A gritty, gripping thriller, Redball is set in the morally ambivalent world of a group of police officers in Australia. A blackly comic running gag is typical: a dead body, floating in the water, is ignored several times by officers who want to avoid the tedious paperwork involved in fishing it out. Meanwhile, a serial killer is on the loose, the Vice Squad are busy shaking down the porn merchants, and the guys of the Drug Squad are ready to overlook the possession of a couple of joints by some young girls in exchange for sexual favours. The members of the public are no better, showing an unhealthy fascination with the grisly details of the serial killer. Even J J Wilson (Belinda McClory), a dedicated officer who wants to track down the man who is murdering young children, is not above breaking the law to get results. But the pressure of her job is getting to her - and the internal politics which threaten to undermine her work.
Shot on digital video, the picture quality is sometimes visibly inferior to film; on the other hand, it gives the story an immediate, natural feel that is perfect for this intense narrative. With a driving music score and pacy, effective editing, Redball is an excellent, compelling film.