Subspecies V: Bloodrise
Arriving twenty five years after Bloodstorm: Subspecies IV seemed to put a final cap on Full Moon's most distinguished franchise, Bloodrise resurrects the story with a prequel . This film is geared toward telling us how series villain Radu Vladislas became the uncompromisingly vicious vampire fans have grown to love over the course of three decades.
Directed by Ted Nicolaou - who has now helmed every film in this franchise ( including the excellent Ash centric spin off Vampire Journals) and written every chapter save for the original - the new film opens with the birth of Radu to immortal sorceress Cersce and undead royalty Prince Vladislas.
The untimely intervention of a troop of Crusaders results in the newborn creature being spirited away the night of his birth. Taken in by the church and given potions to affect a more human appearance, Radu grows to adulthood and becomes a holy Crusader himself , pursuing and destroying evil well into an advanced age, all the while unaware of his own supernatural bloodline.
One sojourn brings Radu and his traveling companion back to where he was born and, in what proves to be a fateful encounter that will change the course of his life, he meets a beautiful woman named Helena and her son, Stefan, both fleeing from the boy's father, Prince Vladislas.
And that's where I'll end my synopsis, because there are twists and revelations ahead that serve to deepen the overall lore of the Subspecies saga and reveal more to audiences about how Radu eventually transformed into the monster we love to hate, not only physically, but psychologically. There are some plot developments I found pleasantly surprising and I wouldn't want to spoil that for long time fans who haven't seen this yet.
So, the question on everyone's mind is: Does it work? Is this a cheap cash in , direct- to -video knock off more akin to the Full Moon that gave us unsatisfying trash like the Axis Puppetmaster films or those godwaful Corona Zombie releases? Or is it a return to the era of the initial Subspecies films, the first three Puppetmaster movies and gems such as Trancers, Doctor Mordred or Head of the Family?
Resoundingly and unquestionably, this film falls squarely into the latter category. This is a carefully constructed, polished piece of legitimate horror cinema. It runs about the same length as the original films and, like those previous installments, it rises above its budgetary limitations and doesn't at all feel like a direct to video release.
Once again, lush location shooting ( with Serbia now standing in for Romania) captured through gorgeous cinematography allows the film to enjoy a authenticity artificial sets can and never will be capable of capturing. I'm of the opinion this is visually the best looking Subspecies film. Honestly, it's the best looking Full Moon movie period and, to further drive home the point, I thought it looked better than most of the wider release independent films I've seen in the past few years. One aspect of Bloodrise in particular I have to applaud is the exquisite lighting. As a rule, I don't focus on specific technical details like that , but given how much of this movie is set in actual caves, castles and catacombs, it's amazing how much clarity there is to the cinematography, with everything granted an eerie ambiance by the ever present flicker of torchlight. As before, the location shooting becomes a character in its own right.
So now that I've addressed the visual/technical quality, how effective is the story?
Well, very, if I'm being honest. However, this comes with a couple of caveats.
One is retconning. Fans who vividly remember the opening scene of the original Subspecies will quickly realize a substantial retcon is unfolding in this one. It seemed to me this was written as more of a direct prequel to Bloodstone Subspecies II and beyond than necessarily the first film, as it reimagines some of the events from that movie. It's all still there, but it's presented differently.
Here's where personal opinion takes over: Objectively, I found myself preferring the new version of these events as presented in Bloodrise. Not only do they add an emotional subtext to Radu as a character in the original films, after seeing this movie, some of the moments of vulnerability Radu demonstrates in Bloodlust: Subspecies III now land with more impact. You know a movie has understood the assignment and done what it set out to do brilliantly when it retroactively adds depth and meaning to the previous films rather than dilute or diminish them.
The other issue people may have is with the pacing. Bloodrise covers centuries in Radu's existence, so it has a lot of ground to cover. Accordingly, it glosses over certain eras of his life, such as the period between the night he's born and the introduction of Anders Hove as the elderly Radu in the waning days of his life as a Crusader. Again, I personally didn't have a problem with this because they had a limited budget and eighty minutes to tell the story in. Despite these limitations, the film does manage to cultivate the feel of an epic chapter in the larger story begun in the original.
