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Black Sheep
[Blu-ray 4K]
Blu-ray ALL - America - Umbrella Review written by and copyright: James-Masaki Ryan (2nd October 2025). |
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The Film
 "Black Sheep" (2006) Fifteen years after a childhood trauma that left him with a fear of sheep, Henry Oldfield (played by Nathan Meister) returns to his family’s sheep farm in which he is ready to sell his share of the property to his older brother Angus (played by Peter Feeney). Angus Oldfield has gone into the field of genetics, and the farmland has been the site of a science laboratory that has been targeted by environmental activists. But after an altercation leads to a mutated lamb escaping, a chain of events start in which anything or anyone bitten by the creature become rabid creatures that prey on anything in their way… New Zealand is well known for being the land of sheep, in which the fluffy animals heavily outnumber the population of people in the country. In film, New Zealand produced some notable gory horror films, most famously with filmmaker Peter Jackson’s early works becoming influential milestones which led to his company WETA becoming a leader in practical and digital visual effects for many major international works. “Black Sheep” is a love letter to splatter films and is one that is uniquely a New Zealand work as well as being a showcase for WETA's excellent practical effects. The film was the first feature by filmmaker Jonathan King, who always had a love for horror films and was a walking encyclopedia of the genre. There was inspiration from the werewolf genre, with a bite turning men into the creatures themselves in a rabid state, but gave it a twist by using the more common and seemingly innocent sheep instead. But rather than using the plot device of an ancient myth, “Black Sheep” takes the science approach with mad science gone haywire, and the results are surprisingly good, even if a little far fetched overall. An importance with any splatter film is the gore, and turning cute and fluffy sheep into menacing carnivorous creatures was well done as the production decided to work with practical effects rather than rely entirely on digital. Instead of digital creatures devouring their prey, clever tricks were used with hand crafted puppets, animatronics, and editing to mask that they were not real sheep used for the scenes. In addition, there are transformation scenes as some of the infected human characters turn into were-sheep creatures, and this also used some great practical transformation effects in camera, pioneered in works such as “An American Werewolf in London”, “The Howling”, and “The Thing” decades prior. There were some digital effects used to enhance materials, but overall it is quite impressive what was achieved with physical means. But just because a horror film has top notch gore effects doesn’t mean much unless there is a plot with notable characters. It is an interesting plot device to make the lead character of Henry have a phobia of sheep and having to overcome it through this harrowing journey. The very first scene involves Henry as a boy and how his phobia came to be, but this is unfortunately the weakest portion of the film. From his brother Angus slaughtering a sheep and using the carcass to frighten his younger brother and then immediately receiving news that their father died in an accident, it didn’t quite have the traumatic punch that it was meant to have. The film would have easily worked without the scene entirely. Obviously with the story about rabid sheep and a phobic lead, things could not move forward without the help of literal supporting characters. His childhood friend Tucker (played by Tammy Davis) who is a sheep wrangler is the most adept character in the situation, and his positivity and humorous tone makes him the most likeable character throughout, that is until he gets bitten and subjugated to lab tests. The two activists – Grant (played by Oliver Driver) who steals the lab experiment and eventually becomes infects, and the oddly named Experience (played by Danielle Mason) who needs the help of Henry and Tucker to rescue her friend and survive the ordeal. Their story splits into two quite quickly, and obviously without their initial infiltration, the outbreak would never have occurred. Experience can sometimes feel like the damsel in distress, but she is able to stand her own ground when needed, making Henry have to prove himself over the course of events. And no one can forget the housekeeper Mrs. Mac (played by Glenis Levestam) who is the heart and soul, but also one that is unafraid of the odds when disaster strikes. As for Angus, his character is one of ambition that is closer to a mad Bond villain, whose logical thoughts are with money and power rather than family or safety. He transformed the family business and is ready to sell off the land in order to further himself, and even his brother has no way of stopping the decision. The question is, who exactly is the “black sheep” in the title? Probably both, on opposite ends. It’s not quite clear how the older son of a farmer was able