Now available on DVD
Cast:
Sarah Farooqui as Sai
Chris Ivan Cevic as Royce
Alex Petrovitch as Eric
Michele Morrow as Kerra
Jonathan Oldham as Renfield
Directed by Christopher Huston
Review:
Low-budget horror movies make for such an easy target, especially when you consider that they are a dime a dozen. It can be refreshing to see one that is not exactly like something you have seen a hundred times before, even if it isn’t exactly a great horror movie. Bled falls into this category. While its execution never comes close to matching its effort, the ambition is appreciated.
Most horror fans would probably agree that the vampire genre is a bit stale. Bled takes a slightly different approach by introducing drugs into the mix. Sai (Sarah Farooqui) is a hip artist living in Los Angeles. At a gallery showing of her work she meets a pale, creepy German named Renfield (Jonathan Oldham). He loves her work and wants to buy it on the spot. This, of course, makes her so grateful that she takes him back to her place.
Surprisingly Renfield is not looking to get laid. He wants to share something with Sai, because she is a great artist and all great artists do it (for a big city girl Sai sure makes questionable decisions). This something is some kind of drug. You burn it and inhale deeply. It takes the user to another world, a vivid alternate reality. There are vampires and a creature there. The rush is intense and apparently the user gets hooked quickly. Sai yearns to share it with her friends, which is just want Renfield wants too.
Bled is more erotic thriller than horror. It brings to mind Alyssa Milano and Embrace of the Vampire. It takes itself much more seriously though, and that is one of the main reasons it falls short. Because it is so serious, it tends to come across as pretty silly. The freak flag never flies. There is a little implied sex but no nudity. It plays like an edited version with all the good stuff taken out. It is way too tame. The same can be said for the violence, or lack thereof. The creature doesn’t get to do much and is seldom seen. The vamps do a little biting here and there but nothing we haven’t seen before. There is some blood but not nearly as much as there should be. As with the sex it feels like the filmmakers are holding back.
While striving for more is not something to be discouraged, it is also important to be aware of limitations, budgetary and otherwise. Bled wants so badly to be moody and mysterious, but mostly it comes across as goofy and pretentious. A mix of drugs and vampires in modern L.A. isn’t a terrible idea for a low-budget horror flick. However, don’t sacrifice the entertainment. By trying so damn hard, Bled isn’t much fun to watch. The filmmakers play down what could have worked and amplify the drama, not this particular movie’s strength.
Other reviews have torn Bled to pieces. It is easy to understand why. I’m not recommending it, but I do believe that it is better to fail at something different than fail while cashing in and not even trying. The effort is welcome but one hopes that next time practicality is factored into the equation.
