Bloodrunners is the newest film from director Dan Lantz, who has previously directed a number of low-budget horror movies, as well as several episodes of Modern Marvels, and follows three interlocking plot threads revolving around a speakeasy that may be selling more than illegal booze. The speakeasy is led by band leader and crime boss Chesterfield, played by Ice-T; his right-hand man, Victor Renfield (Peter Patrikios); and the hired help, Willie, (Chris James Boylan) who also works at the local brothel doing odd jobs. When the brothel comes under attack by an unknown force, two crooked cops (Michael McFadden and John Groody) arrive to investigate what’s going on, while simultaneously blackmailing the Chesterfield and the speakeasy.
If it sounds like there’s a lot going on here, that’s because there is, but Bloodrunners does an impressive job keeping everything from getting too convoluted and maintaining a brisk pace that’s consistently engaging. The acting tends toward the theatrical, bordering at times on cartoonish, but the characters are written with enough depth and moral ambiguity that my interest for their evolving story arcs remained high throughout. The film is tied together in equal parts by the gangster drama surrounding the speakeasy; a romance plot between Willie and his girlfriend Anna, (Airen DeLaMater) the daughter; and the mystery of the evil that stalks the brothel. These plot lines are given enough room to breathe, and each offers a new facet on the cast of characters, constantly challenging the viewer’s perspective on their intentions and motivations.
Ice-T is this film’s main issue, which is unfortunate given the amount of screen time devoted to his character. He isn’t terrible, but while his character seems to be written to strike a balance between the tough guy enforcer and the suave, calculating mob boss, Ice-T seems far more comfortable with the former than the latter. The aesthetic, much like the performances, is cheap, but has a lot of heart and is generally quite pleasant to look at. Bloodrunners is soaked in prohibition-era gangster movie charm, even if that charm looks like it came from a thrift store. This film is a gangster drama at its core, and up until the last 3 minutes or so the vampire angle is more of an intriguing background element than a driving narrative force. Unfortunately, this is not the case for the film’s finale which sees this layered character drama abandon its promise for the sake of uninspired, cheap CG-packed cheese.
Up to that point, however, Bloodrunners manages to create something that exceeds the expectations I had going in. The limited budget shows, but there is also a lot of thought but into all of the different ways these characters interact as their interests clash and their morality and loyalties are challenged. Not really much of a horror movie, but if you’re looking for a solid gangster flick with horror themes, Bloodrunners is a bloody fun ride.
