Blood Child, 2018.
Directed by Jennifer Phillips.
Starring Alyx Melon, Cynthia Lee MacQuarrie,Biden Hall, Charlotte Cattell, Coco Uiga, Tara Chitaroni, and Lisa Kovack.
SYNOPSIS:
A grief-stricken woman raises a ghost child after suffering a miscarriage. When she finds out she’s pregnant again; her first child goes on a jealous and haunting rampage.
Motherhood can feel like a nightmarish thing. The idea of creating and raising a child is so beautiful but also very terrifying; a notion that Blood Child showcases very well. This film follows Ashley (Alyx Melone) as she preps to welcome a new child into this world and has to deal with jealousy from its older sibling. A typical story, but this time, the older sibling happens to be the ghost of Ashley’s unborn first child. Instead of a normal jealous child, this haunted kid takes her revenge to a dark extreme.
With a plot as strange as this, Blood Child does a fantastic job at never once feeling hokey or overly cheesy. The supernatural horror film from director Jennifer Phillips is surprisingly morose. There is enough heart throughout to get you through the dark times though. This earnest tone is refreshing as this could’ve quickly gone down a much campier route; subtle nuances and memorable moments easily lost by another director or a different style. Luckily, Jennifer Phillips knew how to handle this piece with the maturity it deserves, allowing everything to happen naturally and allowing the audience to feel for themselves. The complicated relationship between Ashley and housekeeper Siti (Cynthia Lee MacQuarrie) being an example. The portrayal of this relationship ends up being the best part of the film as viewers can find themselves relating to this story or at least empathizing with one or the other. There’s a balance between both characters and how they handle this strange situation that feels so refreshing to see. Like the tone of the film, the script and directing kept story from going in a more generic direction.
For a first-time director though, Jennifer Phillips does struggle with not being able to elevate everything. The acting leaves more to be desired with lead actress Alyx Melone struggling to command the screen. There are times where an actress like Melone is perfect, and I find her to have some shining moments here, but this role needed someone a bit more bold. Maybe it was a characterization choice to have her feel a little bit more standoffish; it just didn’t come across as that engaging. The only actress that I think clicked with Phillips is Cynthia Lee MacQuarrie as Siti. MacQuarrie carries the film not only as our single genuinely likable character, but she also has the most compelling work here. Siti is the real connection between the ghost child story and the marriage story, the actor and the character doing their best to hold everything together.
There’s also little problems in the production that make Blood Child feel less seasoned. Editing missteps like intrusive transitions for flashbacks don’t mix well with the style of this film. Same goes for the sound design and score. Both clashed with the action on screen rather than accentuate the scares or a dramatic moment. Mistakes weren’t consistent and didn’t ruin the film going experience, but it made weaker moments to stick out like a sore thumb. All of which are fixable with more expertise from the cast and crew, so this feels like seeing everyone’s raw talent before they hone their craft more.
This movie feels like the perfect viewing during a late night horror bender. Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon are the home for films like Blood Child. It’s not a movie meant for the big screen, but it doesn’t take away from watchability. The appeal of a less mainstream film is the ability to explore anything topic. This type of horror isn’t for everyone. The subject matter isn’t light, and it handles it with a cheeky grin. But if you enjoy seeing the darker side of beautiful things, Blood Child is the perfect film for you.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
EJ Moreno – Find me on Twitter @EJKhryst