to create a science lab and experiment on the family land, but too much backstory can entirely ruin the set reality of the story and it should not be looked into very deeply. Visually speaking, “Black Sheep” is unique in the terms of horror in which a lot of key sequences are brightly lit in the daytime. When many horror and monster films have scenes take place at night both to give a sense of danger in the dark as well as being able to mask some of the effects work, there are a surprising amount of daytime scenes. The attack on the patrons at the event, the car over the cliff scene, and Grant’s attack are all brightly lit and visually wonderful, with excellent uses of closeups and wideshots that are well choreographed and timed. In addition there are some great night scenes such as towards the end as it makes sense in the chronological sense, and the effects work in those scenes also work quite well. As stated, WETA produced the visual effects for the film. The effects team worked on massive Hollywood productions, notable with Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “King Kong”, alongside “Hellboy”, “Kingdom of Heaven”, "The Last Samurai" and more. But when they were approached by King and his producers to help with a small independent local New Zealand production, the team were more than excited to help with the smaller feature. This was their first time working on a low budget feature that was not one of Jackson’s own films, and they pulled out all the stops with exceptional transformation scenes, seamless transitions with creatures, and realistic puppets that could easily be mistaken by audiences. “Black Sheep” premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 10th, 2006 and received a general theatrical release in its home country of New Zealand on March 29th, 2007. This was followed by other festival screenings and theatrical releases worldwide throughout 2007 and 2008. Surprisingly the last major market to have the film released was Japan, which premiered theatrically and had a Blu-ray release in 2020. The film was well received critically and by horror fans, praising its balance of humor and gore, though it was not one that broke through into the mainstream. It won some awards including two from the New Zealand Film and TV Awards with make-up and sound design, and notice went to King’s direction at some international awards. King would direct his second feature “Under the Mountain”, a supernatural horror adapted from the novel of the same name in 2009 and his third was the science fiction thriller “Realiti” in 2014. He did write his first graphic novel “Inkberg Enigma” in 2020, but cult horror fans who experienced “Black Sheep” have been curious for more, as the film ends with a hint to a possible sequel. In 2024 it was stated that King would direct a sequel to “Black Sheep”, though no other news has been released since the announcement. It may be on track to coincide with the first film’s 20th anniversary, which would be a delight for cult fans. Peter Feeney, Nathan Meister, and Tammy Davis are attached to the production, but unfortunately Glenis Levestam will not be back as Mrs. Mac, as she passed away in 2024 at the age of 87 from cancer. A veteran actress in New Zealand television and film, "Black Sheep" was her acting role. After nineteen years, the film still works very well, and a lot of that is due to the strength of the film in its practical effects and direction. Hopefully the sequel will live up to expectations. Note this is a region ALL 4K UltraHD Blu-ray + standard Blu-ray set
Video
Umbrella presents the film in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio in 2160p HEVC with HDR10 grading on the 4K UltraHD and in 1080p AVC MPEG-4 on the standard Blu-ray. Shot on 35mm film, the 4K transfer of the film is absolutely flawless, with rich colors showcasing the New Zealand scenery beautifully, pin sharp focus during closeups, detail in darker scenes, and free of any damage marks with a cleaned up transfer. Film grain is retained and there is nothing to fault with the transfer, with no issues of compression or artifacts, and the HDR layer gives the colors an extra boost. The downscaled HD transfer on the standard Blu-ray is also excellent, looking just as clean and sharp in the HD resolution. Obviously anyone with a 4K setup will go for the UHD disc as reference visuals, though the standard BD is very strong as well. A great job on the restoration and transfer by Umbrella. The film's runtime on both discs is 86:32.
Audio
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo There are two audio options on both discs, with lossless 5.1 and 2.0 stereo choices. The surround mix is excellent, with the surrounding channels used effectively for scares and music cues, while being well balanced against the dialogue. The dialogue is almost always centered, clear and audible throughout, and there are no issues with dropout or damage to be heard. The stereo track is a downmix and is fine, but the 5.1 track is the best way to experience the film. There are optional English HoH subtitles for the main feature in a white font. They are well timed and easy to read.
