Bloodstone: Subspecies II

Having sensibly disposed of Stefan and focused on the far more interesting Radu, the Full Moon crew really gets this series rolling with its second film. Michelle (Denise Duff, replacing the first film's Laura Tate) escapes Castle Vlad and flees to Bucharest, taking with her the precious Bloodstone. Desperately battling her own developing vampirism, she begs her sister Rebecca to take her back to America, but when Rebecca arrives, Michelle - ashamed of her condition - finds it near-impossible to face her. This sets up the film's central game of cat-and-bat-and-mouse, as the worried Rebecca and the resurrected Radu hunt Michelle through Bucharest's night time streets and Rebecca assembles a motley gang of Fearless Vampire Hunters [TM] to pursue her sister's tormentor. A terrific mixture of macabre and down-to-earth characters, with Duff standing out as the terrified but strong-willed Michelle, Melanie Shatner fine as brave and concerned Rebecca, Michael Denish enjoying the Van Helsing-esque role of Prof. Popescu and Ion Haiduc especially good as the pragmatic Romanian cop Lt. Marin.

The movie, however, *belongs* to Anders Hove as Radu. Hove brings a completely unexpected level of sympathy and emotion to the character. He gets under the skin of the monster makeup to wonderfully suggest the childlike nature, terrible loneliness, and unfed craving for love that offset Radu's displays of cruelty and sudden violence. The scenes with his horrific mother are genuinely affecting, as he tries desperately for even a moment of her approval. Hove's performance is certainly the core of this film and bids to become the main reason for further Subspecies films.

This is a straight-to-video vampire movie. Were some of you expecting a masterpiece? I wonder why people take such a perverse joy out of bombing a film like this! It really is much better than its low rating would suggest.

Moody directing, lush Romanian locations, and deliciously over-the-top villains like Radu and Mummy add up to a gruesomely wonderful viewing experience. Denise Duff gives a sympathetic performance, and it sure doesn't hurt that she's a "10" on the Brian scale. The folk music score is another highlight.

I've shown this movie to a number of people - gals and guys of different professions, with varying levels of sanity - and all of them have liked it. If you want to rent a horror movie that's violent but not repulsive, and clever enough to hold your attention when there aren't killings on screen, then "Subspecies II" is the flick for you (sorry about the bad poetry there!).

I was given the chance in 2019 and sit down to watch three movies of the "Subspecies" franchise, which I did and watched them in rapid succession of one another.

First of all, I must admit to being so very thrilled and content with the fact that "Bloodstone: Subspecies II" is a direct and continuous sequel to the first "Subspecies" movie. By that I mean that this sequel picks up exactly where the first movie left the audience hanging. I enjoyed that tremendously, and it is rare that you actually see that done in movies.

I found "Bloodstone: Subspecies II" to be equally entertaining and the first "Subspecies" movie and subsequently also as the third movie in the franchise as I watched that directly after having finished "Bloodstone: Subspecies II".

The Radu character, once again portrayed by Anders Hove - and done so with so much grace and perfection I might add, is fleshed out, pardon the pun, in greater detail in this sequel. While the storyline is a continuation of the first movie, we still get a much more in-depth look into whom the Radu character is, what drives him and how he came to be as he is.

While these "Subspecies" are within the horror genre, they are not actually based on being scary or being able to make the audience cringe from gore and violence and jump out of their seats from a myriad of jump scares. No, this franchise is based on character development and a continuous plot and storyline. And that really carries the movies quite some way.

They definitely upped their game in terms of make-up and special effects in this 1993 sequel to the original 1991 "Subspecies" movie. And while it wasn't sorely needed, it made for a more enjoyable viewing of course.

I thoroughly enjoy the "Subspecies" franchise, and I find the Radu character to actually be the most memorable vampire character that I have seen throughout all the vampire movies I have watched over the past three decades give or take.

If you have not yet gotten acquainted with the "Subspecies" franchise and the long-fingered monstrous Radu character, I can definitely strongly recommend that you do so if you are given the chance.

I got the great opportunity last night to see all the Subspecies movies, normally when you get into the sequels, they're disappointing and you don't get into them, they also ruin the series. But thankfully Bloodstone: Subspecies 2 is a different story. This is a fun sequel that really develops a story instead of the typical bite and gore vampire film. We get a little closer insight of Radu's history, who he is and how he has become Radu, also that he has mortal feelings at times, especially for his new protégé, Michelle. The reason why this series is so interesting I think is because it provides the scares while going into a very interesting story about vampires and makes it a great night for horror movies.

Radu is back, after arising from his decapitation, well, you'll have to see how they pull it together, he finds his brother, Stephan resting and kills him. He goes to another coffin to find Michelle, who is waiting for her transformation of being a vampire, but before Radu can kill her, the sun comes up and burns him, he runs, Michelle grabs the bloodstone and gets as far away as she can. Megan, her sister, has come to Romania to find Michelle, but finds out about Michelle's new... life style.

Bloodstone: Subspeices 2 goes deeper and isn't the typical horror movie, it has a great story. It of course still delivers on the good scares, of course mostly due to Radu and how chilling his performance is. Then his mom comes into the scene and makes The Mummy look like Madonna with that chilling look. We are family in this sequel, it's fun and definitely worth the look, this is such a cool series to get into, I recommend it for the horror genre fans.

7/10

Oh wow, I stumbled upon this movie on Sci-Fi channel and fell instantly in love with it! The shadow effects were the most amazing I'd ever seen, and the actress, Denise Duff who plays Michelle was so awesome! Also Radu,Anders Hove was superbly chilling yet lovable at the same time.

Awesome eerie, gothic vampire movie!!! A bit gory, on the blood and cutting off of body parts, but all in all the rest is awesome.

When you crave a dark, gothic, chiller, this is the one to see!:)