[Film Review] Blood (2023)

Brad Anderson slashed, bludgeoned, and gouged his way into the world of horror with the terrifying and atmospheric Session 9 (2001), by far one of the most effective tales of grief and ghastly mind-fuckery ever released – in this humble writer’s opinion.

The utilization of breathtaking dread built into the air-tight screenplay by Stephen Gevedon and Anderson, and an envy-inducing shooting location of the unforgettable Danvers State Mental Hospital catapulted Session 9 onto the top of many “Best-Of” lists, even if it took a few years for the film to find its audience. All that to say, Anderson’s newest horror flick Blood doesn’t quite live up to the reputation of Session 9, but it does carry the torch of dark, brooding tales that don’t shy away from tortured families and life-altering secrets.

Blood stars Michelle Monaghan (Gone Baby Gone) as Jess, a mother and nurse recovering from substance abuse and making a new start after the end of her dysfunctional marriage by moving her daughter Tyler (Skyler Morgan Jones) and younger son Owen (an outstanding performance from Finlay Wojtak-Hissong) into her childhood home. Skeet Ulrich (Scream) makes a welcomed appearance as Patrick, the ex-husband who quickly moved onto a younger woman and whose vitriol toward Jess is barely hidden behind his rugged stoicism. After the family dog darts off in a panic one day, seemingly spurred on by a mud pit and ominous tree a few yards away from the house, he returns rabid, with glowing eyes, and violently attacks Owen in an effectively horrific scene. Upon waking from a coma, Owen appears to have made a complete recovery, with only his mother knowing that he now needs blood to stay healthy and sane. This is a discovery that Jess keeps to herself, determined to protect her son no matter the consequence, or the sacrifice.  

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On the surface, Blood feels somewhat by-the-books, with a script that doesn’t always deliver and a pace that tends to drag in certain areas. But if the viewer sticks with the story through the slow times and can forgive certain plot holes, there is something intriguing that peeks out from what presents at first as a bit of mediocrity. The story of a mother doing anything to protect her brood is not original, but the addition of the substance abuse storyline and the subsequent conflict between Patrick and Jess concerning custody of the children offers another level of melodrama that melds perfectly with the ambiguous bloodlust and the lesser explored origins of whatever creature may lurk within the creepy old tree. 

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