Nerdly » ‘Derelict’ Blu-ray Review

26th Sep2025

‘Derelict’ Blu-ray Review

by Alain Elliott

Stars: Suzanne Fulton, Michael Coombes, Pete Bird, Dean Kilbey, Ben Manning, Nick Cornwall, Ayvianna Snow, Darren James King | Written by Kat Ellinger, Michael Mackenzie, Todd Rodgers, Jonathan Zaurin, Sarah Zaurin | Directed by Jonathan Zaurin

After showing at last year’s Frightfest and now with a Blu-ray release from 101 Films, Derelict is a hard-hitting, character-driven drama that is not quite your usual Frightfest movie.

Abigail (Suzanne Fulton), a young woman consumed by the brutal murder of her father, spirals into a world of seclusion, obsession and revenge. 10 years have passed since her father’s death, and she is hellbent on punishing those who have caused her immense pain. Through a compelling non-liner structure, Abigail’s world collides with Matt’s (Michael Coombes), a young man whose already turbulent life is upended by the return of his estranged brother, Ewan (Pete Bird), from prison. Matt’s sensitive nature contrasts with that of his intimidating criminal brother, who pulls Matt into the dangerous and toxic world he inhabits.

Derelict is not a happy movie, in case you didn’t get that from the above description. You can add this to a list of films that might include such titles as Requiem For A Dream, Grave of the Fireflies, Dancer in the Dark and Dead Man’s Shoes. And perhaps that last film is a good example because it feels like there’s plenty of influence from the best of Shane Meadows’ movies. There’s a grittiness and rawness to Derelict (and a use of black and white) that will feel very familiar to fans of Shane Meadows.

Director Jonathan Zaurin also manages to get some excellent performances from lesser-known actors. Fulton leads this with her performance as Abigail. Her quest for revenge somehow feels disheartening in a way that you’re almost not really rooting for her to get that revenge. You just want her to get on with her life and be happy. And even after everything she goes through, as is expected, she never really gets that happy ending. Her story intertwines with Matt’s, played by Coombes. His story might be even sadder at times, and Coombes plays the downbeat and downtrodden character to perfection. It all feels very real. His brother Ewan is played by Bird and is one of (there’s a few more) the villains of the movie. Bird, and I say this in the nicest way possible, is highly unlikeable in the role. There’s plenty of other great performances too, and all these performances together make the movie what it is.

As I mentioned previously, the filmmakers opt to use black and white for much of Derelict. This no doubt adds to the depressing nature of the story. But there’s a clever use of colour too, often used in scenes of hope or when there’s a little bit of happiness (there’s not a whole lot of that though). The ending and final scenes are really interesting too because they don’t feel as satisfying as you might expect, but this is no doubt deliberate from the writers and director. The final blows aren’t supposed to right all the wrongs or put a big smile on your face. They are painful and often heart-wrenching.

There’s also a really good score that kicks in during the final third to drive home what is happening on screen.

Derelict is a slow-paced two hours, but it’s never tedious or uninteresting. You’ll be drawn into the fates of these characters and gripped from start to finish. As previously mentioned, fans of Shane Meadows’ work will love Derelict, but maybe give yourself some time after viewing. This is a movie that will stick with you after those credits roll.