Bloody Axe Wound

Bloody Axe Wound initially comes across as another subversively interesting slasher that aims to have fun with the rules of the sub-genre, but eventually becomes a wasted idea executed in a fun enough way to keep it watchable.

Acting is decent from the Bladecuts, with Billy Burke being an easy highlight of the movie as he handles the humour and the intensity to an impressively balanced degree as the fatherly killer Roger Bladecut. Moreover, Sari Arambulo is really fitting in the lead role of Abbie Bladecut; she is able to convey the struggles and aspirations to follow in her father's footsteps in a straight-faced and very comical way that is still funny but never comes across as silly or overacting. On a more technical note, the cinematography, lighting, and practical gore effects are all very well done. And the story itself starts out pretty strong, with an interestingly funny set up, and the balancing between the jokes and the killings is done to an effective degree.

However, that is also where it seems to be a point of struggle for the film. It can't consistently maintain its aforementioned balance, where the second act very much becomes a high school romance story that very nearly hijacks the main premise several times. The third act, in an attempt the balance the scales again, instead tips them entirely to being a straight up generic slasher flick with a strange and underwhelmingly unrewarding ending.

But it's biggest weakness is by far the world building, with several aspects and plot mechanisms left either unexplored or unexplained. Furthermore, the script can never decide how it works, and it leaves the audience with an utterly baffled sense of confusion as to how particular mechanisms drive the narrative.

Overall, it is funny enough to keep you entertained, but not interesting enough to stick with you and leave any kind of lasting impression.

Abigail is the daughter of legendary serial killer (and snuff film maker) Roger Bladekill. When Roger starts to see the effects of age slow him down, he entrusts Abbie to follow in his footsteps - killing teens on video. Upon entering high school to scope out her victims, she encounters friendship and more, snagging her plans of a murder spree. And Dad isn't happy.

Now, that's my synopsis. A good pitch right? If I was a Shudder exec, I would also be putting money behind this. It sounds pretty damn awesome.

Sadly, this falls victim to oh so much. The writing is not coherent in its genre or mood, the characters are given some depth, but it's not delivered right and they still feel 2D, the whole snuff subplot is kinda forgotten for the most part? And something that bothered me to the nth degree: this seems to be set in the 90's, but I'm not sure the costume or set department got the memo.

That bothered me probably more than it should. The 90s have this specific...touch. Taste. Vibe. The clothes used here seem to be repurposed modern day pieces layered to appear grunge-esque. Sam Crane wears a chain as a belt, but it looks like cheap crap bought from Hot Topic. It doesn't look NATURAL. They look like your average current day citizens.

I started noticing corded phones, cassettes, wood-panelled cars, corded headphones, and I realised this is either satirising the popularity of slasher flicks in the 90s or, more likely, supposed to be set in that decade. The integration of old tech didn't make it pass though, too many things were too clean, too cheap, too flimsy, all aspects that are more common to modern day items. This is very specific but it did distract a whole lot, and possibly changed the mood of the whole film.

Most acting is pretty average, with the exception of Margo Anderson-Song, Eddie Leavy, and Billy Burke (yes, Bella Swan's dad in Twilight). These three really seemed to feel their characters. They were much more into it and managed to land their jokes.

That's a whole other problem. The writing. This film doesn't quite know where it wants to sit when it comes to mood. Are we serious? Are we comedic? Are we going into slapstick humour? We can have all of it in one scene, for sure, but the way these bits are written, they mostly fall flat on the floor. It's the sort of jokes where you nod, you don't laugh. You know it's meant to be a joke, but it's terribly unfunny. And it happens every few minutes. It's unbearable. The writers didn't leave time for us to breathe. Just, maybe space the comedy out next time, okay?

I think, overall, I wish there had been a bit of reworking this script before even shooting it. With some changes, it could have even more potential. It might've even been a good film.

I don't think this should be the end for the filmmakers, I do think they clearly have a vision, but it wasn't realised here. Maybe next time.

Painfully awful movie with a totally misleading star rating. I am puzzled by this rating in fact. The '90s video rental store(necessary for the storyline it appears) precede the age of 99 percent of the actors within the film. I hear there is some nostalgia for this decade lately but it is certainly overshadowed by the hodgepodge of a storyline and/or screenplay. We have not walked out of a theater in many years but this one has surely earned the distinction.

The dad's makeup and the quality werewolf mask alone do not make a movie. The high school cast must also have been responsible for the ratings it received. Gen Z does it again it appears.

The premise of this script is hilarious: the adopted daughter of a serial killer is ready to take over the family business. Or thinks she's ready until she falls for the cool girl in biker jacket and lip gloss who is next on the kill list. The nostalgic 80s context was perfect, down to every hairstyle, rattly car, and interaction with cassette technology. Good performances from an appealing and funny cast.

I like how the film cleverly has it both ways. I didn't really want to see adorable, dutiful daughter Abbie Bladecut become a cold-blooded killer, but this is a horror movie after all. So people do have to go in bloody, sometimes hilariously accidental ways. I had to close my eyes several times, and laughed a lot.

So where do i begin? This is such a weird movie...

At the start the idea of seeing a movie trough the eyes of a killer (and im not talking POV stalking for audience but more like psychology) is a good idea. We follow this old killer call Roger Bladecut that seem to basically be a cross between Jason Voorhees (for powers and origin story) and a regular business owner...

Then this dude has a daughter... Ok its established she is adopted ... make sense in the context but does it? How was she adopted? Movie never give any clue.

Apparently some locals are working with the killer... Why? No idea... Movie never explained it. Said killer goes after peoples from his own town, kill a TON of peoples, yet peoples still operate like its normal...

My issue with the movie is nothing made any sense. At its core the idea is neat. You got Abi wich struggle between following her "dad" legacy of being a serial killer and then get to know the peoples she aim to murder and realize nothing is black and white. The idea is there.

The romance between the 2 lead is also good. Both actresses act well and the characters were organically interesting. But thats where the good part of the movie end.

After that, nothing in this "world" make sense. You get some generic background on the killer that is litterally plagiarise out of a Friday the 13th (either for hommage or lack of originality) but beside that, its super hard to follow the rest of this absurdity of a background.

My biggest pet peeves when i watch movies are 2 things. Not being interested enough in the characters, and not understanding the "world building" the movie want to present.

In this movie the first was fine, the second was not. I can accept a lot of "science fiction" concepts or basically anything that don't make sense in real life, IF the movie world make it make sense... You understand what i mean? Ghost, vamps, werewolves, aliens, nothings is offlimits in a movie. But you have to give me a "reason" for them to be there or should i say make them "fit in this world you present me".

Sadly i just never found that reason there and it hindered my enjoyement. Its too bad cause like i said the main character and her love interest had chemistry and made me intetested in their story.

Beside that you got some generic low budget kills that are "ok". Decent practical effects, but nothing that truly stand out.

The movie seem to be set in the 90s, due to use of VHS, cassettes tapes and old cord phones, but you never really feel the atmosphere of the 90s either?

Honestly this movie feels like huge wasted potential. Its like they have had a cool idea, but either couldn't go all the way or simply got lost in the way. In the end a very forgivable movie that i won't ever watch again.

That said, the 2 main actresses were good in it and i hope they have actual careers. They were the bright spot for me. Im gonna go with a 5 out of 10 and im generous. Movie is watchable... but only if you turn off your brain and forget any logic.