Bloodlust: Subspecies III Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		2.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Bloodlust: Subspecies III Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 22, 2015

As with Bloodstone: Subspecies II before it, Bloodlust: Subspecies III continues where its predecessor left off, practically to the second. The film isn't anywhere near as moody or frightening as Bloodstone, favoring instead a more deliberate pace as it explores the vampiric inner sanctum, juxtaposed against the happenings in the outside world around it. It's an honest sequel in terms of core story and character progression, even in the absence of the dark, brooding structure of the previous entry. Despite some pacing issues, that core continuation benefits the film, particularly when watched immediately following its predecessors. That also exposes its flaws, but one's appreciation of the greater story arc helps to mask the various shortcomings that hinder this sequel as it builds towards its ruthless final act.

I need you.

Spoilers for the first and second films follow

Becky (Melanie Shatner) has escaped to the outside, but Michelle (Denice Duff) remains with Radu (Anders Hove) and Mummy (Pamela Gordon). Though Mummy does not trust Michelle, Radu's love has blinded him to her warnings. Michelle appears eager to embrace her newfound "gift" with Radu serving as her instructor. Meanwhile, Becky continues to work on the outside with Mel (Kevin Blair) in an effort to free her sister. Will Michelle's transformation become complete, or is there enough left inside of her to reject Radu's ways and see the light, even if she can never again enter it?

Bloodlust: Subspecies III shines brightest inside the dank, dreary place that Michelle, Radu, and Mummy call "home" throughout the film. It's practically demonic, and the sense of death hanging over it is palpable, even through the filter of the television display or theater screen. The film's production design is exemplary, equal to the terrifically gruesome makeup work and gore effects that are unflinchingly vile and complexly assembled, from Mummy's grotesque facial prosthetics to simpler effects revealing sliced and otherwise wounded flesh. The combination of set and special effects result in a special kind of gripping, spine-tingling mood, creating not only a bleak, frightening environment but a downright horrific one, one that will leave the viewer rewardingly uncomfortable as the characters develop and build towards the events that climax the movie.

It's a shame, then, that so much of the picture feels almost wasted outside those walls. The movie stalls for much of its middle stretch, so much so that one can't help but feel that this movie is more or less superfluous in its entirety, that it may have worked better as a much shorter addition to Bloodstone rather than fill up 80-some minutes as a full-blown feature. That's not to say that development and characterization away from the trio of Michelle, Mummy, and Radu is wasted, simply that's it's neither as interesting nor on the same playing field in terms of flow, intensity, and the ability of those darker moments to so fully absorb the audience into that world. Intimate character scenes between Michelle and Radu, scenes that play like something out of Beauty and the Beast, prove significantly more complex and subtly nuanced over the Becky-Mel construct that plays a critical role in the build-up to and execution of the finale, but the tonal unbalance in those moments hurts the movie considerably.

Bloodlust: Subspecies III Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Bloodlust: Subspecies III's 1080p transfer isn't all that different from that found on the Bloodstone: Subspecies II Blu-ray. Blacks appear a touch less crushed here, appearing without the heavy-handed, impenetrable murkiness of the last film but still heavier and less detailed than would have been ideal. Light grain remains, as does minor wear-and-tear. Details are frequently delightful, whether the gruesome Mummy makeup, normal human skin textures, brick and stone, or grass. Colors are pleasing and rich, particularly some outdoor greenery in several beautiful exteriors. Flesh tones are never overtly problematic. Overall, this is another quality film-like effort from Full Moon.

Bloodlust: Subspecies III Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Bloodlust: Subspecies III follows its predecessor and features a cramped, uneventful Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Even over the opening titles, which represents the most full-bodied sonic moments in the movie, there's precious little weight, definition, or space evident. Indeed, music is consistently cramped and lacks in clarity and fullness, favoring a tight, center-focused placement that barely allows it to breathe, let alone shine. Wind and other ambient effects are only cursorily present, while heavier pieces like strings of gunfire fail to find much power and presence. Dialogue delivery is, fortunately, presented through the center without issue save for a brief moment around the 15:30 mark in an exchange between Becky and Mel that sees dialogue oddly drift into the back channels with a lightly hollow feel. Otherwise, the track satisfies the most basic requirements but doesn't do anything at all remarkable with the material.

Bloodlust: Subspecies III Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Bloodlust: Subspecies III contains several quality supplements.

• Audio Commentary: Director Ted Nicolau sits down with Denice Duff and Anders Hove. Together, they offer a fun yet informative track that covers a broad range of information, from minor insights to broader technical details. This is a solid track that fans will enjoy.
• Videozone (480i, 24:38): This piece opens with Charles Band discussing the (then) current state of the Full Moon universe. It then moves on to look more closely at Bloodlust with a comprehensive behind-the-scenes examination of makeup, shooting locations and working in Romania, physical preparations for the shoot, and more. The piece also features a look at other Full Moon titles.
• Killer Montage (1080i, 1:45): Clips from the series. Also included on the Bloodstone: Subspecies II disc.
• Making Subspecies (1080i, 8:38): Ted Nicolau, Anders Hove, and Denice Duff recount their experiences in making the films in a new retrospective piece. Also included on the Bloodstone: Subspecies II disc.
• Full Moon Trailers (1080p): Puppet Master, Puppet Master 2, Puppet Master 3, Castle Freak, Subspecies, Grindhouse Series Promo, Puppet Master X: Axis Rising, Killjoy Goes to Hell, and Reel Evil.

Bloodlust: Subspecies III Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Bloodlust: Subspecies III features some of the best moments in the series, centered primarily on the gloriously macabre dealings between Michelle, Mummy, and Radu. The film is also, sadly, the most unbalanced of the original trio, lacking the intrigue of the first and the spellbinding production of the second. Bloodlust is, however, the most intimate, the most personal, of the three, which makes it in many ways just as satisfying as the edgier, moodier second entry, in its own way. Yet it's only great in spurts, with a fair chunk of the movie feeling slow and absent the sort of depth and both superficial and underlying terror that makes much of the series so great. This is a good film with bursts of excellence and moments of dullness that leave it more in the middle of the pack rather than at the head of the Subspecies class. Full Moon's Blu-ray is nearly identical to Bloodstone, yielding good video, bad audio, and pretty much the same variety of extra content. Recommended as part of the trio (which can also be purchased in one box set) and, hopefully somewhere down the Blu-ray line, as part of the greater series that includes the unreleased Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm.