Second Sight's new release, Green Room, starring Anton Yelchin, Patrick Stewart and Imogen Poots, is one of those films that needs context. Context about Punk culture; how it's been appropriated by the far right, and it's roots in a benevolent shunning of societal rules.

To the general public, spiky hair, leather and sweary t-shirts may suggest someone to avoid. But to those who are part of that subculture it's a sign of brotherhood, family and safety. At least, it should be.

Unfortunately there are always bad apples. And the resistance and aggression of Punk has been adopted by those who want to use it for nefarious means. The opening scenes of Green Room suggest that the gig they've ended up doing, caters to the “boots and braces crowd”, but they don't anticipate just how wrong this gig is going to go.

The ‘Ain't Rights' are a travelling punk band who shun traditional methods of promotion. Seeing using the internet as “impure” they rely on word of mouth to get gigs, steal fuel to make up for their lack of funds, and will take any opportunity they are offered for pure, organic promotion.

After a performance in a diner set up by a small town journalist only brings them six dollars each, he suggests they go to a local bar for an evening set for the aforementioned problematic crowd. They accept the opportunity, but throw in their own act of resistance by opening with a cover version of Dead Kennedy's ‘Nazi Punks, Fuck Off'. A move which annoys the crowd, but is soon calmed by the rest of the set being more to their audience's liking.

It's not until they go to leave, and return to their dressing room to retrieve a phone charger, that things really kick off.

Unfortunately the ‘Ain't Rights' become witnesses to a crime their hosts would prefer to hide and this single space setting becomes a maze and a prison. Filled with fighting dogs, sharp knives and guns, it's an environment that they have little hope to escape from.

It's rare to see violence like this on screen. Green Room is visceral, relentless and unforgiving. But this is balanced by the warmth and affection between the band members. They are a family and attempt to work together to escape their captors. Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots and Alia Shawkat turn in excellent performances. Yelchin's tragically being the one of the last before his death, leading to a tribute at the end of the film. Patrick Stewart also offers a bracing and shocking against type performance.

The bonus features on the disc make reference to the affection between cast and crew. With director Jeremy Saulnier struggling to hold back tears as he speaks about Yelchin's warmth and talent. There aren't many additional features on this disc but they are all worth a watch, Saulnier's interview in particular. He speaks about his own background and history as a Punk in his youth. Which makes perfect sense in the context of how honest and raw Green Room is. The characters are his childhood friends, and the culture one he strongly identifies with.

Green Room is many things, a horror, a thriller, a lesson in subcultures and a family drama. But all you need to know is that it's really, really good.

Special Features

Dual format edition including both UHD and Blu-ray with main feature and bonus features on both discs
UHD presented in Dolby Vision HDR
New audio commentary by Reyna Cervantes and Prince Jackson
Audio commentary by Writer/Director Jeremy Saulnier
Going Hardcore: a new interview with Jeremy Saulnier
Punk Rock: a new interview with Actor Callum Turner
Rocking Out: a new interview with Composers Brooke & Will Blair
Going Green: a new interview with Production Designer Ryan Warren Smith
Nazi Punks F*ck Off: Thomas Caldwell on Green Room
Archive featurette: Into the Pit – Making Green Room

Limited Edition Contents

Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Adam Stothard
120-page book with new essays by Eugenio Ercolani and Gian Giacomo Petrone, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Josh Hurtado, Jolene Richardson, Shelagh Rowan-Legg and Thomas Watson
6 collectors' art cards

Green Room is released on Limited Edition 4k and Blu-ray from Second Sight on the 18th of March