That's largely because Ted Nicolau again demonstrates his mastery behind the camera , stripping away the fat to deliver a lean, mean horror drama that somehow manages to feel sweeping in just under 90 minutes. I can't express enough admiration for the work Nicolau has done with this franchise.
He's aided by a returning cast who are so accomplished here it feels as if they just finished filming Bloodstorm Subspecies IV before diving headlong into this one. These people haven't missed a beat in twenty five years.
Anders Hove is the absolute rock star here, for the first time in the franchise spending much of the film without the signature vampire makeup and proving it was never the f/x that made this character. Human Radu is, if anything , even more fascinating than post-transformation Radu. It's a riveting performance and the best Hove has delivered to date.
Denice Duff also sets the screen ablaze with a juicy, compelling performance as Helena. It's obvious Duff is enjoying the opportunity to let loose and play to her dark side here and there's a moment between her and Radu involving a cleverly ironic narrative reversal of what came before that long time fans should appreciate.
Kevin Spirtas has fun with a spirited supporting appearance as Prince Vladislas, all but unrecognizable under some heavy f/x makeup but delivering an energized and entertaining performance nonetheless.
Stasa Nicolic and Marco Filipovic each deliver notable work as, respectfully, Ariel and her brother Ash, traveling troubadours who become Radu's first fledglings. Filipovic in particular does a superb job of portraying a much younger iteration of the character who would eventually play such a pivotal role in Radu's future. The circumstances of his transformation are a highlight of the film.
As long as fans are willing to accept the retcon and that the film by necessity cannot cover every single moment of Radu's life in detail, they should have a blast with Subspecies V: Bloodrise.
Here is a movie that offers a compelling narrative , boasts terrific performances, is true to the history of the material, and moves with polish and prestige as it tells its surprisingly emotional story. It both brings the beloved franchise back in a honorable way and manages to entertain on its own terms. I haven't been able to say that about a lot of recent horror movies, particularly not the majority of the mainstream, big budget wide release films.
Bloodrise is not only a terrific addition to the series, I think it elevates the entire saga. I also think it's the best of the films since part II. It's a brilliant return to form for Full Moon and I sincerely hope it's an indication of what we can expect moving forward. Subspecies fans have cause to rejoice. Highly recommended.
****1/2 out of *****
Arriving twenty five years after Bloodstorm: Subspecies IV seemed to put a final cap on Full Moon's most distinguished franchise, Bloodrise resurrects the story with a prequel . This film is geared toward telling us how series villain Radu Vladislas became the uncompromisingly vicious vampire fans have grown to love over the course of three decades.
Directed by Ted Nicolaou - who has now helmed every film in this franchise ( including the excellent Ash centric spin off Vampire Journals) and written every chapter save for the original - the new film opens with the birth of Radu to immortal sorceress Cersce and undead royalty Prince Vladislas.
The untimely intervention of a troop of Crusaders results in the newborn creature being spirited away the night of his birth. Taken in by the church and given potions to affect a more human appearance, Radu grows to adulthood and becomes a holy Crusader himself , pursuing and destroying evil well into an advanced age, all the while unaware of his own supernatural bloodline.
One sojourn brings Radu and his traveling companion back to where he was born and, in what proves to be a fateful encounter that will change the course of his life, he meets a beautiful woman named Helena and her son, Stefan, both fleeing from the boy's father, Prince Vladislas.
And that's where I'll end my synopsis, because there are twists and revelations ahead that serve to deepen the overall lore of the Subspecies saga and reveal more to audiences about how Radu eventually transformed into the monster we love to hate, not only physically, but psychologically. There are some plot developments I found pleasantly surprising and I wouldn't want to spoil that for long time fans who haven't seen this yet.
So, the question on everyone's mind is: Does it work? Is this a cheap cash in , direct- to -video knock off more akin to the Full Moon that gave us unsatisfying trash like the Axis Puppetmaster films or those godwaful Corona Zombie releases? Or is it a return to the era of the initial Subspecies films, the first three Puppetmaster movies and gems such as Trancers, Doctor Mordred or Head of the Family?
Resoundingly and unquestionably, this film falls squarely into the latter category. This is a carefully constructed, polished piece of legitimate horror cinema. It runs about the same length as the original films and, like those previous installments, it rises above its budgetary limitations and doesn't at all feel like a direct to video release.
