Bloody Hell (2020), Directed by Alister Grierson
Bloody Hell Overview: A man with a mysterious past (Ben O’Toole, HACKSAW RIDGE (affiliate link)) flees the country to escape his own personal hell – only to arrive somewhere much, much worse… Finland?
Director: Alister Grierson
Writer: Robert Benjamin
Starring: Ben O’Toole, Meg Fraser, Caroline Craig
Gavin’s Bloody Hell Review
Right off the bat, viewers will be able to tell that this is a very polished film, with a crazy-high production value. Now, that does not necessarily mean a big budget. No A-list stars are attached (with all due respect to Mr. O’Toole) and no major studio is backing it, but you would never know that by what ends up on screen. This is every inch a professional, high-class film that deserves a widespread theatrical release.
Writer-editor-producer Robert Benjamin has a rich background in editing UFC specials, and that intense, frenetic energy is on display here. The pace is always go-go-go, making this the perfect action film to keep your heart racing. The blend of horror and action just simply cannot be compared to any other film. Perhaps Joe Lynch’s MAYHEM (affiliate link) or Trent Haaga’s 68 KILL, with a hint of FIGHT CLUB mixed in. Perhaps.
O’Toole is the ideal action hero. He bares a passing resemblance to Brendan Fraser, if Fraser was actually handsome and less dopey looking. O’Toole has the look, the charm, the physique. Move over, Jason Statham and Daniel Craig, the next generation is here.
This review can only say so much because it would give away the important plot point about what makes Finland such a dangerous place (assuming Finland exists and is not just an elaborate hoax). But for the gore/horror fiends out there, don’t worry… we have cannibalism, dismemberment, and shotgun blasts to the face and groin with plenty of splatter. You will not be disappointed.
In short, of the films showing at Nightstream 2020 film festival, BLOODY HELL is the best one. The. Best. One. The only criticism worth mentioning is that the title is not particularly clever, but rarely ever does a mediocre title sink a top-notch, diabolical movie. (I mean, if you think about it, STAR WARS is a really stupid name… we’re just used to saying it.) See BLOODY HELL as soon as possible.