I just finished watching "Bloodline", and have to admit, I really enjoyed this movie. This was a movie I came across in my local video rental store while trying to find a horror movie a little more outside the mainstream.
"Bloodline" is a story about Travis and his autistic brother, Henry, who take a camping trip with friends, only to have the trip end in a bloody massacre. While the twist of events that lead to this massacre are interestingly not disclosed until the end of the movie, the result is Henry running off to hide in the woods while Travis returns home with two other survivors, unaware of Henry's fate. As the movie unfolds, we follow both Travis and Henry as their lives move on beyond the tragic event, slowly learning new facts about what really led to the murders...and what really took place that night.
Despite the low-budget of this movie, it is very well done, and has very professional look to it without the 'too glossy' Hollywood look. The charm is that it has an independent feel to it without coming across in any way cheap. It was clearly made by people who were fans of horror that really cared about what they were doing. The story was interesting and the acting, for the most part, was quite competent. I really enjoyed how expressive Henry (played by Bryan Smithson) was, despite the character's inability to speak. More interesting still, was the attention paid to the details. Specifically, I found the drawings and sketches that Henry had drawn to be very eye-catching and well-done. I paused the DVD a few times to get a better look at some of these drawings.
While this movie may not be for everyone, it is certainly for viewers looking for a great independent horror film that doesn't have a straight-to-DVD look and feel. Don't let the DVD cover fool you (I found it a bit cheesy to be honest), this is definitely worth checking out if you're looking for something that doesn't stick to the typical horror 'formula'.
