Review: Criterion's 4K 'Ratcatcher' Recaptures a Stunning Debut

Every once and a while, a debut film comes along and immediately lets you know you're in the hands of a filmmaker worth watching. In 1999, Lynne Ramsay was that filmmaker, with her confident, masterful debut, "Ratcatcher."

Ramsay has gone on to make three more films to date – "Morvern Callar" (2002), "We Need to Talk About Kevin" (2011), and "You Were Never Really Here" (2017) – but with this heartfelt and haunting debut she crafted a remarkable first impression that paved the way for these equally interesting, challenging, and dark works about the human condition.

With "Ratcatcher," Ramsay starts her curious cinematic explorations with youth, examining the life of a 12-year-old boy named James in Glasgow, Scotland, 1973. However, the film does not open with James, but rather his friend, Ryan Quinn, who soon exits the picture due to an incident that shapes James' journey for the remainder of the film. Stricken with guilt and growth alike, James is a fascinating youthful protagonist that deserves to be acknowledged among some of the most notable adolescent characters, such as those in films like Truffaut's "The 400 Blows." It's an astonishing accomplishment for a director to capture youth so accurately, as it becomes something more foreign to us the older we get.

But you certainly get the sense that Ramsay, born in 1969 and also in Glasgow, fully comprehends the world she chooses to capture in her debut film. The mid-1970s saw a national garbage strike in Scotland, and it's incredible how much the sets reflect this, with garbage strewn on sidewalks amongst grand, yet crumbling, Victorian architecture. "Ratcatcher" is one of those films further informed by its historical context, and it becomes a more enriching experience the more you're aware. But regardless of where you stand, "Ratcatcher" is still a blisteringly poetic film that is able to be felt deeply.

Now available on The Criterion Collection, the Blu-ray features a new 4K digital restoration that was supervised by Ramsay and cinematographer Alwin Küchler, with a 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. Additional bonus features include a new interview with Ramsay from 2021, as well as an older one from 2002. The best bonus are the three award-winning short films by Ramsay that are included with the feature – "Small Deaths" (1995), "Kill the Day" (1996), and "Gasman" (1997). Inside, buyers will find two essays within the interior booklet; one is by film critic Girish Shambu, and the other by filmmaker Barry Jenkins.

"Ratcatcher" is available on Criterion Collection Blu-ray for the suggested retail price of $31.96