Blood Red Sky is one of the most unique vampire movies to come out in 2021. This is a pretty impressive feat considering some of the ones that have come out. The Netflix release sounds like it is going to be a goofy and fun affair. A group of hijackers take over a plane. They soon learn one of the passengers is a vampire. From there the wacky hijinks and nonsense ensues. Right?
The film seems like it can be summed up in one sentence, and in some ways it can. The main action of Blood Red Sky is a group’s attempt to take over a plane. This plot thread never goes away even as other aspects of the story are integrated. It is the catalyst the gets the plot moving and remains the driving force of the entire movie. This is definitely a movie about a plane being hijacked.
The interesting part of Blood Red Sky is it is not just about over the top action scenes. This does not mean there are not plenty of great fights in the movie. Some of them are the typical battles that take place in this kind of movie. Others highlight the creativity of the production team. Either way, the action and suspense never slows down. It just focuses more on genuine emotion than similar stories.
The single location setting is used perfectly. The vast majority of the film takes place on the plane. This gives Blood Red Sky an almost Train to Busan type feeling as things progress throughout the plane. The lack of places to escape lead to a high level of tension. This may be one of the most surprising things about Blood Red Sky. The synopsis makes it seem like there will not be much to the movie. It is an idea made for cheap thrills, easy laughs, and forgetful performances. For this type of movie to run more than an hour and a half, there is going to have to be a lot of filler.
The film gets around this problem by packing its story full of emotion. Not only is Nadja in a fight for her life against the hijackers, she also has to somehow control her bloodlust. This leads to some poignant interactions with her son. Everything builds to the ending of Blood Red Sky. While it is not the emotional gut punch it seems to be going for, it definitely is a powerful moment.
There are also some gruesome creature effects. The vampires have a Nosferatu like look that is at once familiar and frightening. The story also gives them more animalistic characteristics than is normally seen. Vampires are known for their superhuman strength and charm, but it is not often that their ears twitch like a canines. The film also contains some surprisingly gory scenes. Blood Red Sky lives up to its action-horror moniker with some notable kills that fit perfectly in the story.
Blood Red Sky also works by never making a mockery of what is going on. There are some laugh out loud funny lines and moments, but nothing is played for comedy. The script wants the audience to feel something, but it rarely wants them to laugh. This makes it all the more enjoyable. The logline may sound silly, but this is an original idea, that vampire fans will enjoy.
Blood Red Sky comes to Netflix July 23.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.