A letdown in every way - no protection, no service
I recently had the misfortune of watching 'Blood Star', a road thriller that promised to deliver the same level of intensity and suspense as 'The Hitcher'. Unfortunately, it fell woefully short of its mark.
The movie's plot is a mess of overused tropes and cliches. The protagonist, Bobby, is a poorly developed character who's more annoying than likable. Her sassiness and quick wit, which might have looked cool on paper, come across as insufferable on screen.
The creepy sheriff, on the other hand, is a bit more interesting. The actor does a decent job of playing him, bringing a sociopathic expression and a love for cat-and-mouse games with his victim. But he's just a collection of cliches and can't hold a candle to the unforgettable, almost mystical, and uncatchable psycho-killer from the road played by Rutger Hauer in 'The Hitcher' or the Aussie outback psycho Mick from 'Wolf Creek', which he's based on.
The movie's attempt at being a feminist take on 'The Hitcher' is a failure. The scenes with the waitress and Bobby's conversation about men's mistreatment of women feel completely out of place and are a distraction from the main plot.
One of the few redeeming qualities of the movie is its desert landscapes, which are visually stunning. Even this, however, isn't enough to save the movie from its overall mediocrity.
'Blood Star' is a mediocre film that's worth a watch for fans of road thrillers, but only if you're a die-hard fan of the genre. Otherwise, it's a waste of time.
The movie has some positives - it does have some suspense and tension, and you're always on edge, wondering who's going to die next. But these positives aren't enough to make up for the movie's many flaws.
The fact that Bobby isn't a particularly likable heroine doesn't help. Maybe in the script, her sassiness and quick wit looked cool on paper, but on screen, I saw just an annoying character.
The sheriff's unexpected benevolent mode, offering Bobby a way out of the ticket, is a red herring that doesn't pay off. It's a thriller, after all, and you know that won't end well.
The movie's desert landscapes and Bobby's car, a Ford Mustang, are the only original things about the movie. The rest is just a rehashing of old cliches and overused tropes.
I have to say, the movie's lack of a likable heroine is a major issue. Maybe in the script, her sassiness and quick wit looked cool, but on screen, it just comes across as annoying.
The sheriff's unexpected change of heart, offering Bobby a way out of the ticket, is a misdirection that doesn't pay off. It's a thriller, and you know that won't end well.
The movie's attempt to tackle feminist themes is a failure. The scenes with the waitress and Bobby's conversation about men's mistreatment of women feel completely out of place and are a distraction from the main plot.
The creepy sheriff is a bit better, and the actor plays him well - with a sociopathic expression and a love for cat-and-mouse games with his victim. But he's still just a collection of cliches, and he can't hold a candle to the unforgettable, almost mystical, and uncatchable psycho-killer from the road played by Rutger Hauer in 'The Hitcher' or the Aussie outback psycho Mick from 'Wolf Creek', which he's based on.
The movie's desert landscapes and Bobby's car, a Ford Mustang, are the only original things about the movie. The rest is just a rehashing of old cliches and overused tropes.
I have to say, the movie's lack of a likable heroine is a major issue. Maybe in the script, her sassiness and quick wit looked cool, but on screen, it just comes across as annoying.
The sheriff's unexpected change of heart, offering Bobby a way out of the ticket, is a misdirection that doesn't pay off. It's a thriller, and you know that won't end well.
The movie's attempt to tackle feminist themes is a failure. The scenes with the waitress and Bobby's conversation about men's mistreatment of women feel completely out of place and are a distraction from the main plot.
The creepy sheriff is a bit better, and the actor plays him well - with a sociopathic expression and a love for cat-and-mouse games with his victim. But he's still just a collection of cliches, and he can't hold a candle to the unforgettable, almost mystical, and uncatchable psycho-killer from the road played by Rutger Hauer in 'The Hitcher' or the Aussie outback psycho Mick from 'Wolf Creek', which he's based on.
The movie's desert landscapes and Bobby's car, a Ford Mustang, are the only original things about the movie. The rest is just a rehashing of old cliches and overused tropes.
I have to say, the movie's lack of a likable heroine is a major issue. Maybe in the script, her sassiness and quick wit looked cool, but on screen, it just comes across as annoying.
The sheriff's unexpected change of heart, offering Bobby a way out of the ticket, is a misdirection that doesn't pay off. It's a thriller, and you know that won't end well.
The movie's attempt to tackle feminist themes is a failure. The scenes with the waitress and Bobby's conversation about men's mistreatment of women feel completely out of place and are a distraction from the main plot.
The creepy sheriff is a bit better, and the actor plays him well - with a sociopathic expression and a love for cat-and-mouse games with his victim. But he's still just a collection of cliches, and he can't hold a candle to the unforgettable, almost mystical, and uncatchable psycho-killer from the road played by Rutger Hauer in 'The Hitcher' or the Aussie outback psycho Mick from 'Wolf Creek', which he's based on.
The movie's desert landscapes and Bobby's car, a Ford Mustang, are the only original things about the movie. The rest is just a rehashing of old cliches and overused tropes.