Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm (1998)

Just perfect...

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

The lovely Michelle (Denise Duff) has escaped from master vampire Radu and is taken to a hospital by a Ana, a woman who discovers a poorly Michelle. A doctor claims he can cure Michelle of her Vampire tendencies and is face with the danger of Radu - fresh to Bucharest to find his true love. Meanwhile Ash and his helper Serena join forces with Ana and the doctor to destroy Radu.This fifth film (originally a planned Trilogy) follows 'Vampire Journals' which was an off-kilter fourth instalment. Though Ted Nicolaou continues to write and direct it feels here like 'Vampire Journals' might have sent him off course with the sense of originality and gripping drama replaced by a slightly tedious and by now becoming tired battle between Radu and Ash. Ash, here played by British actor Jonathan Morris has never been better and with such fine leads it is a true shame that the film, here, lets them down.

...I must say, the Subspecies series is one of Full Moon's better series of pictures. It was kept dark and gothic and bloody. I was not as happy with this one as I was 2 or 3. Which, were made 6 years previous to this one. I do feel the elapsed time helped make the movie less enjoyable. This one picks up after 3, and in my opinion, Radu was dead in 3. He was impaled on the tree after he was burning from the sun. This ressurection just wanted us to throw too much to the winds and just except Radu was back. Still a good, stylish movie looking forward to 5 later this year. 8 out of 10

The Subspecies films are a rare treat. They forego the nudge nudge wink wink of the modern (or should I say postmodern?) horror film and go straight for the jugular. Probably the only examples of the classic Gothic horror film made in the 90s, these films are slight but vastly entertaining and benefit tremendously from location footage, Romanian actors, and decent writing. And why isn't Anders Hove a star?

This movie, I found, was a fascinating one. From the very opening titles, we get a feel for what has happened in the previous 3 installments...but is the best yet to come?? Well, I reckon it just might have done. Enjoyable is the somewhat "Star Trekkie" crossover between this series of movies, and the main characters from 'Vampire Journals', especially Johnathon Morris as Ash. Anders Hove is, once again, excellent as the evil vampire, Radu. Surely, the Subspecies "quadrilogy" of movies should be given recognition as probably the best contribution to the vampire genre this decade.