Director – Jerimiah Douglas
Starring – Amber Jenna Bohac (Tales from the Campfire 3, House of Pain), Deborah Dutch (Graduation Day, 976 – Evil II), and Sheri Davis (Lake of Shadows, Blind)
Release Date – 2020
Rating – 3/5
The indie horror community is extremely vast. I always thought that once I joined Horror Society I would get a better grasp on indie horror but I was wrong. After almost a decade with the site now I’m still discovering films that I had never heard of before.
A few weeks ago filmmaker Jerimiah Douglas contacted me to review his new film Meathook Massacre Part VI: Bloodline. That’s right, part 6 in a series of films that I had never heard of before. I spoke with him some about reviewing it and how reluctant I was about checking it out not having any knowledge of the previous films. After speaking with him I decided I would give it a spin but my review may not be the most fair review. Thanks Jerimiah for reaching out to review your film.
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows two sisters who lost their mother last month when she was murdered and since her death their biological parents has stepped in to help them. One of the sister is reluctant to let them into her life while the other is way more open to the idea. Things may be looking up for the sisters but what they are unaware of is that the family is not the family they think and they are hiding a dark and dangerous side from them.**Spoiler Alert**
I was curious and worried about tossing this film on. I mean, this is the 6th film in a series that I had never heard of before. Anything could have happened in the previous films that this one would be building upon and I would be left in the dark to it. However, I kept an open mind and enjoyed it for what it was.
The acting in this one is solid but there is room for some improvement. Some of the characters were really fun but others were rather generic and predictable. Sadly, several were just annoying and I couldn’t wait for them to get the axe..er meat hook. The cast does a solid job with what they have but you could tell in several of the scenes that they wanted to deliver much bigger performances than what we got.
The story for this one is a little tricky to follow but works in a very simplistic way. I had to pay very close attention to this one so I could pick up on some of the story that was already established in previously installments. I liked the story but I can see fans quickly comparing it to Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Most of you know where I stand with the TCM series and how the first one in the series is rather boring. This film is not. In fact, if I had to pick between the two I would pick Meathook Massacre VI over TCM. However, that stops there because of the rest of the series is fantastic with TCM 2 being one of my favorite films.
Like those films, we follow a family of cannibals who center their carnage around one of them that is extremely maniacal and deranged. It works and what the film lacks in originality it makes up for with simple entertainment. Don’t reinvent the wheel just make is roll better.
Finally, the film doesn’t shy away from the red stuff. We get plenty of deaths. Some take advantage of camera angles on old school camera tricks but others give the viewer some pretty decent practical effects. It’s not the goriest film I’ve seen but the effects look good and work in favor of the film. Overall, Meathook Massacre Part VI: Bloodline is a surprisingly fun horror flick even though I have no experience with the previous films. Sure, some of the characters are not that likable and the story is not that original but it works for a late night watch. I recommend grabbing some beers (not micros you hipster swine), inviting a few friends over, and tossing this one on. Fans of indie horror will dig it but those of you that dig pop horror will be very disappointed. Check it out.
