Vin Diesel is never shy from leaning into a film that potentially can make the most of that “F” word. You know the one … franchise. He might have that with his latest, the based on a successful comic book Bloodshot. Diesel is the titular character, aka Ray Garrison/Bloodshot. It’s established immediately that this dude is one incredible soldier. He also dies.
Thanks to Guy Pearce’s Dr. Emil Harting, Ray comes back to life … bigger, stronger and yes, healthier. Most importantly, he’s wired to heal from practically anything—even explosions! He’s the ultimate weapon and like any weapon, in the wrong hands … you know the drill. The thing is he cannot remember anything about his previous life. Basically, he is told what he needs to know and something about that just rubs him the wrong way, right off the bat. By his side is a fellow former soldier brought back from the abyss, Katie, aka KT (Eiza González, from Baby Driver).
What’s fascinating is, like Ray, she too never questioned the series of events that led her to this moment. But thanks to Ray, some eyes may be opening who had previously had blinders virtually put on their heads. See, our hero gets flashes of memories that arrive in the form of nightmares. The viewers know that those are indelible moments that would pierce anyone’s soul. Specifically, the scene that Ray hauntingly experiences—almost on repeat—is the one that finds his wife Gina (Talulah Riley) getting killed. You know that the who, what, why and where will be sorted out, it’s only a matter of time.
The “getting going” of the story takes a little time and I’ve experienced enough of these over my two decades of movie reviewing to know that filmmakers took a little extra time to set up this world because of the aforementioned franchise potential. Dave Wilson directs from a script by Jeff Wadlow and Eric Heisserer they are quite meticulous over the origins of Bloodshot, the man who if he can figure out how to separate himself from Harting’s literal technological grasp and figurative command of his being, he could do a lot of good in the world. It’s teased in the Bloodshot trailer, but when Diesel “awakes” he remembers who his ire should be directed towards and before things can get too out of hand, Harting shuts him down. There’s also the issue of power, literally the juice that keeps these robotized humans going. Harting’s facility is the only place where that can occur and that’s rather important.
The mystery surrounding Harting and his intentions, coupled with the origin aspect of our hero while he attempts to figure out what happened to him (and his wife for that matter) is a tad disappointing in terms of how it plays out as it moves the story forward. Now, what the dramatic weight may lack, what is richly developed are those action sequences. It should surprise nobody that Diesel is impeccable in this aspect of the filmmaking process. So too are his co-stars as there are some wildly original, impeccably choreographed sequences that are the saving grace of Bloodshot. In fact, should there be enough people who turn out to witness Diesel’s latest actioner to warrant a sequel, I actually look forward to a flick with this character where audiences don’t have to be dragged through the origins aspect of an origins story.
Diesel has some real fun with portraying Ray. There are more than a few lines that the actor must deliver that could have easily caused some major theater-wide eye rolling! But in the hands of the guy who would give Arnold Schwarzenegger a run for his money for delivering lines that fall under categories such as cheesy, firmly out of place or just plain ridiculous, the Fast and Furious actor manages to pull them off without eyes getting any kind of opportunity to roll.
The actor also does a few things that this film requires its star to achieve, all while doing so in the believable realm of this landscape that absolutely sits in make believe land.
First, he keenly knows what movie he’s in and tonally how that is different than anything else that has come along prior. Too often actors and actresses do their best at bringing a character to life without a firm knowledge of the world that the character lives in. You’ll hear critics saying things like, “I don’t know what movie “X” actor thought he was in, but it was not this one.” No one will ever lay that judgement on Diesel. He is a king at embracing, wholeheartedly, the situational nuances that make all the difference in the quality of the world filmmakers are creating and thus the audience connectivity potential. Second, he knows there is only so much viewers are willing to forgive in terms of suspension of disbelief. There is a limit. Even if he’s not the one writing a script or the director yelling “action” or “cut,” he has enough star clout and filmmaking savvy to know where that line is between having fantastical fun and losing your audience in a sea of manic make believe.
It’s a tricky time we live in currently. Sony has released this film into a movie going public who are increasingly more terrified about leaving their house. Films like A Quiet Place: Part II have left their March release date in the dust, pushing it back several months. Bloodshot may suffer at the box office due to folks fearing the Corona Virus and wanting to stay away from public gatherings, such as movie theaters. Will the studio take that into account when it decides whether Diesel has that new franchise that he’s always seeking? The flick has been getting mixed reviews, including this one, so it’s possible that a Bloodshot franchise was DOA before we even got started. But, then again, never say never when it comes to Diesel. Who would have thought that in 2001 a little movie about a bunch of fast cars and the men and women who love to drive them would be on its way to becoming a 10-picture series? Stranger things have happened.
For this writer, Bloodshot stumbles out of the gate. It finds its footing just about the time where a viewer would check out. Then, the flick never loses its grip on our attention as Diesel gets into gear and floors it.
Grade: C