A Blood Story

Director - Joe Hollow (The Family)
Starring - Camden Toy (Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2), Mindy Robinson (Burying the Ex), and Mark Hanson (Breaking Bad)
Release Date - 2015
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Till death do us part"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Elizabeth Bathory is one of the most popular historical figures of all time and fans of horror know her story all too well.  Her story is one of the most bizarre and gruesome tales ever told and one that has inspired countless tales.  The story has so much potential and the possibilities are endless.  Sadly, only a few horror films have popped up over the years with Bathory as the basis that are actually worth watching. A few weeks ago I was sent the horror film A Blood Story to review.  I knew nothing about this release other than it had a small role from the late Robert Z'Dar.  He was an amazing actor and has contributed so much to the genre.  I requested a review copy and promptly received one.  Thanks guys for allowing me to check this one out!

     The film follows a former underwear model (Robinson) who is a victim of domestic violence when her husband disfigured her.  No longer comfortable with her body, she has turned to writing.  She has been offered a job to write an out of the box romance story that does not follow the standard cliches.  She takes the offer and decides to visit a place that is rumored to be near the legendary fountain of youth in hopes of repairing her body.  She meets several people while there.  The place is owned and operated by an older man and his very close daughter.  There is also a loud mouth man who is extremely annoying and then there is the strong and silent Carter who befriends the former model when she learns that the older man and his daughter is sitting on a fortune of old coins.  They set out to rob them but quickly learn that more is going on behind closed door and the father/daughter pair plan on using them to raise an ancient evil.
     There has been several films released over the years with Bathory as the basis for the story but  very few of them are worth a damn.  We have been given Hostel II, Fright Night 2: New Blood, Tomb of the Werewolf and so many more.  If any of you have seen Fright Night 2 then you know how bad it is and so many more are just as bad.  Lucky for us, we get an original story that is worth a watch with A Blood Story.  The acting in this one is solid by the entire cast but some of it just feels out of place.  Camden Toy does a great job in his role.  His character is eccentric and entertaining but he is hard to take seriously.  His character is fun but just does not fit the tone of the film.  Mindy Robinson was amazing.  This is not the first film I have seen her in but she does not stand out in the other films.  However, she is the shining star in this flick.  She is extremely beautiful and makes it almost impossible for the viewer to take their eyes off her.  Also, she is more than another pretty face.  She delivers an amazing performance and helps hold the tone of the movie in place.  Mark Hanson delivers a solid performance as well but his character is the polar opposite of Camden's.  He is very serious and it pulls the viewer off a bit when Camden is on screen.  Direction would have went a long way here.  The story for this is a more modern take on the timeless Bathory tale.  The film incorporates the fountain of youth legend as well to put them in a more contemporary setting.  This works well but the cast has a hard time establishing the tone the story goes in.  The film can not determine if it is to be a serious horror flick or not.  Finally, the film skips with on screen kills and which is a bit of a disappointment.  We do get the bathing in blood that has been the heart of all Bathory stories but that is about as far as the carnage goes.  Overall, A Blood Story is a great blend of horror and fantasy.  The film has a solid story and the cast is solid creating a very enjoyable film.  Sadly, the film is not as bloody as one would think considering the subject but it still deserves a watch.  Check it out.