Extras
DISC ONE (Blu-ray 4K) (1) Audio Commentary with writer/director Jonathan King and actor Nathan Meister (2006) This vintage commentary has King and Meister discussing the production, from the locations used near Wellington, the ideas for the script, information about the characters, the casting decisions, the set designs, the effects by WETA, behind the scenes information and more. While there is a good deal of information included and is a fun listen, it is not quite as in-depth as one might expect. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles (2) Audio Commentary with critics Matt Donato and Rob Hunter (2025) This new and exclusive commentary by Donato and Hunter have them discussing the film, with their thoughts on it being underrated, about New Zealand's unique blend of comedy and horror, comparisons to other films in the genre, praise for the practical effects and the gory sequences, and more. This commentary is a disappointment overall, as the two point out mostly the obvious and what is appearing on screen, with very little information on the background of the production or its reception after release. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles DISC TWO (Blu-ray) (1) Audio Commentary with writer/director Jonathan King and actor Nathan Meister (2006) (2) Audio Commentary with critics Matt Donato and Rob Hunter (2025) The two commentaries from the first disc are repeated here. 2025 interview with writer and director Jonathan King (24:13) This new and exclusive interview with King has him discussing the films that influenced him, particularly "Evil Dead II", "Bad Taste", and "An American Werewolf in London", the ideas for the film and the characters, having WETA's involvement and their excitement on working on a smaller production, about the music score, the audience reactions, thoughts for a sequel and much more. It's a great interview and hopefully the hints towards a sequel in time for the 20th anniversary will come to fruition. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "From Bad Taste to Black Sheep: Mapping the Gory History of New Zealand Splatstick with Dr Alfio Leotta" 2025 video essay (14:32) This new and exclusive featurette looks at the blend of slapstick humor and gory horror of New Zealand features, from early works such as "Death Warmed Up" and "Bad Taste" to "Black Sheep" and more recent features. It traces from its origins and the state of the New Zealand film industry (or lack thereof) and the filmmakers, and also goes in-depth with the themes presented in "Black Sheep" such as the use of culture and locations. There are multiple clips of "Black Sheep" used, but for other films there are only poster stills, due to rights issues. It's a great presentation, well edited, and well researched. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in various ratios, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Genetic Experiments Gone Wrong in Film with David Michael Brown" 2025 video essay (13:11) This new and exclusive featurette is focused on the film genre in which mad science creates body horror and more. Presented are examples from iconic works such as "The Island of Lost Souls", "The Fly", and "The Island of Dr. Moreau", as well as some surprises like "Gattaca" which most people may not immediately connect. Again there are multiple clips of "Black Sheep" used, but for other films there are only poster stills, due to rights issues. Like the presentation above, it is well done and well spoken and is one of the new highlights of this set. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in various ratios, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Deleted Scenes (with optional commentary by writer/director Jonathan King and actor Nathan Meister) (3:44) Presented here are deleted scenes, with Tucker and Henry's original first meeting in the film on the road, Angus chasing off a sheep from the barn, exposition by Experience about what happened at the lab, and extended scene with Mrs. Mac driving, and a scene with the character of Mike awakening after transformation. The vintage commentary by King and Meister explain about the scenes and why they were cut, mostly for pacing reasons and redundancy. There is an audio issue with the commentary, as the film's dialogue audio is mixed too loudly, making the commentary a little difficult to hear. in 1080p (upscaled) AVC MPEG-4, in 2.35:1, in English Dolby Digital 1.0 without subtitles "The Making of Black Sheep" 2006 documentary (32:49) This vintage documentary is an excellent making-of for the feature, with interviews with the cast and crew and behind the scenes footage. The cast and crew discuss the making of the film and about the characters, WETA's involvement with the practical effects with footage of the building of the puppets and animatronics, storyboard comparisons, B-roll footage, gore effects tests, and much more. The documentary has a lot of great information and footage and is a fantastic look behind the scenes. in 1080p (upscaled) AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles 2006 Cast and Crew Interviews (34:08) Presented here are EPK interviews with the cast and crew, in which footage from these interviews were used to create the above documentary, so some words are repeated here. First, Jonathan King discusses the story, WETA's work, and using in camera effects. WETA's Richard Taylor shows some of the puppets created for the film and about WETA's excitement for being involved in a smaller local production. Producer Philippa