[FANTASTIC FEST 2018] ‘BLOODLINE’ Review

Seann William Scott is one of those actors that I didn’t really consider as an “actor” until I saw him in Goon. Even with that film, he was still in a comedy but he played it very straight. For the most part of his acting career, he was associated to the jock stereotype. Bloodline uses Scott to shed all those pre-conceived thoughts – much like Ryan Reynolds’s acting in The Voices (utilizing his comedy for a dark story) or Buried (which flexed his acting chops by having him really carry the film). It is perhaps genre titles that lend these typecast actors who may have been backed in a corner to really challenge themselves and possibly give us something unique in their performance.

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Scott plays a high school counselor/social worker, Evan Cole, who is a new daddy and is laser focused on bringing up his newborn son, Andrew, in an environment that he can feel safe in. Anyone that threatens that will meet Evan’s blade. Evan is a psychopath that moonlights as a serial killer weeding out bad people that effect people that he interacts with – whether that be his mother, wife or the kids he consoles.

Evan’s mother, Marie (played by Dale Dickey) throws a unique wrench in the damaged dynamic of Evan and his wife, Lauren, who seems to be experiencing postpartum depression but is on the upswing three months later. With Lauren constantly feeling questioned on whether she can be a mother by Marie, a local nurse and Evan’s random nightly drives, her psychological stability is constantly checked.

While it is not a giallo film, for fans of the subgenre, Bloodline is a film that may hit all your buttons. Director Henry Jacobson directs his first feature film with such bravado and calculated stylish flair that it is impossible to dismiss. Knives flicker on the screen with a bright flash from their flawless & polished appearance. The film is saturated in a color palette that gets highlighted with deep blues and crisp reds. It is very obvious that Jacobson is visually influenced by Italian gialli. While no black leather gloves are worn, Evan does wear black nitrile gloves and a grey raincoat to protect his normal wear.

The violence is quick, brutal and unapologetic – throat slicings are the method of execution here. Even for this hardened horror fan, there are some shots that will make you react vocally. Honestly, I’m surprised that Blumhouse produced this as this is not as commercial as some of their other films on their slate.

The film is driven by Scott’s steely performance. Sometimes, it is downright chilling – even though he is murdering people who only cause pain to others. It is also driven by the excellent cinematography from Isaac Bauman and Trevor Gureckis’ synth-heavy score (one of which I’m sure people who collect soundtracks on vinyl will want once they hear it).

One of the biggest hurdles that this film will need to get over is that it will definitely remind people of Jeff Lindsey’s character of Dexter – made popular by the television show, Dexter. Evan isn’t killing random people, he has a purpose on why these people shouldn’t see the next morning. There is a moral compass that Evan has and he abides by it. While the final act feels a little rushed and, as such, not as fulfilling. What precedes the final act impressed me enough that I will be keeping my eye on this director and I have a feeling many of you will as well, once you see this film.

Where/When Can I See It?

Well, Bloodline had its World Premiere at Fantastic Fest and as of right now, there is no release date for the film. The good news is that it is being distributed by Blumhouse Pictures so it will definitely be released. Whether it be Netflix, VOD or theatrical is still up in the air but keep your ears to the ground on this one. Due to some of the graphic shots on this film, I would assume it will be Netflix or VOD in order to avoid the MPAA.