Out of the Blue

The true story of New Zealander David Gray who, 'out of the blue' killed and maimed 13 neighbours, this is a haunting look at a crime that shocked the world. One sunny afternoon in 1990, Gray (Sunderland) shoots his neighbour after his child runs over his lawn. Then, after burning his own house down, he turns his gun on the rest of the small-town community of Aramoana. Unusually, director Sarkies shows the victims' reactions to the horror before them, rather than opting for the easy road of using copious amounts of blood and squibs. By leaving the audience to imagine the slaughter rather than presenting yet another movie massacre, Out Of The Blue adds up to a refreshing antidote to your standard thriller. And, not content to merely challenge conventions, the movie's climax and the fate that befalls Gray manages to be the most sinister and graphic touch of all. [Kevin McHugh]