When it comes to combining genres, The Mahal Empire reigns supreme. Bikers and vampires? Count me in!
Directed by Michael Su (Night of the Tommyknockers, Bridge of the Doomed, Death Count) and starring Costas Mandylor (Saw franchise) Tara Reid (American Pie), Robert Lasardo (Wishmaster 2), and Wesley Cannon (Bridge of the Doomed), Bloodthirst combines the western genre with vampires and sprinkles a bit of science fiction on it before kicking everyone’s ass with an assault on the senses that is not soon to be forgotten.
In a post apocalyptic world run by vampires, only the strong survive. John Shepard (Mandylor), Vampire Hunter, is one of them. John has to track down and eliminate the master vampire before he himself gets turned, but, of course, nothing goes as planned. From the very beginning of the film, Bloodthirst looks to be yet another strong offering from The Mahal Empire and it doesn’t disappoint. From the gore to the characters and the atmosphere of the film, everything hits strongly and resonates with intention.
Bloodthirst begins with a world completely in Hell. The characters which populate the film are worn thin by a world overrun with vampires. They are pushed to their limits and, with their lives on the line, whether by the elements or by the supernatural, they must find extreme ways to live . . .
. . . or die trying.
The world has been stripped of its very soul and Su’s direction and camera reminds its audience with that fact at almost every turn. John Shepard believes he can be an agent of change. With a solid performance from Mandylor, we believe he can be exactly that. But this is a dark time for America and, as the characters are introduced, we begin to see just how hopeless this situation is for Shepard to completely overcome.
They’re going to need a lot more than faith. Especially when The Vampire Queen (Reid), The Vampire Master (Lasardo), and The Ultimate Vampire Master (Cannon) are introduced. Cue the screaming. And rightly so as the violence amps up, so too does the bleakness of the situation.
Yet Shepard’s faith in the old ways grows stronger. There must be a way to right the wrong way the world has spun. And it begins with shutting down the reign of the Vampire Master and bringing life to all the dead towns the vampires trudge through.
With cool effects and strong voice modulations on the vampires, Bloodthirst is a unique spin on vampire lore and offers a strong entry for Sonny and Michael Mahal to add to their catalog of successful genre mixes while remaining true to horror.
Bloodthirst will arrive October 31st, 2023 on VOD/DVD through Lionsgate.
MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime:
Director: Michael Su
Writer: Massimiliano Cerchi; Adrian Milnes
Cast: Costas Mandylor; Tara Reid; Robert LaSardo
Genre: Horror
Tagline: Vampires versus Humans. It's Gonna Get Bloody.
Memorable Movie Quote: "They say they're vampire hunters."
Distributor: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Official Site:
Release Date: October 31, 2023
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: In a post apocalyptic world run by vampires, only the strong survive. John Shepard, Vampire Hunter, is one of them. John has to track down and eliminate the master vampire before he himself gets turned.
