“The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” and no one knows this better than Rex (Ben O’Toole). Following an attempt to play savior during a violent bank robbery, Rex’s life doesn’t quite go as expected. This leads to him leaving the country for a fresh start, however, he finds himself on that road to hell yet again, and he’ll have to fight for his life to escape it.
Bloody Hell, directed by Alister Grierson, had its North American premiere at the Nightstream Film Festival this weekend. Going into the film quite blind, the outstanding performances combined with the dark and extremely witty dialogue was a welcome surprise. Much credit has to be given to writer Robert Benjamin, who skillfully weaved a story of torment, deranged family dynamics, revenge, and brutality with enough humor to make me laugh out loud throughout the film.
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The entire cast complimented one another, with Ben O’Toole (Nekrotronic) and Meg Fraser leading the way. O’Toole had excellent comedic delivery even in the most tense of scenes, while displaying his talent for physical humor to further drive it all home. We get to know what is going on in Rex’s head as he thinks things through (or, lack thereof) in a crafty way, which makes our hero all the more likable and relatable. Opposite is Fraser in a breakout performance as Alia. Upon watching Bloody Hell, one would never guess this was the actress’s first feature film. Fraser seemed quite natural and comfortable within her role, giving Alia both depth and range. Another absolute standout was actress Caroline Craig (Underbelly), the matriarch of the family Rex has the displeasure of encountering. In contrast of our lead, there is no humor to be found within the performance, instead driven by cruelness and misguided maternal instincts. Craig dominated every scene she was featured in, and was downright scary in all the right ways.
The cinematography, editing, and music comes together nicely, adding much to the feeling of claustrophobic chaos and all-out fun. The pacing and script never allow for a dull moment, and while part of the core story may not be all original, it was never predictable.
Director Alister Grierson hits all the right notes in Bloody Hell, making it one of the most entertaining horror/dark comedies this year. Be sure to check this one out once it becomes available, and buckle up for a bloody good time.
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