Blood of the Chupacabras

Director - Jonathan Mumm (Revenge of the Chupacabras)

Starring - Dan Leis (Narc, Nail in my Coffin), Rachel Sense (Scratch), and Loran Taylor (A Bullet Over Fives, Revenge of the Chupacabras)

Release Date - 2003

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The legend is true"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I’ve always been a fan of cinema. I grew up in the video store renting movies like Space Jam, Heavyweights, Puppet Master, and any other VHS that caught my eye. When the 90s were ending and the 2000s were starting I reluctantly made the jump to DVD. I remember the first movies I ever bought on DVD were Sam Raimi’s Spider-man, Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Bruce Campbell vs The Army of Darkness, and Little Nicky. This was the turning point for me where I found myself favoring horror films over any other genre. This was also the time where I began finding indie horror flicks in big box stores. I snagged several films from companies like Brain Damage Films and Pendulum Pictures. It was around this time that I saw some posts in a horror forum I often frequented talking about the indie horror film Bloodthirst: Legend of the Chupacabra. I never had the chance to see it, but it did peak my interest. Fast forward many years and news breaks that Wild Eye’s Visual Vengeance label was releasing the film under the title Blood of the Chupacabras on blu. I was quick to message them, and they were kind enough to send a copy over my way for review. Like always, I want to thank Wild Eye for supporting Horror Society and myself! 

      The film follows a local reporter who finds herself investigating the mutilation of goats owned by a family nearby. She’s tired of doing these puff pieces and asks for something more important which she is granted. When a man is murdered outside a bar she is sent to report on it. Soon she uncovers the Latin legend of the Chupacabra, also known as the Mexican goat sucker, and how it has a deep history in the area that can be traced back to a nearby cave and a former professor who put a stop to a string of similar murders several decades before. 

      Blood of the Chupacabras is one of those films that is genuinely bad, but I had so much fucking fun with it. I loved the characters, the story that was all over the place, and CGI creature, and the horrible effects. It’s a low-quality film that has no business being as enjoyable as it is and I’m not ashamed at all to say I liked it. I know the horror hipsters that beat off to August Underground and A Serbian Film will comment that I was paid off with this review, but I wasn’t. I just like indie horror and this one was fun regardless of it’s short comings. The acting in this one is surprisingly well done. There were a few scenes where the cast was a little too stiff and awkward but most of the movie was very relaxed and genuine. Everyone, for the most part, worked very well together which made the story a little easier to swallow. Honestly, I really liked the cast and it’s a bit a shame that I never saw them in anything else. The story for this one has that mid-90s Sci-Fi Channel (before they rebranded) feel which is something I didn’t realize I liked. Most of the film follows a reporter trying to uncover the mystery behind a string of animal attacks and a handful of murders. We then have a cool angle featuring a professor hunting the beast and vampires. That’s right, a film about the Mexican Goat Sucker has fucking vampires. The movie is wild if you can look passed the no budget made for television look of the film. Finally, the film has some make-up and practical effects that does match the films budget but the highlight of the film is the CGI Chupacabra. The film knew it’s limits and full embraced it. I fucking loved this shitty looking creature. Overall, Blood of the Chupacabras is a lot of fun and one I can’t wait to revisit with some edible and beer. This is the kind of movies I look forward to reviewing and I want to thank Visual Vengeance for giving this the love it deserves.