Subspecies V: Blood Rise

Producer Charles Band and director Ted Nicoloau's long-awaited Subspecies V: Blood Rise takes place during the Holy Crusades and shows how Christian knight Radu (Anders Hove) came to be the nasty vampire we know and hate from the earlier films.

For the fifth film in a franchise, it's not an entirely worthless effort: the origins story makes a nice change from the previous movies, which had become very repetitive, and Anders Hove puts in another solid performance as Radu, although his advancing years do make it hard to accept him as a younger version of his character (especially as the crusading knight - a little too old to be swinging a sword). Perhaps it would have been wiser for Hove to step aside and allow Radu to be played by someone new.

Overall, though, if you're a fan of the series, this one should prove entertaining enough and is better than I had expected. I rate Blood Rise 5.5/10 rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

I didn't even know they were goin to make another subspecies until I came across it on Tubi and so glad I did. I actually never watched any of the full moon movies when I was younger I remember seeing a few of them on the blockbusters shelves as a kid tryin to convince dad to rent them but that never happened. But in the past few years I watched quite a few here and there and have found they're definitely hit and miss but the subspecies films are the gems of the collection in my opinion. Radu is what a vampire is supposed to look like and has been played excellently over the years by Anders hove. His transformation from man to monster is amazing in this one. It took awhile to realize where it was goin but once it all came together this ended up being one of the best in the series I hope to see more from them, I actually think it would make a good mini series.

Ted Nicolau is one of the most underrated B-filmmakers out there.

And- aside from TerrorVision- the Subspecies series is his crowning achievement.

Now in it's fifth installation, Blood Rise harkens back to a time since past, to give us the backstory of Radu.

Showing us what he was like before he was a vampire.

A Templar knight- and man of compassion- sworn to protect the Bloodstone.

Up until the moment he gave in to temptation, and was turned into a vampire.

Making this film a prequel to the rest of the series.

Because it was only after he was turned, that he was initiated with the occult knowledge of the dark arts.

And it was only with these powers, that he was able to become the villain we've come to know so well.

He takes on two fledglings of his own.

A couple troubadours, whose music he is allured by.

Only to trade them off for access to the Bloodstone.

As the blood it provides make vampires trip balls.

That's why it's all about the Bloodstone, baby.

The creature effects in this are quite well done.

With Radu taking on a particularly Nosferatu look.

The plot, however, could use a bit of nuance to it, though.

As it's construction is a bit too simplistic.

But it's entertaining enough.

And not a disappointing addition to the series.

As long as you don't expect it to be more than another gothic episode in the dark soap opera that is Subspecies.

5.5 out of 10.

The "Rise" portion of the title let's you know what you're in for here. This film serves as the origin story for the primary character of the franchise, Radu Vladislas - once again brilliantly portrayed by franchise regular Anders Hove. Here, the film largely succeeds in humanizing the franchise's monstrous and iconic villain.

I was fortunate enough to catch this on its one day only theatrical release at my local Alamo Drafthouse and enjoyed the post feature making of and interviews with the cast and crew held by Charles Band. In addition to successfully humanizing Radu as a character, I have to also praise the technical aspects of the film as it looks and sounds great- easily sporting the most polished cinematography of the series. I found myself hoping they expound on a couple of the plot points and make a Subspecies VI. Hopefully if another entry is made it doesn't take another 20 years.

It's been 25 long years since the release of Subspecies IV, so it's hard to believe this sequel even exists. Better still, it's actually a good movie! We live in an age of disappointing reboots, but this isn't one of them.

Of course, you have to grade movies like Subspecies on a curve. Is Blood Rise a conventionally good film? Probably not, but it's solid by B-movie standards. The music, costumes, and cinematography all exceed expectations; clearly, this was a labor of love for the production team. The makeup and special effects are more erratic, but still admirable given the low budget. The location filming in Serbia is excellent and preserves the unique European flavor of the series.

Most importantly, Anders Hove effortlessly slides back into the role of Radu - a repulsive yet somehow sympathetic character, and one of cinema's coolest vampires. As with the earlier entries, he's the best thing in the movie by miles, but the supporting cast is pretty solid. Notably, Hove plays the role seriously this time and isn't as campy as before, which might disappoint fans who enjoy the more overt comedy of the previous films ("Muuuummy!")

The plot of Subspecies V is merely okay, alas. It jumps around in time a lot, meaning that some situations can feel rushed and underdeveloped. Also, there's a conspicuous lack of action and crowd scenes - betraying the limitations of making a period-piece movie without enough money. Still, the film is good at glossing over its weaknesses and playing to its strengths, like mood and character.

I think Ted Nicolaou wanted to make a strong directorial statement with this film, by demonstrating that it's possible to create a serious and impactful Subspecies movie in 2023. While I personally prefer the more fun approach of the previous films, I was impressed by what he achieved here. This is probably the best Subspecies movie since part 2, and it's a nice blend of nostalgia and new ideas.

So...can we get a sixth one?