Blood Father

I expected it to be a Mel Gibson driven movie with a simple story.

I also knew the director Richet is known for the qualities of his Mesrine Biopic, but still didn't await the same genre.

Blood Father is not a very serious movie trying to reflect reality to the bone, but an old school action movie with a fresh tight rhythm. Funny dialogues/moments and good performances from quite every actor. No waste of time here (maybe a bit too fast, especially the ending)

I loved it because it was entertaining from start to finish. Some would say it's an overly simplistic rehash of a story we've seen a hundred times. They wouldn't be far from the truth, but the film still is engaging if you let go of your High Concept expectations.

It respects its viewer in a way that makes me feel bad for liking these soulless blockbusters we're being fed these days.

The funny thing is that the movie deliberately reflects Mel's filmography and personal story in different ways without pushing it too far.

I went to see Mel Gibson again, and boy I did!

I need more Mel, g*ddammit!

Pretty fitting role for this man right? A recovering alcoholic... Pretty certain Mel was as drunk as a skunk when he committed career suicide lambasting Jewish people, and everything else under the sun. Fast forward a decade later, and I ask myself has he been humbled... Seen his evil ways and has now returned to us born again? In recovery? I don't know. What I do know is Mel Gibson has always owned anti-hero roles like this. He was good at them back then, and apparently a decade later he still is.

So... This film kicks ass. It has heart. It hits all of the right notes for a Father revenge flick, and his performance hits all of these notes way way better than a movie like Taken. This film is well worth a watch, and I can't decide whether I should feel guilty or happy about this.

I guess it all depends on whether this guy is still a jerk, or has woken the hell up. Ultimately though, what does it really matter? We have this thing in our society where celebrities have to be likable acceptable public figures, like politicians, or they're kicked to the curb. When really what does it matter? They're just actors doing a job. They could be a jerk and a great actor, or a saint and an awful actor. It really just relates to the caliber of their work, and I have to say, whether he is the former or the latter, he nailed this role like he did so often back in the day with other roles like this--back when everyone liked him.

Pretty good movie...

Jean-François Richet, French director of the highly acclaimed Mesrine bring to life the titular novel by Peter Craig, who also wrote the screenplays for both Mockingjays and Affleck's The Town. A story about an estranged daughter who's being hunted by the worse kinds has no choice but seek out her father, John Link who happens to be an ex-worse kind himself.

She's a runaway, mixes with the wrong crowd, the dangerous kind and ends up on the run. Link, her father, is an ex-con, recovering alcoholic and is her only hope and possibly she's his only chance of having any paternal responsibility. It's similar to Run All Night where a father will do whatever is absolutely necessary to keep their children alive.

I hope I look as good as Mel Gibson when I'm his age, looking awesome and comfortable with that worn, rugged, tough look still emanating to be a force to be reckoned with. John Link is like an amalgamation of many of Gibson's past characters bearing unintentional similarities to Lethal Weapon's Riggs, Payback's Porter, the gringo and even a little of Mad Max. One thing all these characters share is that Gibson psychotic rage and the controlled calmness he does when the sh*t is hitting not just the fan but everything else.

Kudos to newcomer Erin Moriarty who superbly acts up against Gibson as his endangered, rebellious troubled teen. Having briefly seen her only last month in Captain Fantastic, it's impressive to see her take on a role opposite Gibson. The volatile relationship between the two is captivating enforced by their quick-fire and sometimes amusing dialogue.

There's quite a supporting cast too with legendary Michael Parks, William H. Macy and the usual gang banger Richard Cabral. Parks is brilliant, having a presence of sinister grandeur and Raoul Max Trujillo stars as a Sicario which is a little ironic being that he also starred in last year's Sicario.

The violence is abrasive and abrupt but it's more dramatic with John Link battling and reconnecting with his old demons to secure the safety of his wanted daughter. There's nothing fancy, no spectacular sequences, but that gives the film a better sense of realism. There's a little of annoying shaky cam to begin with but that soon fades.

