If you’ve been following HORROR PRESS for a while you know I love Full Moon Features. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have done a whole series on Full Moon during February. They’re charming, and the company just as much as the films have always been “for the fans”.
Subspecies V: Bloodrise – A Bloody, Campy Vampire Triumph
All this to say, Subspecies V: Bloodrise, the latest entry in the long-running Radu saga, is much of the same: a madcap crowdpleaser that delivers on all your bloody and sometimes silly vampire movie wants. If you’re a longtime fan, or someone getting into the wonderfully campy world of Full Moon, this is a great film to watch.
Born of monsters but raised by men of the cloth and trained to eradicate his own kind, an aged Radu Vladislas takes on what is supposed to be his final quest: destroying his father, King Vladislas. Instead, what results is the dormant beast inside of him being awakened after he gets turned, and his immortal bloodline abilities are activated. As he gets pulled into a world of monsters he sought to destroy, his descent from tragic hero into a bloody villain is on full display as he masters dark sorcery and darker paths to victory.
Anders Hove’s Compelling Performance as Radu
As I had hoped for in my article anticipating Subspecies V: Bloodrise, Anders Hove brings a new heart to a character that honestly shouldn’t be as compelling as he is. Knowing what Radu turns into in earlier films, you’d think seeing the endgame of a hissing snarling cruelty machine would undercut some of the sincerity Hove brings. But his narration throughout the film makes you feel sympathy for him as everything falls apart and his hopes slowly morph from getting justice to accumulating more power. His voice is perfect for storytelling, so it’s a no-brainer to have him narrate the tragedy alongside the film.
Don’t get it twisted; fans of the classic over-the-top nosferatu acting we’ve come to know and love will still be satisfied with Hove’s more scenery-chewing scenes and all the fun that entails. You get a whole lot more along with it, and have to wait a little bit longer for him to crank up the crazy to 11.
Supporting Cast Shines in Subspecies V
Regarding the rest of the cast, it’s also fun to see Denice Duff return. Though her and Hoves’ onscreen chemistry from their time as enemies remains, she plays a radically different character to her former role as Michelle, which adds a new twist to the lore. Among the new additions, Hunter Diana (Olivera Perunicic) has far too little screen time for as cool as she is, and I’m hoping to see more of her in the future.
Ted Nicolaou’s directing is evergreen (as is his writing on this one), capturing some of the coolest shots in the series as he and cinematographer Vladimir Ilic capture the beauty of the Serbian countryside and the old-world castles that lie in it. Some of the shot compositions reminded me of Frank Frazetta’s pulpier, leerier sword and sorcery artwork, and it just rules. The set design for the castles and other interiors is stellar, with each room packed full of details and set dressing that makes it feel lived in. Although admittedly, chunks of the movie are underlit (presumably unintentionally) and suffer visually as a result.
Wild Editing Choices Add Humor to Horror
When we pull back from the aesthetics in the frame, you’re met with some downright insane editing choices that are so perfectly wild that they end up being hilarious. You get a lot of surprising quick cuts that never become irritating or frustrating, but punctuate certain moments with an undeniable comedy in how they’re presented, and I have to believe it’s intentional. It’s too accurate with the comedic timing to not be.
Sidenote: If you can’t find humor in some of the choices that made it past the cutting room floor, you might be forgetting that the silliness is one of the major selling points of Full Moon films, even if it isn’t a hallmark of the Subspecies franchise in particular. You kind of have to let loose and not take this one so seriously.
Story and Effects: Missed Opportunities in a Tight Runtime
One of my biggest complaints story-wise is that we don’t get to see Radu as a child, or his training by the Knights of the Dragon, but there’s still time to see it in another film (if we don’t get to see young Radu beheading vampires, it’s a MAJOR missed opportunity). It’s extra egregious since the movie comes in at a crazy tight 74-minute runtime, which just left me wanting more. The effects also aren’t as involved in this one, so don’t expect the first few films’ hallmark stop-motion animation (as much as the lack of little finger minions breaks my heart!).
Why Subspecies V: Bloodrise Is a Must-Watch for Horror Fans
Subspecies V: Bloodrise is not just a worthy successor to the other Subspecies films, it’s downright fun as a standalone movie, and I fully trust fans will have a blast going in and coming out of this vampiric horror-fantasy quest. Between the directing, the script, and the gross blood-drinking noises, Radu will take you on one hell of a ride as he paves the road down there with good intentions, and then way more bad ones. This will stand as one of the best modern Full Moon films, and I can’t wait to see where they go from here. Give it a watch!
You can stream Subspecies V: Bloodrise starting on June 2nd on Full Moon Features as well as Screambox TV!
