Have you watched Dexter? Have you also watched the fun little splash of awesome that was DRIVE? Ok if you haven't, Imma do something I don't normally do... go now and watch both. Two episodes of DEXTER... and the movie DRIVE starring Ryan Gossling (directed by Mr. I sacrifice my audience for art - Winding Refn - or however that is spelt - ahhhhh Im still so grudged over ONLY GOD FORGIVES).
Then watch this... it's a near perfect fusion.
If you have watched both those things... then imagine that mix... and add Sean William Scott aka STIFLER... and you have this movie. And I mean all those things as a compliment.
This is a damn fun time.
Your story goes... Sean Scott aka Evan... a new father... a happily (?) married man, and a school counsellor, in his spare time has a hobby. He kills the people that abuse the children he sees as part of his job. And let there be blood. Lots of blood.
Simple and sweet. BLOODLINE is on the Character study side of the genre... following a killer we strangely like (I mean he's killing bad guys right?!) through his everyday, from new parent... to killer of parents. A lot rides on a lead actor in a film like this... and Sean nails it. Evan is a strangely likely and intriguing character so we don't really mind him as an audience... we understand we are just along for the ride. This isn't really a bring your conscience along for the ride kind of movie... this is a fly on the wall for murder type of film.
And I dug it.
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| There there... tell me how you feel. Because. Feelings. Matter. |
First, the whole vibe of the film is arthouse... but good arthouse (DRIVE) unlike the bad "we do what we want and screw the audience" arthouse (NEON DEMON, ONLY GOD FORGIVES). The colors, and music, and shot selection are all perfect within that presentation... and at moments... only certain ones... the film, and it's written/director managed to invoke from classic Argento feels... and that is a high compliment in my horror handbook.
There are a couple of fun twists here... and a perfect example of how a strong script can turn a plain scene into something you can't look away from (Take notes KILLER SOFA). There is one conversation in particular with one victim that was just so well acted and written... the contrast between Evan and the victims emotional state and presentation was just about perfect.
There was almost one delicious twist... that really brought everything together for me. Reinforcing the fact that we are not meant to feel one way or the other... this is a film to be enjoyed as the ride it is. Lights flashes... music pulsing, and a human deconstructing... or evolving...
Stifler.
A character so interlaced with an entire generation, it will be with the actor for life haha... fine. But this guy can act... Lethal Weapon the TV series (granted they never should've killed off Riggs... sigh) had a weak second season... but not due to Sean William Scott's involvement... he was great in the show. GOON - another great vehicle for him... look.. the guy can straight up act. Hear he plays with restraint and conflict in some great camera-doesn't-look-away close ups, that really made me smile.
Good on you Stifler... Where's the pie sex guy huh!??? Nowhere that's where and you are art housing up some violence all over my horror loving screen.
Look. There are a couple flaws... some slow parts that lag because the energy of the kill scenes just makes everything else... feel snail like. The mother character... though interesting in the flashbacks... is not really a smooth fill in the current timeline. And the Cop... well. Ya. Like I said it's not perfect. But perhaps some of the most realistic statements about parenthood, and new parenthood in particular...
Spliced with some truly interesting killer/victim chat...
and gore.
Some one bring me a warm pie, I am too excited!
ONE LINE REVIEW: Serial synth killer track... bruh.
Horror scale 3.5 out of 5 stars
Movie scale 3 out of 5 stars.
And the horror movie keeeeeeeeeeep coming.
BOONSWEET is on to the next one!
#Bloodline
