Customer Reviews

In The Blood

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Just to let you know this is a wonderfully scripted film, which is a disturbing, homoerotic, and fantastic story of sexual knowledge. Coming out has never touched the trascendental until this film. Its narrative construction is almost flawless, and it's also beautiful to watch. I really liked the production design of this independent film, and certainly we have here a great director. I'm eagerly waiting for his next film!

In The Blood is about a college student whose attempts to uncover his sexuality become complicated by psychic visions about a campus killer. This movie is stylishly produced and much better-acted and scored than your average horror flick. Its promise as the next generation of horror is equaled only by the viewer's disappointment when the ending fails to deliver.

I wondered, while watching this, if this film had been shot during the writer's strike. That's the only reason I can think of that certain flaws could have gone uncorrected during the shooting process. There are a few dialogue cues that would make more sense in a high school context than college, for example; as if this script had started out as a story about high school students and then changed settings during the second draft.

The story itself has some pretty awesome possibilities. The concept of a family secret about hereditary mojo isn't new in horror, but the particular twist featured in this movie is something I've never seen before. The relationships, both family and romantic, are given enough complexity to be thoroughly watchable, which is why the lack of believable follow-through smarts so much at the end.

Bottom line, I was enjoying the story up until the final act. The last scene in particular was irritating beyond belief, but I refuse to let it ruin my experience of the entire movie. If the director has an alternate ending, I'd love to see that on a future DVD release, and I would pay full price for it. Otherwise, I'd recommend other users to catch this one free on late night cable, or buy it in the bargain bin, but don't pay full price for this one.

IN THE BLOOD is a good movie that could have been great. The story is interesting and has a fresh twist. James Katherine Flynn plays Cassidy, a senior student at a college being plagued by a serial killer. He has a younger sister, a freshman at the same school, who fits the victim profile. Even more frightening, Cassady begins having brief visions of his sister screaming while being covered in blood; visions, that occur when he is sexually aroused. Unfortunately, he is only attracted to other men, which is something he deeply despises.

What follows is a stylish, sexy thriller much in the same vein as the 70s classic THE EYES OF LAURA MARS. As the danger to his sister mounts Cassady is visited by an aunt who reveals a disturbing family secret. They are "gifted" with the ability to see visions of the future. This gift is tied to their sexuality and the visions only become long enough to see clearly during periods of true physical intimacy. The aunt's psychic ability, which was never great to begin with, only gives her the same glimpse her nephew has already seen. To save his sister Cassady must do the unthinkable: commit both emotionally and physically to having sex with another man.

By this time I was literally on the edge of my seat. What a fantastic twist! As any gay man or lesbian woman in the GLBT community understands, taking the leap and having your first homosexual experience is also the first step in building the identity that is critical to long term happiness. Such an experience is not about coming out. It is about the very core that makes members of sexual minorities unique = their sexuality. Usually this process is slow and involves at least a few compassionate partners. Cassady doesn't have that luxury.

Which gets me to James Katherine Flynn. He puts in a phenomenal performance. Don't get me wrong, the other actors do good jobs, but I was riveted by the lead. The man is so good looking it would be easy to get distracted but that doesn't happen. You can positively taste his character's desperation throughout the film.

But then comes the end. WTF!!! I agree with many of the previous reviewers. The climax blows what was a fascinating story. As I can see it two critical mistakes were made by the director/writer. First, the protagonist doesn't solve the mystery. Instead it is pushed off on one of the supporting characters, and even then it is done in the most minimalist fashion possible - almost as an afterthought. Second they kill off the lead. Although not unheard of in the thriller genre, it is still rare - except when of course it seems to concern gay characters who in typical Hollywood formula meet up with a sticky red end. How predictable. Linking gay male sexuality with death and violence has been done so many times before that seeing it applied yet again is insulting.

I was going to give this film four stars for James Katherine Flynn's performance and the initially fresh story, but I just can't. As a viewer, the ending left me profoundly disappointed.

Remember "Don't Look Now"? Well, if you don't, here's an ersatz new version of the same story, peopled by stupid, unpleasant people who always do the wrong thing, egged on by hallucinatory flashes of premonition (invariably misinterpreted) and shrieks of "DOOM!!!" from deranged minor characters (warnings also willfully ignored). Frankly, by the time this thing finally ground to a halt ("the end ... or IS it? BWAH-hahahaha!"), our only reaction was a vague disappointment that any of these unpleasant idiots had survived. Well, that and embarrassment at having actually paid for the DVD.

At the conclusion of this movie I wondered what had been the point of the last 80 minutes.Not terribly likeable characters and the conclusion was rushed. How the perpetrator of these crimes was caught is never really explained....or maybe it was and I had mentally switched off by this stage...
One of those DVD's I will give away rather than keep as I would never watch it a second time

this film gives not only gay themed low budget horror films a really bad name but
low budget horror films in general. the plot makes no sense and the acting is the
definition of atrocious. DO NOT BUY, DON'T EVEN RENT.

wow, i was shocked,at the end, i had half of the mystery solved, but this movie kept me in my seat, love it. i had to show this movie to all my friends

As other reviewers have stated, this film COULD have been an interesting take on a coming out experience with a supernatural/killer twist to it, but in the end all it seems to be is poorly written and self-hating.

While the two leads who play brother and sister did have chemistry and could act, the lame plot takes away from anything else the movie has to offer. By the end, I thought, I wasted 90 minutes of my life on this mess? Thank goodness I rented it.

I suggest you avoid this movie, but if you want to watch some wonderful coming-of-age movies that have an amazing plot, terrific acting and brilliant directing then buy: "Latter Days," or "Shelter." Or if you prefer your movies with a little supernatural twist to them, then get "Back Soon." But leave "In the Blood" in the rubbish bin where it belongs!

I don't know what the reviewer "Gordon Larko" is smoking. For some reason, he feels compelled to leave the EXACT SAME horrible review and 1 STAR rating for all GAY-THEMED movies. Probably a "personal problem" of his. Hopefully this review will help correct this imbalance. I can't believe AMAZON is allowing this GAY BASHER to use their website as a venue to spread his hate.
By the way, This is an absolutely WONDERFUL movie!

Part of me was expecting the worst for this movie... but I was very pleasantly surprised. It had the kind of loopy, eccentric energy of films like DePalma's "Sisters" and Roeg's "Don't Look Now." It was that 70s witchy, weirdness type of tone -- which I think the filmmakers were intentionally going for according to the commentary. If you're not into that stuff then you won't like the movie. But it's kind of cool seeing young filmmakers attempting to connect with a previous generation of cinema in a contemporary way.