Blood Relatives Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Blood Relatives Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 20, 2026

Noah Segan has been a bit player for most of his career. He’s maintained steady friendships with filmmakers such as Rian Johnson to help acquire more visible roles, and he’s often found in genre entertainment, getting used to the demands of monsters and bloodshed. Segan makes his feature- length directorial debut with 2022’s “Blood Relatives,” taking a shot at overseeing his own starring vehicle, also handling the screenplay for this tale of a vampire who lives as a loner suddenly facing the presence of the daughter he never knew about. Horror happenings are limited in the endeavor, which is much more interested in creating a dramatic space for the main characters and their push to form a relationship. Segan has a tale with potential in “Blood Relatives,” and it steadily builds into an engaging study of parental responsibility for the first half of the effort. Segan can’t sustain early momentum, with the picture eventually losing its way, but he gets it up and running with authority, creating an interesting addition to the vast world of vampire cinema.

Francis (Noah Segan) is an old vampire tearing across America in a classic car, making stops to repair his vehicle and stay out of sunlight. He’s on his own, preferring to maintain a low profile, and he’s Jewish, befuddling locals with his intermittent use of Yiddish words to pepper his language. While going about his business, Francis is shadowed by Jane (Victoria Moroles), a 15-year-old girl who’s trying to get close to the vampire, studying his actions from the shadows. Finally exposing her presence, Jane shares the news that she’s Francis’s daughter, meeting the man who had a brief fling with her mother a long time ago. Looking to form a relationship with Francis, Jane tries to get close to the confused man, learning more about his past and current routine of travel. She’s also curious about her vampirism, hoping to understand her half-monster side with her father, who grows used to her presence, ready to explore their shared bloodsucker experience as they visit various states taking care of business.

Francis is introduced in Texas, making his way across the state without a defined destination in mind. He often lives in his car, carrying a routine with a tarp and newspapers to help block out the sun, allowing him to get a little rest during his travels. He’s an opera enthusiast, identifying his old soul, though he retains the looks of a thirtysomething man, and one with the power of mind control when he needs it. His first encounter is with an auto part clerk looking to close his shop early, while Francis needs help with his rare car, which requires a lot of upkeep. His vampire side comes out, but “Blood Relatives” isn’t a ferocious genre offering, electing to focus on the character as he encounter something more terrifying than his monstrous side: parenthood.

In Oklahoma, Francis finds a motel room to spend the night in, happy to share a dark space with his cockroach pals. Jane soon enters the story, ready to introduce herself to her father, but her presence around him suggests something else is going on to outsiders, such as the motel owner. This complication adds an interesting wrinkle to the reunion situation, giving Francis something else to worry about. He also has to deal with Jane’s adolescent experience, with the teen new to the world of human feeding, mostly keeping herself full with animals and ground beef. A connection is formed, with Segan examining the oddness of this pairing, as Francis has gotten used to being alone, suddenly faced with fresh responsibility and a reminder of the family ties he’s worked hard to forget.

Segan delves into Francis’s history, as Jane discovers a container of photos in the trunk, examining his days losing family members in the Holocaust. The vampire also warms to the teen, developing a relationship that breathes new life into a very old soul. “Blood Relatives” appears to be continuing on its path as a road trip picture, but the lure of domesticity tempts Francis and Jane, and the screenplay runs out of gas when the vamps elect to settle down.

Blood Relatives Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation (1.85:1 aspect ratio) for "Blood Relatives" struggles with slight encoding issues, finding blockiness present on occasion. The movie carries a very processed look at times, dealing with day-for-night imagery, but a softer sense of detail survives. Skin particulars on the cast are decently textured, and costuming is passably fibrous. Locations maintain some depth, exploring open world stops. Interiors offer decent dimension with domestic visits and garage tours. Color is acceptable, examining moodier hues with vampiric actions and travel. Blues skies are distinct, and decorative additions maintain a varied look. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is acceptable.

Blood Relatives Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix prioritizes dialogue exchanges, with performances come through clearly. Quieter emotional moments are acceptably balanced with vampiric encounters. Scoring supports with clear instrumentation, maintaining a jazzy presence with crisp percussion. Soundtrack selections offer defined vocals. Surrounds aren't intense, pushing out a few musical moods and occasional atmospherics. Low-end is limited. Sound effects are appreciable.

Blood Relatives Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director/actor Noah Segan and actress Victoria Moroles.

• Behind the Scenes (14:57, HD) features interviews with writer/director/actor Noah Seegan, producers Aaron B. Koontz and Leal Naim, actor/producer Josh Ruben, production designer Jen Dunlap, actress Victoria Moroles, and cinematographer Andrew Baird. Project origins are examined, with Segan looking to turn his experience as a first-time father into a genre picture, working in his own psychology and experiences into the offering. Characterization is explored, and story points are shared. The low-budget nature of the shoot is investigated, with the interviewees celebrating the producers and Segan. Technical credits and production challenges are detailed, and favorite scenes are shared. Also included are glimpses of BTS footage, providing some appreciation for moviemaking labor.

• Deleted Scenes (6:16, HD) are offered.

• Image Gallery (1:46) collects BTS snaps.

• And Two Trailers (2:43, HD) are included.

Blood Relatives Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The second half of "Blood Relatives" doesn't match the first half, finding Segan losing sight of the feature sense of exploration with human and vampire concerns, trying to pull off a bigger idea of domesticity for the pair. The movie gets caught up in a pointless subplot concerning the hunt for persona records in a mental institution, and Segan doesn't have much in mind for an ending, trying, and failing, to provide a more emotional, psychological landing for the endeavor. The leads are appealing and enthusiastic, creating chemistry worth following as Francis and Jane try to connect and see how normal they can take their seriously abnormal lives. "Blood Relatives" loses dramatic steam long before it ends, which is somewhat surprising to watch. Segan has a solid premise, cultural interests, and a relationship to develop, but he only gets halfway there with the offering. However, that opening half is just enough to support a flawed viewing experience.