Some people live while others die for art trying to make a living from it. Some have control over their work and find a muse to help them express their creativity to the fullest. But what happens when the tables are turned, the muse takes over and the art begins to feed on the artist? Painted in Blood portrays a simple idea that could be fleshed out to its fullest, but is somewhat limited leaving room for something bigger to happen.

Malik (Deiondre Teagle) is a struggling painter that can’t seem to keep a job due to his aspiration to become a recognized artist. After being recently unemployed, he takes a job as a security guard at a local art museum to be able to pay rent and buy supplies to keep his passion alive. Once he’s informed by the art curator that he will be keeping an eye on a recent acquisition to be displayed— a painting with a very dark background— things take an unexpected turn for Malik to decide if he wants to learn from the best in order to replicate its success or if he prefers to continue down the more harried route to never be immortalized in the art world. Unfortunately for Malik, he is unaware there is a price to be paid to become the best, and it may cost him more than a few drops of blood on a canvas.

Painted in Blood is a very entertaining film that’ll leave you wanting more because it could, but it holds itself. With a premise where art is represented beyond the portraits that are shown in a decorative way (you can see it in the frustration of the main character, the aesthetic care in the scenery, the way in which the transitions occur smoothly when Malik’s mind is at rest and they’re only abrupt when he interacts with whomever is pretending to be his mentor), there is something missing in the formula to entangles the viewer and turn them into another element of the plot.

The motives for which the events occur in the development of the plot are appropriate for the profile that each character represents— it is very distinctive without turning into cliché. However, it doesn’t come across in the same way as the first two acts during the denouement— it’s a bit rushed for my liking, even clues to end the curse have been given through the experience. Fortunately, it follows a coherent thread, but unfortunately there are no surprises to disorient the audience from the main character’s actions.

Painted in Blood may look like a paint-by-numbers plot but it leaves a pleasant image for the critical eye we all have. It’s not pretentious, nor does it seem like it’s trying to be from its formal introduction with simple ideas accompanied by strong performances from the entire cast. As a side not for anyone interested to watch, don’t expect to see anything similar to Velvet Buzzsaw because this has a different brushstroke.

8 OUT OF 10 BRUSHSTROKES