Once again, lush location shooting ( with Serbia now standing in for Romania) captured through gorgeous cinematography allows the film to enjoy a authenticity artificial sets can and never will be capable of capturing. I'm of the opinion this is visually the best looking Subspecies film. Honestly, it's the best looking Full Moon movie period and, to further drive home the point, I thought it looked better than most of the wider release independent films I've seen in the past few years. One aspect of Bloodrise in particular I have to applaud is the exquisite lighting. As a rule, I don't focus on specific technical details like that , but given how much of this movie is set in actual caves, castles and catacombs, it's amazing how much clarity there is to the cinematography, with everything granted an eerie ambiance by the ever present flicker of torchlight. As before, the location shooting becomes a character in its own right.
So now that I've addressed the visual/technical quality, how effective is the story?
Well, very, if I'm being honest. However, this comes with a couple of caveats.
One is retconning. Fans who vividly remember the opening scene of the original Subspecies will quickly realize a substantial retcon is unfolding in this one. It seemed to me this was written as more of a direct prequel to Bloodstone Subspecies II and beyond than necessarily the first film, as it reimagines some of the events from that movie. It's all still there, but it's presented differently.
Here's where personal opinion takes over: Objectively, I found myself preferring the new version of these events as presented in Bloodrise. Not only do they add an emotional subtext to Radu as a character in the original films, after seeing this movie, some of the moments of vulnerability Radu demonstrates in Bloodlust: Subspecies III now land with more impact. You know a movie has understood the assignment and done what it set out to do brilliantly when it retroactively adds depth and meaning to the previous films rather than dilute or diminish them.
The other issue people may have is with the pacing. Bloodrise covers centuries in Radu's existence, so it has a lot of ground to cover. Accordingly, it glosses over certain eras of his life, such as the period between the night he's born and the introduction of Anders Hove as the elderly Radu in the waning days of his life as a Crusader. Again, I personally didn't have a problem with this because they had a limited budget and eighty minutes to tell the story in. Despite these limitations, the film does manage to cultivate the feel of an epic chapter in the larger story begun in the original.
That's largely because Ted Nicolau again demonstrates his mastery behind the camera , stripping away the fat to deliver a lean, mean horror drama that somehow manages to feel sweeping in just under 90 minutes. I can't express enough admiration for the work Nicolau has done with this franchise.
He's aided by a returning cast who are so accomplished here it feels as if they just finished filming Bloodstorm Subspecies IV before diving headlong into this one. These people haven't missed a beat in twenty five years.
Anders Hove is the absolute rock star here, for the first time in the franchise spending much of the film without the signature vampire makeup and proving it was never the f/x that made this character. Human Radu is, if anything , even more fascinating than post-transformation Radu. It's a riveting performance and the best Hove has delivered to date.
Denice Duff also sets the screen ablaze with a juicy, compelling performance as Helena. It's obvious Duff is enjoying the opportunity to let loose and play to her dark side here and there's a moment between her and Radu involving a cleverly ironic narrative reversal of what came before that long time fans should appreciate.
Kevin Spirtas has fun with a spirited supporting appearance as Prince Vladislas, all but unrecognizable under some heavy f/x makeup but delivering an energized and entertaining performance nonetheless.
Stasa Nicolic and Marco Filipovic each deliver notable work as, respectfully, Ariel and her brother Ash, traveling troubadours who become Radu's first fledglings. Filipovic in particular does a superb job of portraying a much younger iteration of the character who would eventually play such a pivotal role in Radu's future. The circumstances of his transformation are a highlight of the film.
As long as fans are willing to accept the retcon and that the film by necessity cannot cover every single moment of Radu's life in detail, they should have a blast with Subspecies V: Bloodrise.
Here is a movie that offers a compelling narrative , boasts terrific performances, is true to the history of the material, and moves with polish and prestige as it tells its surprisingly emotional story. It both brings the beloved franchise back in a honorable way and manages to entertain on its own terms. I haven't been able to say that about a lot of recent horror movies, particularly not the majority of the mainstream, big budget wide release films.
Bloodrise is not only a terrific addition to the series, I think it elevates the entire saga. I also think it's the best of the films since part II. It's a brilliant return to form for Full Moon and I sincerely hope it's an indication of what we can expect moving forward. Subspecies fans have cause to rejoice. Highly recommended.
****1/2 out of *****