Blood Runs Cold and Seeing that Axe Swing Coming from a Mile Away: A Movie Review

*here be some spoilers.

Director: Sonny Laguna.

Writers: Tommy Wiklund, and Sonny Laguna.

Tagline: "Hell just froze over."

It is amazing that so many first time directors start with horror. Perhaps it is the formula of this genre that draws so many here or maybe it is because there are so many fans of the genre out there. Sonny Laguna is the latest to test his mettle in horror with Blood Runs Cold and his efforts are only partially satisfying. Released on DVD in the United Kingdom last October, Blood Runs Cold is your typical slasher with lots of murder and sparse dialogue. A cold-blooded and nameless killer stalks several youth in an isolated cabin. There is no backstory for the killer and the ample blood effects try to distract you from the film's lack of complexity. Just grab an axe and keep chopping!

Really, the plot has been summed up above. To offer a little more involves looking at the protagonist Winona (Hanna Oldenburg) who settles in a cabin far off in the woods for some peace and relaxation. The chilling music signals to viewers that something is not right here. Winona feeling bored sets off to the local pub to meet some friends. A group of four now returns to the cabin to await their bloody demise. The only question is: who is going first?

So let the slaughter begin! And really that is all this film is - a bloodbath. Blood squirts across the floors, out of severed body parts and off of recently chewed fingers. The make-up crew did not chintz on the blood effects, that is for sure. Axe wounds to the head and sabotaged vehicles signals that this film will not end well.

And here come the drawbacks. Blood Runs Cold follows too closely to the whole cabin-in-the-woods slasher routine. If this reviewer needs to remind readers how this formula goes, then you need to see more horror films. As well, the killer is not given any backstory so his motivations lie in mystery. Why was he throwing blood on rocks? Why was he eating most of the characters in the film? Why is he nearly invincible? After ninety minutes of loyal movie watching, none of these questions are answered. So there are no twists or great reveals in the end just the usual lone wolf female survivor proving she can live longer than most.

This film might be good for a watch after a long days work as Blood Runs Cold will not test your frontal lobe very much. If you are more attentive, then you will not find this film very challenging and devout horror fans will be able to predict the film's ending at the ten minute mark. This reviewer would recommend other recent horror titles instead e.g. Chillerama or The Open Door . This film is simply too conventional and full of unanswered questions.

Overall: 6 out of 10 (too much formula and conventions, this reviewer has been here before but with better films).

*made for 5K.

**shot in Sweden, but the film is set in the United States.

Of course, this reviewer is not the final stop point for this film or others. So, check out a second and more positive review of this title at Dread Central (Aaron Williams):

Blood Runs Cold at Dread Central

The film's homepage is below:

Blood Runs Cold's Official Website

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Posted in: 2011 release,horror,horror movie review,independent horror movie review,movie poster,movie review,slasher,slasher horror movie review,united kingdom