Blood Hook is a surprisingly well-directed D-movie. What I mean is, I picked this film expecting nothing - an 80s derivative slasher with no budget that i'm likely to turn off in 10 minutes. But there are enough skillful ingredients here that I stayed for the full duration. Now, would I have done so if I double-checked and saw that it was 112 minutes long? Advisably not; BUT: this was a competently made nothing, to the degree I will be sad if the director went on to do nothing after trying their best with the nothing they had to showcase their talents with.
Pros: the 'backstory' mysterious death sequence succeeds in introducing enough unique intrigue to rope viewers in to the meandering main plot. I don't know what it is, but there's this big cart on tracks that's used to go downhill to the pier? And the use of it is the kind of odd, dreamlike imagery that really deserves a better movie. And during this-as well as being reincorporated throughout-a song that seems made for the film, a lynchian ballad about fishing, coos its way to being a signal of fishing-related terror. #2- the characters are quickly well-defined. They may be shallow, but we do get a sense easily of what their archetypes are. And they do play out their roles in the plot to entertaining effect, even if in a B-movie fashion. By the end we have a vietnam-vet nutjob, a spoiled brat boy, and a doom prophet working with our sleepy once-native-of-the-small-fishing-ville protagonist piecing together the murderer. I want to convey to you that while this movie does fall into the old shtick of a runtime mainly comprised of people ditzing around to waste time, it is all naturally-paced and cleanly edited time-wasting. Im surprised the film goes so long in the runtime because unlike typical ripoff slasher fare, it is not overly long, unmotivated scenes that roll long after someone should say 'cut'. The banal sequences clearly have directing behind them, and even plenty of thought-out shot placements and compositions to try making it more palatable.
So really I can't say this is elevated to higher art, or even horror-the gore/special effects are definitely the most miserable part of the production here-it knew how to be a movie that keeps you engaged enough to keep watching. And the mystery of who the killer is was clearly known from the start. To the point that you can easily see past the red herrings and figure it out halfway through but- that's better than slashers that just have it be totally random, right?
And yes, the gong sound made me laugh before I could name what internet phenomenon I was recognizing it from, until it happened agin and I realized they have the same gong from the Taco Bell ads, pitched descending in spooky fashion. But a real laugh, like some of the details you can pick up on in the movie.
Not a wholehearted recommendation, but... it wasn't too bad really. There is something there; at least worth a vinegar syndrome restored blu ray or something for the niche horror goons.
