The Blood Hunter (2019) – Who Said Vamp Movies Seemed Long in the Tooth – Fitz of Horror Review

March 18, 2019 Gothic Bob Off Horror

Bob Coldicott (Gothic Bob) March 18, 2019

Synopsis– A broken man joins an elite team of vampire slayers called the Blood Hunters, and finds his lost faith in the process.

We saw this one come into the queue at Fitz of Horror and I practically begged Fitz to let me take this review. I’m a fan of vamp movies but I’m a shrewd one, at that. I like my horror like I like humor; subtle with a big “bite” of natural wit and sarcasm. I suspected this would fit the bill.

This guy Deckard (played by Tom Paxinos) is going through some stuff many men our age go through. He’s in a rental home after he and his wife split and his kid doesn’t exactly think he’s a great dad. Deckard, however, is giving it his best. Given circumstances, such as working at the school his son attends (that his ex-wife helped him get, yikes) and dealing with PTSD, he’s doing better than I could. Birds of a feather flock together though, and his buddy (who is also in the doghouse) crashes at his place. That same day, the landlord comes looking for the long-overdue, promised rent payment. At night, after some drinking, two temptresses (Cortney Llewellyn and Iryna Rodionova) knock on the door looking for “help”. The dudes are willing to oblige. That’s where this story turns into a wild rollercoaster. This event throws Deckard into an even more precarious position. He finds unlikely help though, from a a band of ruffians called ‘The Blood Hunters’. This group includes horror badasses Dan Hicks (Evil Dead 2, Intruder & Darkman) and Tim Quill (My Name is Bruce, Spiderman & Dick Johnson & Tommygun vs. The Cannibal Cop: Based on a True Story). Long story short, Deckhard ends up becoming a Blood Hunter and goes to war with a wicked Master Vampire, Caleb, played by co-writer/director Chas Llewellyn. Caleb and his minions are out for two things; vengeance and the ability to day walk.

Being a hobbyist-actor myself, I’m impressed that quite a few of the principles are first-timers. Being a film producer (albeit micro budget) I know that casting rookie talent is a high risk/reward gamble. Amy Truax (Moxie) & Cortney Llewellyn (Amber) were fantastic, if not two of my favorites. They kicked ass, in contrasting ways/parts! Any sexuality aside, and I’m sure there will be guys who need to pick their jaws up off the floor, Amy Truax’s flexibility and acting ability could mean great things for her in future action productions. The creative team leveraged it perfectly and some of the fight scenes were just awesome! Then you have the veteran additions of Dan Hicks and Tim Quill, which is badass in and of itself. I love those guys! They are perfect for being in movies for guys who love movies. I’m aware that this movie had a budget of around $25k and am just WOW’D by that, especially considering the cinematography and special effects. The utilization of weaponry and the attention to detail with the shooting/editing of any gunfire, casings and blood…wow! Kudos to the effects, safety and art teams. A fantastic scene at the end, too, with Moxie. I think Chas Llewellyn and especially Trevor Stiles must’ve spent an unfathomable amount of their own time and love into this project. Just look at the credits to see everything that Trevor touched.

In every vampire movie there are elements of classic lore and then there is, often, variations or even additions. In the expansive realm of vampire stories, The Blood Hunter is madcap & propulsive in its originality while also putting on an action-infused display. It is sometimes violent, vulgar and even humorous while being intense. Put on your raincoat, Blood Hunters, because it’s about to rain blood & guts.