Cinequest Film Festival 2025 – Blood Star is a thrill ride in the desert that eventually arrives at a gory conclusion. Though the film doesn’t offer much that we haven’t seen prior, it’s still a tense feature directed and co-written by Lawrence Jacomelli.

Britni Camacho stars as Bobbie, a petty thief who’s on the road from the outset. She didn’t exactly commit a major heist, but immediately, it feels like she’s running from something. She drives fast. She rocks out to music. However, danger arrives in the form of Sheriff Bilstein (John Schwab). Viewers know he’s a killer immediately because the opening minutes show him murder his first victim in a sick and twisted game that’s fully revealed in the last act. Bobbie inadvertently winds up in his latest prey.

Much of this film plays with power dynamics. Sheriff Bilstein abuses his power, constantly toying with Bobbie from the moment he pulls her over. He tries to get her to pay him $1,000, claiming she damaged his police car. He even takes her phone and license, but the more she speaks up, the harsher he becomes. He relishes toying with her. Schwab makes a good villain. He’s cold and cruel and never wavers from that. The only problem is that his character is too one-dimensional. Late in the film, he offers a warped explanation to Bobbie regarding his actions and why he tortures and murders women. However, all of it comes across as too cliche, as does his misogyny. That said, he’s still a frightening and sadistic bad guy, despite his hollow motivation.

Bobbie has a little more character development and depth, though it’s not that much. Still, Camacho turns in a gritty and determined performance, playing a heroine who employs her street smarts to outlast and overcome the diabolical small town sherif. Hopefully, we see Camacho in other horror films. She has the makings of a strong final girl.

The cat and mouse thriller has plenty of high-tension moments, building to a conclusion that edges torture porn territory. The desert setting also enhances the suspense because, as the sherif says, the desert can indeed be crazy and unpredictable. Pascal Combes-Knoke‘s cinematography is one of the film’s greatest strengths, capturing the danger and beauty of the setting, making it feel like another character. That said, the hunt and chase grow stale eventually, and again, it’s a bit too familiar. We’ve seen plenty of films like this, some better than others. It’s also head-scratching that no one in the town suspects the sheriff, despite all of the missing women, even if they were just passing through.

Blood Star has some arresting visuals, but it doesn’t break any new ground. We’ve seen this cat and mouse game too many times before, and the characters fall too flat. Still, it’s an entertaining enough feature and a bloody ride.