Blood Vessel (2019)
Directed by Justin Dix

After the last eight months felt like 10 years, and the last week has felt like an additional year, this seems like the perfect time for something a little out there so we can all take a break from reality for a bit. I heard about this movie because it was featured on one of my favorite movie video streaming sites, Shudder, and the combination of the title and brief description grabbed me. Blood Vessel is about a vampire on a boat. Get it? Do you get it? Blood vessels are part of your circulatory system, and there is also a creature who drinks blood on a boat, which is sometimes called a vessel. Having a pun name is a bold statement, and I thought for sure this was going to be really campy and silly, but to my surprise and delight, it wasn’t.

How Did We Get Here, In This Blood Ocean?

During WWII, an Allied hospital ship is torpedoed by a Nazi U-boat, and the survivors come across a derelict ship floating in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Figuring that any chance of survival is better than none, the group boards the ship and discovers the remains of the grisly fate of the previous occupants. When a quick search of the ship reveals more questions than answers, the group stumbles across an ancient and powerful creature. Typically I’d consider that a spoiler but I don’t right now because the monster is literally on the poster and the name of the movie is a blood pun. Come on, you know there has to be a vampire here.

Everyone Here Is Trying Really Hard, All Things Considered.

Earlier I mentioned that I was afraid this movie would be campy, and it isn’t, it takes itself shockingly seriously, which is the glue that holds Blood Vessel together. Nowhere is this more clear than with the performances, which I really liked. Everyone is a character actor here, and they all bring a lot of energy to the roles, which definitely helps with the pacing. The characters are a motley crew of Allied forces; a Russian Sniper, an Australian soldier, a British Nurse, and British Intelligence Officer, and an American cook, and also a Naval mechanic. It does feel a little fiction-y for such a diverse group of characters to have made their way onto the same lifeboat but I appreciate how they all are instantly recognizable in how they look and speak, which makes telling them apart in the dark and dingy ship way easier.

The Sets And Props Are Used Sparingly But Effectively.

Speaking of that dark and dingy ship, Blood Vessel does have many clear limitations with regards to budget and scope but they’re offset by the filmmakers doing all they can to highlight what they had and not what they didn’t have. A lot of the movie does take place in dark metallic hallways but we’re on a derelict ship so that makes sense and helps with the atmosphere. There are two specific spots where Blood Vessel absolutely shines visually and those are both related to the monster. There’s a series of props used that are so pulpy they border on camp but never quite cross over, but the star of the show is the vampire itself, which is awesome.

Damn, That Vampire Is A Thing Of Beauty.

The vampire here is a heartwarming tribute to classic vampire lore and is essential for making Blood Vessel an entertaining movie. If you can’t tell from the poster above, the vampire design is a joy to look at and a great example of the power of make-up and prosthetics in an age where CGI has invaded low-budget films. Like a lot of the rest of the film, the vampire does ride that line between campy and serious and that’s what makes it work well for me. This isn’t a gritty reimagining of the classic vampire but an embrace of the absurdity of the classic vampire while still putting it in a situation where the characters in the movie are taking the events seriously and the threat of the vampire is real.

But The Story Is A Tad Predictable.

I’ve been focusing on what I liked about Blood Vessel because I did have a good time with it, but there are things about it that aren’t the best. By and large, the plot doesn’t do anything new, it’s a very basic setup with a pretty basic payoff, and even though I really like the basic story, and especially the ending, this movie probably won’t satisfy people looking for intricate plots. Pretty much everything that happened I was able to see coming, and no that isn’t to brag about how smart I am, it’s just a mild criticism of the predictable nature of the story. However much of a downside this is will vary from person to person but it wasn’t a dealbreaker for me.

Regardless, I Still Had A Lot Of Fun With Blood Vessel!

Overall, Blood Vessel has a lot going for it. The main draw of course is the mashup of the WW2 war film with the vampire horror genre, but what solidifies this as a legitimately good movie is the strong cast that brings their all to a story that others may not have taken so seriously. When you couple that with an impressive amount of atmosphere and some great creature effects, Blood Vessel comes together as a fun dark monster movie that knows why everyone is here. No, Blood Vessel won’t change your life, but as far as WW2 vampire movies go, I can’t think of one that’s better. Recommended!