The horror genre is always looking for ways to innovate, new approaches, or a different perspective when doing classic stories, and fans are quick to reward these creative fancies when they’re done well. It doesn’t have to be complicated, and these types of re-imaginings are often easier when they use familiar – but legally distinct – characters, especially in comedic situations. Then all that’s required is a little clever writing, maybe a few likable protagonists, or just some gnarly inventive kills. Bloody Axe Wound is festering in that sense—no, wait, I meant thriving—in that sweet spot where it almost hits all of these bars in an attempt to make something new and fun with a little bite.
The story follows Abbie Bladecut–and that last name is more than appropriate, as her family is in the slasher business. Her dad, Roger, has turned killing teenagers into his life’s work and it keeps their video rental store open and puts food on the table. Wanting to appease her weakening father – even if he doesn’t think a girl can carry the franchise – Abbie is determined to become the best serial killer she can, but a rocky path leads her to try some more in-depth research at the local high school, showing the young girl what it’s like for kids on the other side. Now she’s faced with weighing her potential new friends and a budding romance against her responsibilities and family legacy, leading to an eventual confrontation against the patriarch that won’t end well.
Bloody Axe Wound was written and directed by Matthew John Lawrence, someone I’m not familiar with, but after this movie and finding out one of his previous projects is called Uncle Peckerhead, I’m taking note. Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen, The Boys) is involved as a producer, but he also pops up in the film briefly, something that they made sure to show off in the excellent trailer. What attracted me even further was that superb retro-styled poster, which made me want to sit down and watch the entire Bladecut series immediately.
What Lawrence crafted here is an excellent coming-of-age lesbian romance slasher flick, and it works because it feels as genuine as possible within the established universe. This is a comedy, and the humor is done well, even if not everything lands just right. The movie has an attitude. The characters swear, say naughty things, while the teenage angst and rebellion come across as just raw enough. More importantly, we care about the people we’re following. All the players, even the antagonists, have real-life issues on their plates, from bills and family squabbles to lost loves and the desire to achieve something. They all feel like someone we knew in school or could have interacted with, minus the killer part.
Sari Arambulo (A.P. Bio) is excellent as Abbie, and Molly Brown (Evil, Dexter: Original Sin) beautifully plays her fiery counterpart, Sam, with the two bouncing perfectly off each other as their relationship escalates quickly and violently. Billy Burke (Twilight, Batman: The Long Halloween) is the stern father figure, but he has moments of showing concern and being thankful, which makes it worse when he and his daughter start working against each other. There isn’t a lot of talking toward the end, but each character feels strongly about their convictions and all of the actors are doing a fantastic job, showing off tons of chemistry, minus one or two annoying side characters that could have been trimmed.
Bloody Axe Wound moves quickly after a specific inciting event and comes in at a brisk 83 minutes. As much as I enjoy the story, it feels like the ending could have taken a bit more time to breathe, extending the conflict between Abbie and her dad, but maybe Lawrence felt that wasn’t the point as much, or that there was a risk of overstaying. Abbie’s motivations to continue her family legacy could have been touched on more in general, making a stronger argument for why she never thought to question what they did before now. Her being adopted seems to play a small role, causing an urge to be accepted into the family, but there’s almost nothing said about that. There’s a lot of lore here, especially with the supernatural elements we’re given, that are just brushed up against and I have to wonder if Lawrence has learned that faithful lesson that fans want to know more, but once they do, a franchise can lose its mystique. Still, even though I enjoyed the ending I felt there were many unanswered questions – like who is filming this stuff – and we were missing about ten minutes or just a little more exposition. But in a way, that just makes me want a sequel, so perhaps that was the intention.
Most of my complaints about the movie equal to wanting more or thinking they should have gone a bit further, none of that means this wasn’t incredibly enjoyable. Several of the aforementioned positive factors just fell into place, making it a fun experience. This was helped by the period setting, like a real small town out of a ‘90s horror story, some wonderful camera work, and a solid licensed soundtrack with at least one appropriate catchy cover.
This is a horror comedy, so there are some kills here. One or two are stylish, and a couple are absolutely hilariously dumb, but the murders aren’t where this project excels. What’s handled well is the gore. Slightly savage and grotesque, the make-up and slashing aftermaths look great, even if a couple of them are accompanied by ridiculous amounts of blood–so many gallons. There are over-the-top moments and stupid deaths, even some charred genitals, but the majority of it worked. These elements are part of why I initially thought the title was a metaphor for a vagina—probably not, but there is a pretty abrupt period gag early on, so maybe I’m not too far off. These bits are all part of that punk attitude I mentioned earlier, giving the film a playful and energetic feel.
Bloody Axe Wound isn’t redefining the genre. It’s a cute twist, a bloody tryst, and it is committed to an enjoyable concept that played within the established playground while managing to let splashes of its style shine. I’ll take more of these for sure, and I think others might enjoy it too. Even if not, it’s just a wound.
SCORE: 7/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
Disclosure: ComingSoon received a screener for our Bloody Axe Wound review.
