NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Umbrella Blu-ray (November 2025): Umbrella have transferred Ian Barry's The Chain Reaction to Blu-ray. It is cited as "sourced from a new 4K scan" and delivers balanced colors, remarkable clarity, and a healthy layer of natural film grain, preserving the gritty Ozploitation aesthetic while showcasing impressive detail in close-ups and textures throughout. Deep blacks and balanced hues excel in both dark interior scenes and brighter outdoor sequences, with strong organic qualities and wonderful color grading that make the image look film-like, with minor speckles (one frame-specific damage mark - see below,) occasional softness, and subtle density fluctuations from the original lensing are present without detracting from the overall HD presentation. Cinematography by Russell Boyd (A Soldier's Story, Tender Mercies, The Year of Living Dangerously, Gallipoli, The Last Wave, Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Man from Hong Kong, Master and Commander) captures the outback's stark beauty and menace, using wide shots to emphasize isolation and tight frames for claustrophobic tension inside vehicles or the facility. The 1080P image stability is a strength, and while some night scenes reflect the limitations of 1980s cinematography with lower light visibility, the transfer remains a significant upgrade, highlighting the desolate outback landscapes and high-octane action with depth and precision that far surpasses prior SD home video formats.

NOTE: We have added 78 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Umbrella use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It provides clear dialogue that handles Australian accents effectively, alongside a well-balanced mix where the electronic score by Andrew Thomas Wilson (his only theatrical film composition credit) that amplifies suspense with pulsating synths and ominous drones, evoking a sci-fi atmosphere that aligns with the era's genre films. Pacing, however, is a point of contention. The film starts sluggishly, building conspiracy elements before accelerating into chases, which some view as a strength - mirroring the "chain reaction" of escalating chaos. Umbrella offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

NOTE: A previous releases included a CD of the full film's soundtrack.

The extras package on this Umbrella Blu-ray release is robust and collector-worthy, starting with over an hour of extended interviews from the Not Quite Hollywood documentary featuring cast members Steve Bisley and Arna-Maria Winchester, director Ian Barry, and associate producer Ross Matthews, offering insightful discussions on the film's production challenges, George Miller's involvement, and unique locations. Complementing this is the Thrills & Nuclear Spills 1/2 hour featurette, a retrospective with Barry, Bisley, and producer David Elfick exploring the movie's genesis, environmental themes, and blending of genres. The Sparks Obituary runs 25 minutes plus we get Barry's quirky 1978 sci-fi short film with an introduction, providing context to his early work; and a collection of 10 minutes of deleted and extended scenes sourced from the workprint, adding fascinating glimpses into unused material. A standout inclusion is the feature-length The Man at the Edge of the Freeway early cut, an upscaled tape-sourced workprint with additional footage, visible production artifacts, and an Easter egg open-matte theatrical version; promotional materials like the theatrical trailer, TV spot, VHS trailer, and an image gallery round out the disc, alongside a booklet with new writing by film critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (1000 Women In Horror, 1895-2018,) making this a comprehensive archive for Ozploitation enthusiasts.

Ian Barry's The Chain Reaction is an Australian science fiction thriller that blends elements of disaster drama, conspiracy thriller, and high-octane action, drawing heavily from contemporary anxieties about nuclear energy while incorporating vehicular pursuits that echo the raw energy of the emerging Ozploitation genre. Nudity and violence add an exploitation edge, including full-frontal scenes that underscore vulnerability amid peril. The narrative unfolds as a tense chase across desolate landscapes, culminating in explosive confrontations that highlight the film's dual focus on ecological peril and human resilience. Notably, The Chain Reaction shares significant personnel with George Miller's Mad Max (1979), including actors like Steve Bisley (who played Goose in Mad Max) and Hugh Keays-Byrne, as well as crew members. Miller himself served as associate producer and directed the uncredited car chase sequences, which inject the film with kinetic intensity reminiscent of his post-apocalyptic classic. Mel Gibson makes a brief cameo as a bearded mechanic, further tying the film to the Mad Max universe. This overlap is no coincidence; both films emerged from Australia's burgeoning exploitation cinema scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s, capitalizing on low budgets, practical stunts, and themes of societal breakdown. Influences are evident in its fusion of genres. It borrows the nuclear cover-up paranoia from The China Syndrome (1979), released just a year prior amid real-world events like the Three Mile Island accident, while adopting Mad Max's gritty, car-centric chaos. The Chain Reaction is a cautionary tale about the dangers of nuclear waste and unchecked corporate power. The earthquake-triggered leak serves as a metaphor for humanity's hubris in tampering with atomic forces, with Schmidt's contamination symbolizing the irreversible toll on individuals and ecosystems. However, the film's thematic ambition sometimes falters - the anti-nuclear message feels tacked on, serving primarily as a McGuffin for action rather than a deeply explored polemic. Umbrella's Blu-ray edition stands as an enticing release for cult cinema fans, delivering a highly pleasing restoration with strong video and audio quality that breathes new life into this underrated 1980s Australian thriller, while the impressive array of extras provides deep contextual value and rare archival content, making it highly recommended despite the film's occasional narrative flaws.

Gary Tooze