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Sometimes a movie doesn't need to be good; it just needs to be
fun.
Bloodrunners is a charming noir horror romp that uses every penny of
its shoestring budget to deliver a bloody good time. Forget the top
shelf; this film is down on the bottom with the Aristocrat and Natty Ice.
Featuring a deliciously campy turn by Ice-T, hilarious combat sequences,
and a surprisingly deep subplot, this one is for the B movies annals of glory.
Corrupt cops stumble upon a pack of bloodsuckers posing as the
staff of a reputable speakeasy. That's essentially it. The script,
written by Michael McFadden (who also stars) is lean and silly, everything you
would expect from a film like this. The essence however, is about fallen
angels seeking redemption for the past transgressions of war, bigotry, and
self-destruction. It's there, underneath the ridiculous slow motion
action sequences and Ice-T's hammy delivery, but honestly, it's probably best
to just ignore any of the deeper implications and focus on the absurd.
Lantz also shot the film and the framing, while undeniably
mundane is also crisp when required and fluid throughout. Scenes inside
cars use obvious synthetic backgrounds to simulate travel, but the camera holds
the passengers in full view, fooling you into not caring about the obvious
illusion, while brothels, lonely roads, and dark basements all hold the promise
of violence. The cast features a diverse group of up and comings actors,
who for the most part embrace their roles, be it promiscuous fanged fatale or
liquored up boy in blue. Jim Reed's costume design is consignment store
chic, but it works, displaying the ensemble as a murder mystery party gone
terribly awry and this only enhances the bubbly ambiance.
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| Mr. Ice, I understand that you're O.G..... original gangster, but could you quit repeating it, please sir. It's making our staff quite uncomfortable. |
Outside of everything, Bloodrunners is very economical with its
short running time. Every dialogue scene has an endearing nonchalant
quality while every action scene wastes no time with the bloodshed. It
skips the lackluster horror checklist in favor of some real guilty pleasures:
A character named Renfield, rosaries used as brass knuckles to kill the
vampires, and Bogart-esque ruminations about love and loss combine to produce
2017's first genuine cult classic.
Available now for digital rental, Bloodrunners is pure abandon
film making. A testament to the cast and crew's wonderful embrace of all
things cheesy, this is the definition of a midnight feature. Come for the
fangs and the booze, leave with a knowing smile, this is a film that is worth
the rental, if only to support these kinds of projects and their inane
importance to a generation of consumption via streaming.
Share the blood.
Score
Kyle Jonathan