DVD Corner

Mob Land Blu-ray Review

“Mob Land” is a better than average crime drama.  

Set in a rural small town, “Mob Land” is an ensemble crime drama that revolves around Shelby (a car racer/mechanic/father/husband), his brother-in-law Trey, Sheriff Bodie (who is the uncle of Shelby), and a vicious enforcer for a gangster (Clayton). The main story concerns Trey roping Shelby into robbing a local health clinic which deals painkillers. The robbery doesn’t go as planned and the money winds up belonging to a gangster. This is where Clayton enters the picture. Not only is he tying up loose ends and trying to secure the money, but he forces Shelby to work with him in order to ensure his wife and daughter’s safety. Sheriff Bodie, meanwhile, begins to look into the robbery and is trying to find out what all is happening. 

There’s a lot of bad indie crime dramas out there made for the home video market, but thankfully “Mob Land” is better than the average release. Writer/director Nicholas Maggio (and co-writer Rob Healy) crafted a gritty little movie that touches on small town life, the drug epidemic, financial desperation, and the criminal underworld. Does the story tread familiar territory? Yes. Is the handheld camera cinematography overdone? Yes. Does the story run a bit too long given how thin the story is? Also Yes. Despite those shortcomings, there’s something engrossing about this high stakes small town story. Maggio does a fair amount of world building and really digs into many of the characters. There’s a lot of lingering shots and talky scenes that give the characters more depth. Clayton in particular gets a surprising arc in the final act. 

Speaking of Clayton, Stephen Dorff is certainly the MVP here. The actor always commits to whatever role he has and gives it all. His performance here is nothing short of intense. John Travolta could have used a bit more screentime, but he gives a decent and understated performance as the Sheriff. Shiloh Fernandez isn’t a household name, but the actor gives a quality performance here. He’s appeared in a few major films in the past (notably 2013’s “Evil Dead” and “Red Riding Hood”), but his career hasn’t quite taken off yet. He definitely deserves more roles as he proves to be a capable and versatile actor. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 1080p. Grade: B+

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. Grade: B+

Extras:
* DVD copy
* Digital copy
* Commentary by writer/director Nicholas Maggio, actor Shiloh Fernandez and DP Nicholas Matthews.
* “Walking The Line: The Characters Of Mob Land” featurette

October 13, 2023 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | crime drama, John Travolta, Mob Land Blu-ray Review, Stephen Dorff