Meathook Massacre Part VI: Bloodline

As the meathook massacre rages on, recently-reconnected half-sisters trying to get back acquainted with each other find that the strange relatives staying with them are slightly more unhinged than they may let on, and when the killings start to turn closer to home they realize their true intentions and try to get away alive.

For the most part, this was a pretty decent effort. That this one attempts to introduce an actual setup into the proceedings, featuring the two family members coming into the fold of each other's lives and then explaining their comfort with the situation while she is clearly at unease with that or the other events that are building up around her, generates a fairly interesting setup. The attempts at suspense here with the burgeoning ideas of the massacre hanging around the outskirts of her life while she deals with the family drama, the exploits of her boss and the constant notions of something hanging around following her are rather nicely handled and maintain an engaging slow-burn pace to start this one off. That leads into the film's other enjoyable aspect here in how this one manages to offer up a connecting storyline to the other entries in the series. Not only are some of the returning characters fun to see come back but there's plenty of suspense about whether or not they're going to return to their murderous ways. It adds a nice air of suspense to their interactions when it's obvious they're going to prepare something diabolical with the way they ingratiate themselves into her life and her friends with their untrustworthy activity. This comes as one of the more enjoyable aspects here with the ending revelation turning this into a far darker entry than expected. The other enjoyable aspect here is the expected stalking and chasing scenes that are usually featured here. The ambush on the driver checking on the accident set up to start this off is a nice shocking scene, while the suspenseful chase through the underbrush by a river causes an enjoyable protracted sequence that comes off really well. An extended stalking of a victim looking for a lost pet out in the woods offers up some extra emphasis before heading into the fun of the finale where they lead into the full reveal of the film-long hidden plans they were mentioning which gives this a strikingly brutal and gleefully over-the-top finale. These here are what make the film enjoyable. There are a few problems here. The main issue at play here is the switchover from an action-based pace to a psychological, character-driven piece that lowers the number of confrontations featured. These are fewer in quantity compared to other entries in the series due to the need for all the storyline and set-up offered here before it goes overboard in the finale leaving this with a somewhat longer payoff than normal to get to the good parts that can turn some off looking for more of a wild ride. As the ones we get tend to focus on random characters encountering the killer that doesn't seem to be connected to the main storyline until the end, this might be somewhat off-putting initially even though it's still wrapped around a strong setup. The low budget might be an issue for some, but that's all that holds this one back.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.

Jerimiah Douglas helmed this chapter in Dustin Ferguson's "Meathook Massacre" series and brings an atmospheric and spooky aura to the proceedings. The story involves a young woman who doesn't quite fit in with her new family. But what she doesn't realize is that her family descends from a long line of cannibals, working under the guise of a sinister project known as "66636."

What I like about this series is that each film looks and feels totally unique from the last, but there is enough connective tissue between films that they stay married to one-another. Robert Lankford, in his sixth outing as the series' slasher "Bubba," returns in this installment and is used quite effectively, especially during a chase sequence featuring YouTube sensation Shawn C. Phillips. I liked how Douglas kept Bubba in the shadows a little more this time, making the character seem more ominous and scary. Deborah Dutch also makes a return appearance, her first in the series since the second film, and she is always a welcome addition. I hope if the series continues that Dutch will reprise her role again and again. The storyline was very engaging and the film gives us a main character who is easy to root for. Overall, this is definitely in my top two of the series and the combined talents of Douglas/Ferguson really shined through in this one.

I hope the "Meathook Massacre" series continues to live on in this tradition!