, the Blu-ray has a lot to contend with in regards to contrast and grain, and due to the gritty nature of the filming style, the hi-def picture isn’t much of an improvement on the DVD. Brightly lit scenes however, such when the action takes place outside of a petrol station or under the harsh lights of a motorway service cafeteria, display superior sharpness and clarity over the standard definition release.

Dialogue is clear and the effective score is solid, even if the surround speakers aren’t really put to good use.

There are no exclusive extras on the Blu-ray, though the existing package is a pretty good one, including a decent commentary from the director, some insight into the production via seven featurettes and a couple of interesting interviews.

Overall Verdict: A taut thriller, but an inessential hi-def release.

Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Mark Tonderai
Interview With Director Mark Tonderai
Interview With Actor Will Ash
Artist On Artist: Noel Clarke Interviews Mark Tonderai
Deleted Scenes With Optional Commentary
Seven Behind The Scenes Featurettes

Reviewer: Lee Griffiths