Bled (2009)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

One of my all time favorites.

How sad is this?

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Although I really can't imagine why this film seems to have been singled-out for some strange reason, I guess I can understand some of the frustrations with it. It is very slow-paced, and the cast definitely isn't the brightest ever, but nor are they the worst that I've ever seen. Jonathan Oldham was pretty fun as the dashing, sinister and mysterious benefactor who lures the young artiste into the classic Faustian bargain. His master plan did seem a little absurdly complicated. So...he gets someone enslaved to the intoxicating effects of the blood-like tree resin, then they become seduced by the powers of the incubus, which then feeds off their blood and passion until it becomes strong enough to manifest in the physical world, where he can finally steal some of its precious blood in order to extend his own mortal life and continue the cycle. Okay.. I liked the non-too subtle metaphor for drug addiction, which was a theme that was also excellently put to use in the 1988 Henenlotter grisly classic "Brain Damage." And Sarah Farooqui I thought was okay as the lead, distracting accent notwithstanding. She brought a good balance of vulnerability and sensuality. But the character was so gullible and such a bad friend! Upon entering the ethereal dimension she's bewitched in like five minutes tops, and then later on acts all smug and pissy about it when her annoying friend steals the magic crack that she was never even supposed to share in the first place! And yet, even though she wasn't a particularly likable character one way or the other, I somehow get emotionally invested in her little connection to her ex-boyfriend just enough that I can't help but find it powerful and very moving when it gets to the climactic final scenes where she's been totally corrupted and absorbed into the dark world and horrifically transformed into a feral beast herself, and she begs him to say that he loves her, just before also asking him to stake her and save her from the torment of what she's become. I loved the impressive minor cgi effect used whenever someone smokes the root and their face turns ash grey as they embark on their 'trip'. I don't mind the kinds of computer effects that merely enhance what's already there, rather than replacing it. And "Sai" looked so cool and frightening when she was in full vampire-mode. She looked so vicious and spiteful! Pretty fantastic-looking creature. Speaking of great effects, I thought the set design of the dark forest netherworld was awesome. Even though it's admittedly not all that much to look at, for me it was more than enough to convey what I think they were going for: An enchanting, endless dream wasteland of darkness where the lines between fantasy and reality are blurred, and the atmosphere is both oppressively ominous and magically mysterious. Whenever someone enters this place, the tone instantly changes and it feels like they're in a whole other state of being, with the look of everything appearing sharper, clearer and more defined than the regular world. I find that it's the simple, yet wonderfully creative scenes set within the dismal and heady dreamscape that drive the whole film and is where it shines the most. I did like the incubus, the grotesque design of the suit was reminiscent of the creepy Fluke Man monster from the X-Files! He entranced the unwary by taking on the seductive guise of the object's of their heart's desire and secret longings... That's quite a profound idea, it carries a lot of meaning. I don't know if you've ever deeply cared for someone that you probably can't ever have, but who wouldn't fail to be tempted if they were confronted with that? It's something most would give anything for. And to me if nothing else, that at least was captured exquisitely. ::: I like how it takes the incubus and vampire creatures and combines elements of both into what felt like an original and different take on the vampiric theme. And although the story isn't shy about referring to some of the classics of the vampire genre, it features its very own mythology, and thus avoids being just another tired rerun of past successes, and that's something, trying out a new spin on an old idea, and it sure worked for me. If you occasionally enjoy low budget movies, then you can appreciate people who try to write a good story, and what I most enjoy about this is its beautifully Gothic style and the way it rises above the financial shortcomings. Not perfect, but ultimately, both visually and emotionally, a most satisfying and effective experience.

The acting left much to be desired, the special effects were dark and artsy (which was the theme of the movie and made sense), and the vampires were at least not shimmery and all happy shiny people... thank goodness.My feeling is that vampires have been so dumbed down and made to be adorable for today's teenage girls, that true vampire stories are being lost and not being made available b/c of the ridiculous recent trend of happy-shiny vampires. Vampires are NOT adorable or sweet. They are dark, moody, undead and desire human blood to live... love is an after thought. But, one thing I will give this movie... I loved the score. The music was beautiful, dark, Gothic and erotic.

I caught this movie on the Horror Channel and was quite impressed by the film's Gothic atmosphere and tone. As a big fan of all things vampire related, I am always happy to see a new variation of the vampire mythos, in this case, a ghoul-like creature residing in a Lovecraftian other dimension. The director has done a brilliant job of conveying the dark mood of the subject, using the decadent art scene as a backdrop to what is essentially a tale of love spanning time and space- the pure love of friendship opposed to the lust for blood and life by the vampires in the story. The characters in the story are transported to another dimension by the means of a mind-altering substance, where a shape-shifting vampire creature appears to grant them their hearts desires, whilst draining them of their life essence. There are some analogies to drug addiction and loss of control, and how this affects a group of friends in an artistic circle. I enjoyed watching the 2 main male characters in the story, Chris Ivan Cevic and Alex Petrovich, who were very attractive hunks, always a plus point in a vampire story for the female viewers! The special effects make up and creature effects were well done, and the set design of the vampire's dimension was very effective. All in all, an enjoyable take on vampire myths, and recommended for anyone who likes their vampires with some intelligence and not just action. The only thing missing to make it even better would have been a bit more eroticism and nudity, as it would have suited the plot and themes.

Pretentious horror film that looks like a soap opera gone goth about a drug that send you to a fantasy world where strange creatures lurk. The film has some good imagery but its odd mix of whats real and whats not doesn't go anywhere. Worse are the vague pronouncements in voice over from one of the characters. It seems to herald a more serious, more meaningful film, but I don't think they even got into the serious or meaningful territory to begin with so trying to over sell the meaning comes off silly. There isn't a great deal to say, people talk, take drugs have visions...they talks some more. Its not bad so much as pointless and dull. The dull is the sin here and the reason you'll want to avoid this.