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Bloodshot
Columbia Pictures)
By Lucas Allen
It was only in theaters on opening weekend before the big shutdown, making it very difficult to make back its $45 million budget and guarantee any future sequels. With that said, let’s see how “Bloodshot” stands on its own among the very over-crowded field of superhero blockbusters. The movie is based on a comic book series from the early 90s by indie publisher Valiant Comics.
Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) was a U.S. soldier with a loving wife, Gina (Talulah Riley), whose peaceful lives were destroyed when terrorist Martin Axe (Toby Kebbell) captured and slaughtered them.
Time passes and Ray suddenly awakes to discover he was resurrected by brilliant scientist Dr. Emil Harting (Guy Pearce), using special nanites that heal his body instantly after any bodily injury. The robotic-armed doctor also introduced Garrison to his other patients including KT (Eiza Gonzalez) with enhanced breathing, Tibbs (Alex Hernandez) with extra eyesight, and robotic-legged Dalton (Sam Heughan). Though he has no memory of his previous life, Ray starts to have nightmares of his wife’s death.
This triggering has him hunting down Axe and associates in a personal mission of revenge, using his newfound super-strength. However, it turns out to be all a ruse, as Harting was actually controlling Garrison to get even with those who wronged him. Ray soon gets help from tech genius Wilfred Wigans (Lamorne Morris), who can use his own talents to get our hero out of the situation. Not only that, Garrison now has his eye on the man who was actually responsible for what happened to him.
Since it’s not a Marvel or DC movie, the movie viewer will have to pay good attention to how this different comic book universe works. The story is a bit clunky at times, depending mostly on tropes to keep the movie feel straightforward. It could’ve been structured better if the movie had opened with Garrison waking up with amnesia before spending the first act understanding the other characters’ backstories before the main action could proceed.
Once the twists are out of the way, the structure improves in the third act paving the way for the ending to naturally sequel-bait for a franchise that may or may not happen.
For those less interested in plot, this movie has enough Diesel-sized action for everybody. Each scene fills to the brim with visual appeal to add to the ongoing gunfire and explosions. The CGI is less impressive looking however as it looks pretty cartoonish and amateurish compared to the bigger budgeted titles. While it’s cool to see the hero get torn up and put back together in an instant, a little more money spent on the effects would’ve helped the film considerably.
It may not work well as a superhero movie, but this movie is certainly made for Vin Diesel fans and it works fine that way. His presence helps add to the entertainment value much like his “Fast & Furious” series, but with less car work and more brawn and strength. Gonzalez is likable and beautiful, while proving to be a good match with the main star. Pearce fills the villain role nicely adding some extra dimension to an otherwise thankless part.
Given that it’s from a lesser-known comic universe, “Bloodshot” is fun to watch but nothing special enough to get more fans interested. Fortunately, the remainder of 2020 will have just one DC film and one Marvel movie that’ll have us pumped to get back to theaters.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence, some suggestive material, and language)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 2.75 Stars (Out of Four)
