Blood Harvest, The (UK DVD)
Chris Barnes
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Starring Robert Render, Jean-Paul Van der Velde, Rachael Stewart
Directed by George Clarke
Distributed by Left Films
When I’ve already uttered “oh no” 20 seconds into a film’s opening scene, I fear the worst. The Blood Harvest’s clunky introduction was a worrying moment for the wife and me, and it had me apologetically glancing in her direction as her body language screamed, “Just because you’ve got to review it doesn’t mean I’ve got to watch it!” Thankfully, she was bluffing, the great big bluffer. We were in this together for the long haul, and I was grateful for not having to suffer this alone – in sickness and in health, etc.
Deliberately, the impending plot remained a mystery, so when predictable slasher fodder was unattractively captured using over-exposed, glaring-daylight cinematography, I presumed we were set to endure 90 minutes of plotless stalking, overlaid with pseudo-grindhouse filters and cheap gore, such is the tiresome trend of late.
I was wrong… just. George Clarke’s latest feature is as endearing in parts as it is buttock-clenching in others and something I eventually enjoyed.
When a series of grisly murders take place in and around Belfast, unorthodox Detective Chaplin (Render) believes something supernatural may be at work. Fired from the investigation for his outlandish views, he works secretly with his old partner, Detective Hatcher (Van der Velde), to bring an end to the bloodshed. But the closer he gets, the stranger everything becomes; and you’d be forgiven for thinking we’re all headed down a well-trodden path. Thankfully, refreshing twists and contagious enthusiasm help hoist The Blood Harvest higher than my early assumptions predicted.
After dallying perilously close to dialogue-heavy suicide on more than one occasion in order to bring the audience up to speed (Chaplin’s early phone call to his boss being a prime example), Clarke manages to get to grips with pacing for the most part – his editing technique and experimental camera angles being a genuine joy and my personal highlight. While the special effects are practical and of a decent standard considering budget, they’re made all the more impressive by the director’s shot manipulation and wily chopping, helping to conceal any glaring flaws rather than expose them. Even if lighting or equipment issues spoil a lot of the film’s cinematography, it’s not difficult to see beyond the restrictions to some genuine talent.
Possibly the most frustrating thing about The Blood Harvest for me is the acting. Literally from minute to minute I’d switch from really appreciating a specific delivery or exchange to curling my toes up and squirming with unease – my outlook interchanging with the frequency of Render’s accent! Never before has my opinion fluctuated so much during one feature, which ultimately means I’m either an indecisive, fussy bastard or the actors were inconsistent. That being said, a special mention must go to Alan Crawford and Liam Rowan – while not wanting to drop any spoilers, their animated, bestial antics are more than enough to steal the show; the film’s vastly over-ambitious comparisons to Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre can only have been dreamed up because of their performances.
The steampunk style of our maniac’s head gear is a lovely touch, as is the hissing, piston-like echo of his breath from within the metallic confines of soldered baked bean tins, all presided over by an excellent, intrusive score that accompanies the visuals and agitates throughout. Made for an estimated budget of £10,000, this surprising tale does enough – by the skin of its teeth – to keep disbelief suspended and serves up a satisfying finale, which, married with some genuinely striking imagery (arches, candles, the film’s best use of light), helped me forgive the many shortfalls I was so sure were going to ruin my evening.
Is The Blood Harvest for everyone? Definitely not. But, for all its flaws, it turns out it was for me… just.
Special Features:
- Trailer
- Coming Soon
- Bloopers – An enjoyable few minutes which really add another layer to the production (a shorter version can be seen mid-credits at the end of the feature).
- Making-of Featurette – An interesting, in-depth 34 minutes of cast and crew interviews, explaining how The Blood Harvest came to be.
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Film
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Special Features
Categorized:Reviews