It's a riveting movie from start to finish and well paced. It's good to see Mel Gibson back on the big screen, and be on such good form too. Fans of the tougher, rougher Gibson shouldn't be disappointed.

Running Time: 9 The Cast: 8 Performance: 9 Direction: 8 Story: 8 Script: 8 Creativity: 8 Soundtrack: 7 Job Description: 8 The Extra Bonus Points: 5 for good ol' Gibson Would I buy the Bluray?: Yes.

78% 8/10

Although Blood Father does not bring anything new to the table in terms of storytelling, it manages to provide decent entertainment by taking advantage of its filming locations, a good cast and somewhat interesting, although undeveloped, lead characters.

Link (Mel Gibson) is an ex-con turned tattoo artist and former alcoholic who lives a reasonably quiet life in a trailer park home. One day, he receives a phone call from his daughter, Lydia, who has gone missing for many years, and who's seeking help, as drug dealers and law enforcement are trying to track her down. Sounds familiar? It probably does. It's a very classic story, and make no mistake about it, this tale is quite typical of the genre. I would even go as far as to say that story-wise, this film is sub-par and plot development is almost nonexistent. Add an anticlimactic and abrupt ending, and an almost shameful use of pretty interesting supporting characters, one has to wonder what Blood Father really has to offer.

The answer is an overall pretty good time, despite its flaws, thanks to sympathetic characters, above-average dialogue for the genre, some gritty moments, very welcome touches of humor and great cinematography. Jean-François Richet, who directed the biographical films about Jacques Mesrine, does a pretty good job too.

Again, it's a shame to make such little use of Kirby (William H. Macy) and Preacher (Michael Parks), but their presence is appreciated while it lasts. The Sicario character's first appearance is blood chilling, but unfortunately, the character's mystique evaporates from lack of screen time and further significant appearances. Mel Gibson is perfect in his role and Erin Moriarty (Lydia) is pretty good as well. The chemistry between both characters is tangible, and the generational clash sub-theme is subtle, but interesting nonetheless. Moreover, there are a few sequences, such as the first scene at the store and the scene when Link and Lydia are in the back of a truck filled with illegal Mexican immigrants, where the film humorously takes aim at some absurdities, such as a minor buying boxes of ammo without being asked for her ID, but being denied a pack of cigarettes because she's underage, or Lydia countering her dad's argument that illegal Mexican immigrants are "stealing" fruit-picking jobs from white Americans.

While the film offers some nice set-pieces, as a sequence of events, Blood Father's script does not profit from the best possible dramatic continuity, and ultimately falls short on delivering any truly memorable moment whatsoever. In that regard, the writing feels very uneven, as it delivers in the dialogue department, but lacks truly interesting ideas or ingenuity story-wise.

That being said, its qualities are likely to draw you in for its hour and a half runtime, and should manage to entertain anyone who likes this type of flick.

When runaway teenager Lydia (Erin Moriarity) accidentally shoots her drugs cartel boyfriend, she makes a desperate run for it, asking for help from her estranged father Link (Mel Gibson), a tough ex-con still on parole. Together, father and daughter go into hiding, pursued by vicious killers.

I know that Mad Mel doesn't think very highly of the English (or anyone who is not an Australian/American Catholic, for that matter), but I'm still a fan, and Blood Father proves that he still has what it takes, the star putting in a moving performance as a caring father who will do anything to protect his daughter.

This isn't an all-out action-fest, which might disappoint some viewers (although there are some great action scenes to be had)—it's a tale of redemption, with a flawed character doing his best to make up for past mistakes, which seems very apt: perhaps Hollywood should learn something from this film and give its troubled star one more chance.

Best moments: the opening bit of satire—16 year-old Lydia buys countless packs of bullets at a store without a problem, but is carded when it comes to cigarettes; the motorbike chase scene (nice to see Mel toting a shotgun once again); and what's that? Mel making fun of himself in a scene in which he spews hatred of minorities? I had to laugh.

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.