by Chris R. Morgan Print this article
Bloody Hell is a movie that makes frequent references to other movies. In most cases, they are explicit. Early on, reference is made to the
Bourne series and
John Wick to emphasize the protagonist’s prowess as a methodical killing machine. Later, that very protagonist brings up
Misery and
Big Trouble in Little China, and surely others I neglected to write down, to assess the severity of his situation. Had such references not been so profuse, they may have gone unnoticed, since that is how citizens of a post-Kevin Smith America talk, but not to notice them would be to forget what is being watched. And if you are a little confused already by what these references suggest of the film itself, I cannot blame you.
Screenplay News and Reviews
WARNING: The following contains minor spoilers for Bloody Hell, now available in select theaters, drive-ins and On Demand.
What if you traveled to a foreign country only to be kidnapped from the airport by a family with nefarious intentions? That’s the scenario imagined in
Bloody Hell, a stylish horror-comedy that originated in the mind of screenwriter Robert Benjamin. His take on the story is clever and innovative, leading to a movie that goes in unexpected directions that will have viewers covering their eyes even as they’re laughing hysterically.
In an interview with CBR, Benjamin discussed where he came up with the idea for
What to stream this weekend: WandaVision, One Night in Miami
By
WandaVision, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, Jim Brown and Muhammad Ali meet in
One Night in Miami and a new
Batwoman flies into action this weekend.
In addition, Carey Mulligan seeks revenge in
Promising Young Woman, Netflix follows a group of rich friends in
Bling Empire and Anthony Mackie is an android in
Outside the Wire.
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Here s a rundown on some of the films and television shows set to be released this weekend.
Film Locked Down HBO Max
Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejifor hatch a plan to steal a diamond during the COVID-19 pandemic in
In the blackly comic horror movie “Bloody Hell,” Ben O’Toole plays an affable everyman with a violent streak. His character Rex Coen is a veteran, coping with PTSD by carrying on conversations in his head with his own id (also played by O’Toole). It’s a lively and risky performance, given that Rex’s inner voice sometimes urges him to shoot his enemies.
The film as a whole isn’t quite as good as its star mainly because screenwriter Robert Benjamin and director Alister Grierson try to squeeze in too much plot, at the expense of thematic coherence.