Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Blood on Her Name Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 14, 2022

2019’s “Blood on Her Name” begins with a compelling mix of violence and shock, establishing a visceral thriller to come concerning one woman’s decision-making process when involved in a deadly act. Co-writer/director Matthew Pope gets about 15 minutes into the feature before he gradually moves away from the potential of the premise, more interested in making a psychological study with “Blood on Her Name,” which isn’t nearly as interesting as the pulpy chiller it initially promises to become.

Bethany Anne Lind stars as the woman in crisis, left with a dead body after an incident inside her auto shop, going through her options with the corpse as the sheer weight of her miserable life threatens to flatten her. Lind delivers a capable performance, and Pope is certainly interested in developing the main character, giving her a son with issues and an estranged father (Will Patton) who’s also the town sheriff. These complications are fine additions, giving the material some depth, but Pope is in no hurry with the effort, which moves quite slow without building suspense along the way.

Blood on Her Name Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Blood on Her Name" preserves the feature's distinctly HD-shot appearance, with a slightly softer sense of detail, picking up on rougher facial surfaces and evidence of bodily harm. Interiors explore household and business decoration, and exteriors are dimensional. Color is slightly cooler to sustain suspense, but primaries are appreciable with costuming choices, and greenery is distinct. Colder concrete environments are preserved. Delineation is acceptable. Mild banding is detected, with the 84-minute film squeezed into a 14 GB file.

Blood on Her Name Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 Dolby Digital mix is serviceable, preserving performances with clean dialogue exchanges. Scoring supports as intended, offering clear instrumentation, including soundtrack selections. Low-end isn't challenged, and surrounds aren't active, with basic atmospherics and violent movement.

Blood on Her Name Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features co-writer/director Matthew Pope and co-writer/producer Don M. Thompson.

• Commentary #2 features co-writer/director Matthew Pope and actress Bethany Anne Lind.

• "Proof of Concept" (5:38, HD) is a sequence from "Blood on Her Name" created six months before principal photography began, used to show potential investors. The clip is presented with commentary from co-writer/director Matthew Pope and co-writer/producer Don M. Thompson.

• "Cast and Crew in Conversation" (47:04, HD) is an extended video conference discussion of "Blood on Her Name" with co- writer/director Matthew Pope, co-writer/producer Don M. Thompson, and actress Bethany Anne Lind.

• And a Teaser Trailer (:39, HD) and a Theatrical Trailer (2:04, HD) are included.

Blood on Her Name Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Blood on Her Name" arrives at a more physical conclusion, but the resolution isn't cinematic, more appropriate for a short story. The picture is competently made for a low-budget offering, and the opening act has something worth following. It's the rest of "Blood on Her Name" that lacks tension, failing to build to a satisfying point of pressure despite ample opportunity to do so. Pope wants to keep it real, and that doesn't result in a riveting feature.