Campbell talks about the humor and the characters featured in the production. Makeup artist Dave Elsey talks about the working relationship with King and the effects work done. Then there are a series of cast interviews with Nathan Meister, Danielle Mason, Tammy Davis, Peter Feeney, and Glenis Levestam about their roles and the story. in 720p (upscaled) AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles B-Roll (7:51) Presented here is a series of behind-the-scenes shots of the production, from animatronic test in studio, outdoor locations with the gore effects, and other random shots on set. in 720p (upscaled) AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Gag Reel (2:34) A gag reel of line flubs, mistakes, and silly accidents is presented here. in 1080p (upscaled) AVC MPEG-4, in 2.35:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "A Ewe-nique Transformation: Make-up Test" featurette (0:51) Presented here is vintage footage from WETA testing the make-up of Tucker’s transformation scene. in 720p (upscaled) AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Jonathan King Interviewed by The Bazura Project 2007 (25:06) "The Bazura Project" was an Australian TV show that ran on ABC2, hosted by Shannon Marinko and Lee Zachariah. A show that focused on cinema through humor, this episode featured some news on upcoming films such as "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (which was still not officially titled yet but they mention "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" as one of the choices), "Eddie the Eagle" (which their report of the Steve Coogan starring production was eventually scrapped), and "Notorious, as well as examples of alternate could-have-been casting choices for various films, as well as a look at "Black Sheep". They interview King in the second half of the show, as well as give their thoughts on the film and more. It's a fun episode and even if the King interview segment is short, it is still well worth a watch. in 720p (upscaled) AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Trailer (1:59) The Australian Icon theatrical trailer is presented here. The narration style certainly feels dated to the late 90s or early 2000s, but was in fact a trailer to promote the 2007 theatrical release. It has been embedded below, courtesy of Icon. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.85:1, in English LPCM 2.0 without subtitles The film was first released on DVD which had differing variations by country in terms of transfers, languages, and extras. It was then released on Blu-ray as well, though no new extras were added. his marks the film's 4K UHD worldwide debut, features all the previously released extras, adds new extras, and presents the film in the theatrical aspect ratio with lossless audio. This is the definitive edition. Other notable clips: Umbrella's 4K restoration trailer An interview with Jonathan King from ComicFest 2022
Packaging
The discs are packaged in a standard black UHD keep case with a reversible cover. The only difference is the Australian MA15+ rating logos are removed on the opposite side. It is also available with a slipcover exclusively at the Umbrella Webshop, with new artwork by Austen Mengler. it is also available in a Collector's Edition, limited to 1500 copies exclusively at the Umbrella Webshop which also includes: - 100+ pages of behind-the-scenes material, new essays and interviews - Custom designed bloody woolly outer rigid slipcase - Custom design slipcase - 8 artcards - A3 reversible poster The hardback book includes extensive concept art, WETA stills, behind the scenes photos, and storyboards as well as essays and interviews. The first essay is "The Sheep Are Revolting" by Dr. Erin Harrington, PhD. The second is "Attack of the Killer Romneys" by Scott Kara. This is followed by "Violence of the Lambs" by David Michael Brown. Then there is "Black Sheep - A Reflection of New Zealand Cinema" by Paolo Caccioppoli Mohil. Each essay is well researched and point out aspects of the production, the culture represented, and the genre as a whole and are definitely worth the time to read. This is followed by "I Was a Weresheep" which is a text interview with Dave and Lou Elsey from WETA and their involvement in the film's effects. There is also a contemporary review Russell Baillie of the New Zealand Herald plus "The Predator Least Likely" by Guy Davis as the final essay. The artcards are shots of scenes from the production, printed on thick cards. The double sided poster has the artwork from the keep case on one side, and a shot of a rabid sheep on the other, which is also a still on one of the artcards. The poster is folded and held in the keep case. The keep case with the slipcover, the hardback book, and the artcards slide into the unique slipcase which is covered in fluffy wool with faux blood splatter. 
Overall
"Black Sheep" is a standout in the comedy-horror genre, with genuinely great visuals with the use of practical effects, fun characters and excellent direction. There are a few flaws along the way such as the opening sequence and some of the character decisions, but it is still a highlight of the Splatstick genre and still works well almost two decades later. Umbrella has given the film a strong release for its 4K UltraHD debut, with numerous extras and a stellar transfer making this highly recommended. Umbrella Webshop link - standard edition or slipcover edition Umbrella Webshop link - Collector's Edition
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