imperfection is perfection
Sporadic film reviews by a wanna-be filmmaker
HALLOWEEN IS HERE!: BLOOD PUNCH [2014]
Directed by Madellaine Paxson
Written by Eddie Guzelian
Starring: Milo Cawthorne, Olivia Tennet, Ari Boyland
Blood Punch is a nice blend of horror and dark comedy… and romance, as the story revolves around a dangerous love-triangle. The plot seems simple enough, but this film goes places that you will not expect. The first twist is that at the very start of the film (and part of the original marketing campaign), Milton wakes up to see a video of himself talking, telling him what is going to happen. We don’t know where this is going or what it means, or even where this is taking place within the time-frame of the film.
Early on, after we see the video of Milton, we are in a group meeting at a rehab centre, where numerous people are talking about how meth has ruined their lives and how they acted when they were using. This scene is brilliant, as one of the residents, Skyler, suddenly drops some pseudo-ephedrine tablets onto the table in the middle of the circle, bluntly stating that she has a shit-ton more and she is after a cook to help her cook a massive amount of drugs.
The angry reactions from the residents are priceless, and the entire scene was a great bit of black comedy that goes to a place I have not seen a comedy go to before. And as an ex-drug addict who has attended rehab and NA meetings, I gotta say, I was laughing hard at this bizarre situation.
Soon Skyler lures Milton into bed, after which she casually tells him that he will be cooking not for her, but for a guy named Russell. Who is Russell? Only Skyler’s psychopathic boyfriend who Skyler neglected to mention. Naturally Milton is hesitant, but before he can properly decide, Russell is breaking them out of the rehab centre to drive to a secluded cabin in the woods where the drugs will be cooked.
This seemed odd; they weren’t in prison, and I have been in a rehab centre; if I wanted to leave I could have easily hopped the fence any night if I was so inclined. That they needed someone to break them out of such a facility was a little too much for me, not to mention a little too convenient. But this is not a film to pick out plot-holes, or you will find the film riddled with termites.
I won’t go any further into the story as there are just too many juicy elements to this film that will surprise you.
For a low-budget indie flick, Blood Punch isn’t lacking in any areas; the sound editing is great, the score is at times tense and at other times comical, adding to the humour of many scenes. The camerawork isn’t flashy but it works well, and crucially, despite the slip of their American accents a few times, all three actors deliver a sterling job. New Zealand has certainly been turning out some quality film over the last few years.
Blood Punch is a fun movie with a ton of twists that don’t feel
contrived or forced, in fact they keep you on your toes and
constantly guessing what will happen next. I love horror-comedies and this plays into that genre nicely, with many laughs peppered throughout, many being in a very dark vein, which fits my tastes quite nicely. This isn’t for everyone, but if you are looking for a horror-comedy with a twist or three, give this one a shot. It is bloody good fun, though perhaps not something you’d be watching again soon, or thinking about when you go to bed after watching it. Regardless, make sure to rent Blood Punch on iTunes to support this indie gem!
One and half beers short
4.5/6
3 Comments on “HALLOWEEN IS HERE!: BLOOD PUNCH [2014]”
Leave a Reply
CONTRIBUTIONS TO CINEMAAXIS
LAMB #1758
Blogs I Follow
imperfection is perfection 
I appreciate your love for horror, Jordan, but I can’t stop the voices and images in my head once the movie ends. I’ll take your word for it that this indie is a gem. Happy Halloween. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heh I wish I could find a film that had a similar effect on me! I see visually striking films in my head afterwards, but nothing horrific that keeps me up at night. For some twisted reason I want to see a movie that will do that to me! Heh, I must be criminally insane!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: HAPPY DEATH DAY [2017] | epileptic moondancer