PIC of the Week – Bloody Hell
Article Series by Ray Schillaci
SOME SPOILERS PRECEDED IN BOLD
The Horror Collective deserves an encore for their January 14th release of Bloody Hell on VOD, Redbox, and arriving on DVD on the 19th. Director Alister Grierson and writer Robert Benjamin have possibly crafted one of the most daring, frightening and darkly funny films of the year. As I have been quoted on the DVD box, this is “a thrill ride and-a-half.”
The film has been described as Fight Club meets Fargo. In my opinion, that is an over simplification. Sure, the film contains elements that will remind some of both films, but this personal hellish journey of a victim of both internet fame and real life kidnapping and torturing all the while battling one’s id is one unique sardonic horror show. Nothing can prepare you for this, and there are those that will not be able to watch it all the way through due to some extreme violence. Those that can stomach the more grisly scenes will be rewarded for the best time since Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead.
For those that didn’t catch my early release review, our hapless hero, Rex Coen, foils a bank robbery. Sadly, not everything goes his way and someone is accidentally killed landing him an eight year prison stretch. This is really tough for a guy returning from the war, battling his conscience and eventually dueling with his id that has taken shape before his and our eyes.
On a lark and a twist of ill fate, Rex tosses a dart at a world map to decide to escape his life once he is out. Finland sounds as good a place as any until Rex is kidnapped by a family of sadistic cannibals. He wakes up cuffed, left hanging in a basement awaiting his fate. ***SPOILER*** Oh yeah, he’s missing a body part.
What Rex and his id come up with for their escape is both funny and harrowing. Thanks to the genius of lead actor Ben O’Toole, writer Benjamin’s witty and punchy dialogue, and director Grierson’s frenetic direction, I ended up on the edge of my seat, peaking between my fingers while cheering the main character on. O’Toole does wonders playing both the frantic and skillful Rex and his humorous id.
The film is a US/Australian production. O’Toole can stand among his accomplished Australians (Hugh Jackman, Joel Edgerton, Chris Hemsworth) as a talent to be reckoned with. In fact, he starred with Hemsworth and Michael Shannon in Jerry Bruckheimer’s 12 Strong. Before that, he played Russell Crowe’s son in The Water Diviner. His delivery is whip smart and he appears to easily slip into the role of an action star the likes of Bruce Willis or Keanu Reeves.
It should be noted that writer Robert Benjamin has worked as an editor on some of the biggest marketing campaigns for action and horror films of the past decade. His credits include Kong: Skull Island, Wonder Woman, Don’t Breathe and Deadpool. This is his impressive debut as a screenwriter. Director, Alister Grierson is an Australian writer/director that has worked with James Cameron, Mickey Rourke and directed the acclaimed WWII drama Parer’s War. He also commandeered the 3D underwater photography for Cameron’s Sanctum. Grierson’s talent is on full display with his audacious new film.
Now, the tricky part. Bloody Hell makes its theatrical and VOD, Red Box release debut on Friday the 14th. Most of my PICs are usually on physical medium (DVD, Blu, 4K). But, I felt compelled to make it my PIC, not because a quote of mine ended up on the back cover of the DVD. No, it’s as a result of Grierson’s film being the best release this week.
The film has a DVD release on the 19th with no mention of supplementals so far and a Blu is pending. Although, Amazon has not made any information available at this time. For horror aficionados, you will definitely want to slip this one into your library either digitally or demand a Blu of this bloody good time. Meanwhile, check your available VOD or run, do not walk to your nearest Redbox before someone snatches it away.
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