BLOOD IS BLOOD – Review

Review by Stephen Tronicek

BLOOD IS BLOOD will be available on Digital HD and VOD September 1st

A film is a group project. It’s a grueling process requiring a lot of people to build a piece of art from the ground up through cameras and actors. However, for a group project to truly work, every single player in that group must do their part. Blood is Blood is a perfect film to examine this concept because the contrast between the superior work and the mediocre is glaringly apparent.

The film follows Brie, a young woman attempting to deal with a traumatic event She’s also getting visions of murders and the event haunts her. The screenplay here, in terms of dialogue, is appropriately pulpy, but the story and plot are broken. The film’s focus on a character who is never really reliable is somewhat fresh as it becomes apparent that Brie might just be crazy, but the film’s plotting muddles any intriguing hints of information about the unfolding mystery. The ending doesn’t really surprise or use the established elements to any logical use. The film makes mention of origami and foxes as important symbols but doesn’t  do anything special with them other than perfunctory details as to how specific rituals go down. The third act seems to become an act of non-linear storytelling that lacking any type of solid base completely throws you into the dark. Reassuringly, this is the type of film that upon further viewings may reach further clarity, but it confounds upon the first.

Yet, this isn’t all that bad of a movie. For all the lacking aspects of the plot, the way it is presented is so consistently eye-catching that it’s impossible to deny the work. While the writing aspect of the project leaves more to be desired, the direction and acting are a marvel. Writer/director Stuart Sauvarin involves direction that suggests influences of Fincher and Nolan boasting stark, quiet camera movements that instill as sense of fear when the time comes. Sauvarin is also smart enough not to waste the jump scares he does employ and his camera flaunts a true understanding of the factors that go into engrossing an audience. A 360 camera pan near the beginning of the film provides a perfect manipulation of audience focus setting up a startling use of sound design. The direction of the actors continues this quality. Across the board, from a risky, violent and whiny performance from Fiona Dourif, to her completely psychopathic brothers, the acting engages in a way that despite the plot’s shortcomings draws your eyes to the screen.

One viewing Blood is Blood provides a frustratingly preposterous, yet directionally excellent film. Upon further viewings, the film will probably season as the plot holds the context of the film’s twists, and the direction certainly provides enough reason to revisit the film. For now, the mediocre plotting is just enough to edge out the sheer excellence of the rest of the film.