"The Bloody Man" (Not Rated) from Red Serial Films is a joyously fun film from director Daniel Benedict and writing partner/producer/spouse Casi Benedict, based on a childhood idea of Daniel's, now adapted into a feature-length film. The film's description is as follows: It's the 1980's, and Sam Harris is dealing with the accidental death of his mother (Lisa Wilcox - A Nightmare on Elm Street Parts 4 & 5, Star Trek: The Next Generation). His new stepmom, Kim (Tuesday Knight - A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4, 2000 Malibu Road) is struggling for Sam's approval. The sinister Bloody Man is unknowingly summoned and will stop at nothing to destroy everything Sam holds dear. It will take everything Sam has in his attempt to conquer the very embodiment of pure evil.
Being a fan of Benedict's, it's been a joy to watch him grow as a writer/director over the years, and "The Bloody Man" is his most impressive work yet, with slick camera movements, a touching story, and a look that cries "I'm an 80's movie" in all of the right ways.
At first resembling something akin to a "John Hughes-esque" film, complete with the requisite school bullies, squabbling siblings, and a family attempting to come out in one piece after a tragedy, it doesn't take long for "The Bloody Man" to develop into what it really is: a grin-inducing throwback and love letter to the 80's with a surprising amount of heart. Along the way, "The Bloody Man" proudly tips its hat to horror franchises like the "Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Evil Dead," and manages to throw in a healthy dose of 80's inspired nostalgia to sweeten the pot.
While the movie admittedly feels like a bit of a slow-burn at first (the film clocks in at 133 minutes, including credits), when it was over, I couldn't think of any scenes that I would have cut. The occasional flashbacks to protagonist Sam Harris's birth mother would, in a Hollywood film, be the first likely victims of such trimming, but they become increasingly important to the plot and understanding of Sam's character as the film goes on. The ability to leave them in is an added bonus of "The Bloody Man" being an independent film, without the "movie-by-committee" feeling that many larger-budget films can have on occasion, which often sacrifice character moments to the editing bay floor for the sake of achieving a speedier runtime.
Likewise, slight detours taken to introduce concepts integral to the understanding of the film's antagonist, told "campfire-story" style by each sibling, are equally indispensable. Each account is entertaining, particularly the one told by Sam's younger sister, Amy. Understanding the villain aside, I also enjoyed them for the simple fact that they reminded me of 80's anthology horror movies in their "not really related to the overall film, yet TOTALLY related to the overall film" style. (I feel I should add that I'm quite fond of "slow burn" horror movies, anyway. Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," for example, would hardly be the classic it is if it had been trimmed to a quick 88 minutes)
Regardless, those early feelings regarding the movie's runtime quickly fade as the story ramps up with the introduction of its villain, the titular "Bloody Man." Seemingly springing from a comic included with Sam's "Barbarian Man" action figure (an obvious, and welcome, "Masters of the Universe" nod), the Bloody Man is an ancient evil force whose purpose is to tear apart loving families. Sam's family, each member still dealing with loss in their own way, would appear ripe for the picking and/or slaughtering, but looks can be deceiving. Can Sam and his family overcome the Bloody Man's threat? You'll have to watch the movie to find out.
While "The Bloody Man" will hit the most home runs with adults who grew up in the 80's and remain nostalgic for that particular decade and the entertainment that helped shape it, the film's themes of family and unity are universal and have the potential to resonate with anyone. In the end, that's what the film is really about. The 80's trappings and references are just icing on the cake. Rating: Highly Recommended
Being a fan of Benedict's, it's been a joy to watch him grow as a writer/director over the years, and "The Bloody Man" is his most impressive work yet, with slick camera movements, a touching story, and a look that cries "I'm an 80's movie" in all of the right ways.
At first resembling something akin to a "John Hughes-esque" film, complete with the requisite school bullies, squabbling siblings, and a family attempting to come out in one piece after a tragedy, it doesn't take long for "The Bloody Man" to develop into what it really is: a grin-inducing throwback and love letter to the 80's with a surprising amount of heart. Along the way, "The Bloody Man" proudly tips its hat to horror franchises like the "Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Evil Dead," and manages to throw in a healthy dose of 80's inspired nostalgia to sweeten the pot.
While the movie admittedly feels like a bit of a slow-burn at first (the film clocks in at 133 minutes, including credits), when it was over, I couldn't think of any scenes that I would have cut. The occasional flashbacks to protagonist Sam Harris's birth mother would, in a Hollywood film, be the first likely victims of such trimming, but they become increasingly important to the plot and understanding of Sam's character as the film goes on. The ability to leave them in is an added bonus of "The Bloody Man" being an independent film, without the "movie-by-committee" feeling that many larger-budget films can have on occasion, which often sacrifice character moments to the editing bay floor for the sake of achieving a speedier runtime.
Likewise, slight detours taken to introduce concepts integral to the understanding of the film's antagonist, told "campfire-story" style by each sibling, are equally indispensable. Each account is entertaining, particularly the one told by Sam's younger sister, Amy. Understanding the villain aside, I also enjoyed them for the simple fact that they reminded me of 80's anthology horror movies in their "not really related to the overall film, yet TOTALLY related to the overall film" style. (I feel I should add that I'm quite fond of "slow burn" horror movies, anyway. Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," for example, would hardly be the classic it is if it had been trimmed to a quick 88 minutes)
Regardless, those early feelings regarding the movie's runtime quickly fade as the story ramps up with the introduction of its villain, the titular "Bloody Man." Seemingly springing from a comic included with Sam's "Barbarian Man" action figure (an obvious, and welcome, "Masters of the Universe" nod), the Bloody Man is an ancient evil force whose purpose is to tear apart loving families. Sam's family, each member still dealing with loss in their own way, would appear ripe for the picking and/or slaughtering, but looks can be deceiving. Can Sam and his family overcome the Bloody Man's threat? You'll have to watch the movie to find out.
While "The Bloody Man" will hit the most home runs with adults who grew up in the 80's and remain nostalgic for that particular decade and the entertainment that helped shape it, the film's themes of family and unity are universal and have the potential to resonate with anyone. In the end, that's what the film is really about. The 80's trappings and references are just icing on the cake. Rating: Highly Recommended