Bleed with Me

It wasn't bad but it wasn't very good either. A bit slow. I paused it to make a brew and actually forgot to put it back on as I went googling for something else to watch. I watched the rest and was, overall, unimpressed. I don't know who made it and I didn't know the actors but they were good. I hope they get a chance in something better.

Three characters that I didn't like and didn't care for. Uninteresting back-stories for each of them. Within half an hour I was hoping they'd all die in horrible ways. Instead, they all got so miserable and dreary that I lost interest in whether or not they'd die. It was *that* boring.

I enjoyed filmmaker Amelia Moses' short film 'Undress me,' and even more so her second directed feature 'Bloodthirsty,' so it seemed only appropriate to also check this out. As low-key as the latter is, this is substantially more so, with a significant portion of the length simply focused on the awkward, somewhat stilted dynamics between the characters. Any abnormalities are stirred in only very quietly, coming and going in soft waves; whether the gradual build is worthwhile, or the payoff it yields, is something each individual viewer may have to decide for themselves. For my part I do like 'Bleed with me,' and I admire the daring of the deeply understated approach Moses takes with the material - but I also understand why it may not find favor with others, and I'm kind of on the fence myself.

Subtlety and nuance and the words of the day, applying to the acting, the dialogue, the interactions between characters, and certainly the overall progression of the course of events. This is echoed as well in the distinctly delicate touch Moses employs as director. Why, even with some instances of heightened emotion or louder sound - including at the climax - the audio itself, including Dominic Caterina's hushed score of ambient themes, follows the same tack. I think the cast perform well under these circumstances, and 'Bleed with me' is well made from a technical standpoint. All this is well and good, either commendable in and of itself or with the choices of how this was made. Still the question remains, though, of how well it serves the story.

I like what Moses has tried to do here, but I don't think the result entirely paid off. For any disquieting imagery, uneasy tension, or bloodletting that may present, there's a certain lack of vibrancy in the slow march of the narrative. The climax itself is the peak of a crescendo, by all means, yet even recognizing the broad slant of the film, I don't think it achieves the desired spark, either. The result is a picture that rather maintains a flat tone with slight blips, and when one steps back and looks at the entirety of the viewing experience, those blips are scarcely detectable.

I wish nothing but the best for Moses and the stars; again, I did quite enjoy 'Bloodthirsty,' and I look forward to seeing what they all go on to do hereafter. As for this feature itself - I don't think it's bad, but it never inspires any particular reaction, and that's the last thing that should ever be said of a work of cinema, let alone the horror genre. This may be most recommendable for the patient and open-minded viewer, and I applaud 'Bleed with me' as a first-time effort. Here's to the sharpening of the blades in the future.

This is the particular type of indie horror movie that aims for "evocative" but ends up "dull." There are endless closeup shots of characters' faces in which we're meant to read all sorts of emotions or glean information, but it's impossible to tell what they're going for.

If there were a meaningful resolution to the whole thing, it might retroactively make the whole movie worth it. But it doesn't resolve, it just stops. I was left wondering what if anything the filmmaker was trying to say.

It's not a horror movie, it's a psychological movie. Get that out of the way first. A lot of reviewers are upset that there weren't zombies or vampires. And some seem upset about "diversity" and "women films," but we know where the come from so... yeah.

Both women in the cast are damaged in various ways, but one is definitely more damaged than the other, and the slow unfolding lets you know who that is (although I suppose there is some ambiguity if you would like to keep wondering at the end). I thought they did a great job of evolving the characters, dropping casually into the dialog little clues that explain the backstories and motivations of the characters.

Over all it is sad, not horrifying. It's not the greatest film ever made, but having spent a lot of Covid watching some truly terrible films, I thought this one was well worth the time spent watching.