Blood Feast (2016)
Starring Robert Rusler, Caroline Williams, Sophie Monk
Directed by Marcel Walz
Now, before everyone gets their favorite undies in a twist because the word “remake” is being uttered, just remember that there have been some admirable films re-directed under a new light. While the list is debatable to some, the opportunity to take a film originally created by “The Godfather of Gore” Herschell Gordon Lewis is not only a noteworthy task, but a herculean one as well considering where the original idea came from.
So here we are in good ol’ 2016, and the film is Blood Feast, a modernization of Lewis’ 1963 presentation. The director this time around is Marcel Walz, and without any further ado, let’s grab a seat at the dinner table and prepare to chew on some sinew, shall we?
Robert Rusler takes charge in the lead role as Fuad Ramses, and he and his extremely good looking family – consisting of his wife (Williams) and daughter (Monk) – are running an American-style diner in their new home of France. The place is doing moderate business, and while some of the inventory is a BIT past its expiration date, Fuad still manages to work the grill like a champ, even though his candle is being burned at both ends. His night job as a security guard in an Egyptian museum is slowly taking its toll; yet, he refuses to give up on his dream of introducing the French to our culinary tastes.
During a late shift one evening, Fuad’s attention is turned towards the statue of the goddess Ishtar (Sadie Katz), and after she appears to him one night, she makes it very clear that it’s Fuad’s duty to restore her to her once pristine, seductive self. That chore will be achieved by staging a blood sacrifice of sorts in her honor, and where there’s blood to be spilled, there’s flesh to be consumed, and let’s say that Mr. Ramses’ new menu items are slowly becoming the talk of the town… tasty, indeed!
As time rolls on, Fuad’s sanity begins to slip further and further away, slowly driving a wedge between him and his family all in the name of a moldy Egyptian goddess… well, in all fairness she is pretty hot. In any event, Walz cuts the reins loose on his actors and lets them go the extra mile to deliver stellar performances, especially Rusler in his role of the mentally and physically exhausted father. His downward spiral from doting dad to homicidal lunatic is utterly fantastic, but it’s the upward swing he takes back towards caring forbearer in order to feed his family and paying customers that acts as the hook here. He takes savage intention to a whole other level, and it’s straight-up fun to watch.
Did I mention the gore factor in this family-friendly presentation? If it’s blood, guts, flesh, and every piece of connective tissue in between that you’d like to taste-test, then you’re in luck! There is certainly no shortage in the graphic content here, and as one scene will attest, one unlucky “unwilling donor” will be separated from his manhood in a shot that will make the fellas want to cover up their twig and berries for protective purposes…YEESH.
By the end of it all, aside from a couple of stagnant performances, Blood Feast should really be appreciated as a well-done remake from Walz. He’s appreciative of the opportunity to take on a film originally directed by the legendary splatter flick creator, and his representation of such is definitely worth a watch when it crosses your dinner table – RECOMMENDED.
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Film
Categorized:Reviews
