I’ve been pretty clear for some time that cult-based horror isn’t my bag. Many subgenre tropes and cliches work well for me, but cult horror tropes do not. I can see how they work for some audiences, and I tend to flat-out stay away from them. Why watch a film in a subgenre that you don’t necessarily care for? But when I heard that Larry Fessenden was gracing the silver screen, I didn’t care what the subgenre was. I knew I would be seated with popcorn and a cola, ready to see whatever he’s up to. Plus, when one of the writers/directors of the film leads with, “We hope this fucks you up,” how can you not get excited? Little did I know I was about to witness a film with a scene so genuinely grotesque (and kind of hot) that it would make David Cronenberg blush. Thankfully, I was surprised by Blood Shine.
A Filmmaker’s Deadly Encounter
I think there will be a debate over whether Blood Shine is a film about cults. On one hand, it very much is. Larry Fessenden is the leader of this cult who spreads his word (and teachings) through a series of VHS tapes. On the other hand, it’s a film that examines the psyche of two very different people going through similar experiences: Clara and her attempt to come to terms with herself, and Brighton, who deserves little respect and, over his 26 days of torture, starts to realize it. The film’s main driving point is cult-forward. However, the majority of the film’s runtime is spent between Brighton and Clara. So, whether or not this is a cult film will depend on the viewer.
Fessenden and Bennett Give Standout Performances in Blood Shine
The performances in Blood Shine are stellar. Emily Bennett pulls incredible triple duty as co-writer, co-director, and lead. It’s hard enough to do one of those well, let alone three. She weaponizes her charm in the most deadly ways possible. Of course, Larry knocks it out of the park. As always. There’s a natural charisma behind Fessenden’s on-screen (and off) personas. Whether he has one line or a hundred, Fessenden continues to bring his A game. And for the time she’s on screen, Toby Poser does a great job of creating an incredibly creepy atmosphere. Though many of her films haven’t worked for me, I can’t help but admire how genuinely talented she is.
With Blood Shine being a film about emotional and physical torture, the question everyone should be asking is, “How are the practical effects?” Brian Spears (Smile 2, Bloody Axe Wound) does not play around. Spears’s SFX work is impeccable. From the simplest of knife wounds to that scene towards the end, Spears refuses to let the audience get a second of comfort. What’s seemingly becoming a lost art in the digital world, Spears gives a giant middle finger to anyone who thinks practical is dead.
Blood Shine Is a Cult Horror Movie Worth Watching
Would I say that Blood Shine changed my mind about cult horror? Not in a million years. Blood Shine is an outlier. Its emphasis on character and substance is something I find many films of its kind missing. Rather than being a film about a cult, it’s a film that exists around a cult. The only thing I would have asked for more of is to see a bit more of Clara’s torture of Brighton. We see a very solid amount, but it does become a lot of the same after a while. Even though it does become very samey, it’s still effective as hell. It’ll make me think twice before knocking on someone’s door if my car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.
One final note, I’d be remiss to not bring up how wonderful it was to see Brendan Sexton III on screen. It’s always a delight to see him, and I think this is the first time he and Larry Fessenden have reunited for a film (though not sharing screentime) since Session 9!