OUT OF THE BLUE - neutered by its understandable sensitivity to the subject

OUT OF THE BLUE is a respectfully straightforward retelling of the worst massacre in New Zealand's history. A schizophrenic man shot 13 people at random before being shot dead by police after a 22 hour seige. Karl Urban of LOTR fame stars as the local copper first on the scene. The strength of the film is its evident respect for, and patience in depicting the lives of the victims. The weakness of the film is its understandable unwillingness to think creatively about such a sensitive subject. The only truly memorable sequence is near the end. Without more of this, you can't help feeling that this is a well-made TV true life drama.

OUT OF THE BLUE played Toronto 2006 and was released in New Zealand that year. It was released in the USA in 2007 and in the UK in March 2008. It is now available on DVD.