Eddington [4K UHD]

Studio: A24

Nov 06, 2025 Web Exclusive By Zachary Lee Photography by Blu-ray.com

What to say about Ari Aster’s Eddington? When I first saw it, I was more frustrated than enamored by it. I found that it wielded its satire ineffectively and opted for scored Earth politics as shallow as abrasive. Yet increasingly, I’ve found its themes to only increase in relevance. I can’t say I walked away singing the praises of Eddington the way some of the most zealous of my peers have, I’ve grown in greater appreciation of its ambitions and willingness to make cinematic entertainment out of our collective misery.

Joaquin Phoenix plays Joe Cross, sheriff of Eddington, New Mexico, who rebuffs all of the mask mandates, six feet social distancing, and other extraneous COVID precautions that his fellow townsfolk have adopted. Finding kinship with those who are dissatisfied with Eddington’s present mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), a foolishly overconfident Cross decides to run for mayor himself. This all happens at the same time while Eddington’s youth begins to protest in the wake of George Floyd’s brutal murder. As with any Ari Aster movie, the film only ramps up its insanity, with Antifa forces, shootouts and a well-timed use of Katy Perry’s “Firework” all factoring into the film in some way.

Eddington feels strangely relevant and outdated at the same time, if only because the divisions that exist between us have only gotten worse. I wonder if all of the controversy and fanfare resulted in A24 crafting a low-key release. You get the six collectible postcards that are included with every A24 physical release, but the only other feature is a “Made in Eddington” documentary which runs just over 30 minutes. It contains some interesting information; Aster talks about working with legendary cinematographer Darius Khondji and the personal significance of New Mexico.
Otherwise, I would imagine that a film like Eddington will get a more robust release later down the line, with more features and perhaps a commentary from Aster. It’s a complex, thoughtful, and incendiary work that warrants discussion from those who view it but also those who created it. Perhaps with this version, A24 and Aster simply wanted to give audiences a chance to sit with the film on its own, instead of offering a guiding hand to navigate the madness within.

(shop.a24films.com/products/eddington-blu-ray)

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