Whenever a movie is upfront about its premise and plot, the challenge becomes finding a way to make the course of events matter despite that knowledge. In some cases the concept is turned into a total romp; here, as elsewhere, the goal for all involved was to make 'Blood moon' as impactful as it could be. That doesn't mean thrills or chills, in this case; rather, co-writers Adam Mason and Simon Boyes zero in on the underlying core of a single mother trying to do well by her special son, and director Emma Tammi illustrates a delicate touch that allows the dynamics to be more meaningful, and in turn the emotional beats. Despite the subject matter, this is in fact a horror-drama, with emphasis on the latter facet for the preponderance of the length. I can understand how that approach won't appeal to all, but I for one am delighted by how smart this is, and authentic, and in my opinion it's far more and better than I could have hoped.
Star Megalyn Echikunwoke is a treasure, wholeheartedly and perfectly embodying all the strength mother Esme must necessarily carry, and the vulnerabilities she desperately tries to keep hidden away. Based solely on her performance here I'd love to see much more of Echiunwoke. Gratifyingly, that quite goes for her co-stars, too. Given smaller supporting parts, the likes of Joshua Dov, Marco Rodriguez, Jack Yang, and even child actor Yonas Kibreab demonstrate fine acting abilities, and for the subdued tenor of the feature, their contributions become all the more important. It's the dialogue and scene writing that propel the narrative here, with violence happening off-screen like in genre flicks of many decades past; more than is true of more action-oriented horror, the actors are the ones to bear the burden of that thrust - and they do so most admirably. Yet with a dark tone and strong emotional vibrancy this stands substantially taller, and comes off far more meaningfully, than like titles of years ago that were often characterized by counterproductive flat or light tones. From a film-making standpoint 'Blood moon' is built like something from the 40s, but especially as we see the grisly aftermath of each transformation, and as Esme prepares for the worst of all exigent circumstances, there's no disputing that this is borne of modern storytelling sensibilities.
Those stunts and practical effects that we do see look fantastic, and even as the picture declines to visualize the most significant horror elements, their presence is unmistakable as the writing, direction, and acting bring those dynamics to bear. As a Blumhouse affair there's never any doubt as to the high quality of the production values; in every capacity this is as sharp as we could hope of a film in the 2020s. Speaking of Blumhouse, I think the less visceral tack is particularly surprising coming from a studio that's kind of become the modern face of horror. For all the skill, intelligence, and heart that all involved poured into it, however, the end result is no less striking for the lack of active carnage; as far as I'm concerned this is all it needs to be, and it excels. I can't even think of a specific flaw here, and the only question is one of personal preference, and how much one appreciates the style. For my part I'm all so pleased with how good it is, and I'd have no qualms in recommending it to just about anyone. Bearing in mind the caveat of the relatively low-key approach, I think 'Blood moon' is terrific, and well worth the time of anyone open to its horror-drama nature.
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