BLOODTHIRST: It's a Small (end of the) World

BLOODTHIRST (DVD)

2023 / 99 min

FROM LIONSGATE

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Bloodthirst is yet another post-apocalyptic film set in the barren desert, presumably because such locations require no real expense for production design. This time, humans are on the verge of extinction because the world is overrun by two warring clans of vampires (though that conflict is never actually explored).

Okay…that’s an intriguing premise. After all, wouldn’t that be the logical result of any scenario where the spread of vampirism went unchecked? Sure, it’s been done before - even in a short story once published by yours truly - but throwing in a Mad Max-meets-Blade concept certainly has possibilities, even on a miniscule budget.

The Vampire Master suddenly realizes why his heating bill is so high.

Unfortunately, the overall smallness of Bloodthirst is exacerbated by drab direction, lethargic action scenes, howlingly bad dialogue and performances that mostly border on amateurish. Only Costas Mandylor, as vampire hunter John Shepard, manages to rise above the material (and he still looks like he’s there because he lost a bet). As for the other “name” in the cast…it appears that Sharknado will end up being the pinnacle of Tara Reid’s career.

But even tight wallets and poor performances can be compensated by an interesting story, a few scares or at least plenty of bloody, well-executed action. Bloodthirst has none of that, though there was apparently enough confidence behind the camera to leave the door wide open for a sequel.