I think I should start by saying Blood Rush, previously titled ‘Flipped,’ isn’t the typical horror film. Actually, I think it falls more into the suspense-thriller category, but it veers into the horror genre for the latter half of the movie. It’s different in that the villains throughout the first half of the movie are something intangible – circumstance and environment. This is, truly, horrific in itself because the reality of the situation is… this is something that could happen to you. If you put yourself in the mindset of Blood Rush‘s female lead, then this idea takes on a life of its own and sucks you into the film. What would you do?
Blood Rush is written and directed by Harris Demel with co-writer Rob Greenberg. Blood Rush stars Stella Maeve (“Chicago P.D.,” “The Magicians”), Michael Madsen (The Hateful Eight, Reservoir Dogs) and Evan Taubenfeld with appearances by Madeleine E. Russick, Gichi Gamba, Karen Leabo, Rochelle Robinson and Ashley Carin.
“Nicole Diamond, an internationally-known model, who finds herself in an upside-down car in the middle of nowhere. In the passenger seat is her unconscious boyfriend, pop singer Scotty Dee. Not a soul is around to help, and her legs are wedged under the dashboard. Danger lurks everywhere; a small fire under the car, wild animals in the vicinity, and the unknown, life-threatening physiological effects of hanging upside down indefinitely. With her damaged cell phone, she dials random numbers until she finally reaches someone willing to help – a mysterious man named Casey. However, she soon learns that roadside assistance is the last thing on Casey’s mind.” – October Coast Publicity
Blood Rush is the master of “what now” scenarios, just when you think a scenario can’t get any worse… hey, it does. This keeps the suspense going throughout the whole movie and adds an extra layer of danger when coupled with the disturbed man (Madsen) talking to Nicole (Maeve) over the phone. When not being attacked my wildlife, the elements and her own body, Nicole gets the sense that her savior on the phone is not what he seems and this, of course, is more obvious to the viewer. The next thought is… “When is he going to find her?” Usually, as horror fans, we enjoy the good old cat and mouse game, but in this case it’s a very one sided chase. Blood Rush is kind of like Cast Away (2000) and When A Stranger Calls (2006) except that it’s all set in a car.
And, really, that’s my only complaint here. The fact that 95% of the movie takes place inside a car, with the car and everyone inside it upside down. Hell, “The Magicians” is my second favorite show on television right now and I couldn’t even tell the actress that plays Julia was the same actress who plays Nicole in this movie! Also, speaking of casting, Michael Madsen’s face is never shown, but you know it’s him based on his voice. I think that’s props to him as an actor; it’s definitely an accomplishment when your voice has become more iconic than your face. A puzzle of exit strategies, the perfect woman vs wild scenario, with great acting and cinematography… Blood Rush is suspenseful, a different kind of horror that won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. A well done directorial debut.
Final Score: 7 out of 10
