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Blood Father poster

CAST
MEL GIBSON
ERIN MORIARTY
RICHARD CABRAL
DALE DICKEY
RYAN DORSEY
DIEGO LUNA
WILLIAM H. MACY
DANIEL MONCADA
MICHAEL PARKS
MIGUEL SANDOVAL
RAOUL MAX TRUJILLO

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY
PETER CRAIG

SCREENPLAY BY
ANDREA BERLOFF
PETER CRAIG

PRODUCED BY
CHRIS BRIGGS
PASCAL CAUCHETEUX
PETER CRAIG
SEBASTIEN LEMERCIER

DIRECTED BY
JEAN-FRANCOIS RICHET

GENRE
ACTION
THRILLER

RATED
AUS:MA
UK:15
USA:R

RUNNING TIME
88 MIN

BLOOD FATHER (2016)

Starring a game Mel Gibson at his snarling, electric best, Blood Father is a gritty action thriller anchored by an earnest story of redemption.

It’s safe to say that 10 years ago Mel Gibson would not have imagined his career to be where it is now. Yet despite the scandal and controversy, the former box-office behemoth and Oscar winner has kept on trucking with several quality projects that (if anything) remind why he was one of the most electric action stars of his day.

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Gibson’s latest movie Blood Father is a case in point. Directed by burgeoning French filmmaker Jean-Francois Richet (he behind the Mesrine double feature crime thrillers), the film stars Gibson as Link, a former convict now living straight, sober, and inking tattoo’s from his caravan in the middle of dust town USA.

When Link’s long lost daughter Lydia (Erin Moriarty) calls out of the blue in desperation, their family reunion is quickly disrupted by majorly pissed Mexican cartel gangbangers (led by Diego Luna) who want Lydia back in their clutches. Naturally, Link won’t let this aggression against his daughter stand, resulting in their going on the run in a hail of gunfire as gangbangers, hitmen and Nazi bikers give chase.

Blood Father suitably introduces Gibson’s character at an AA meeting, speaking about the guilt of his past transgressions and a life now dedicated to staying on the straight and narrow path to recovery. With that in mind, Blood Father is not the movie that will reinstate Gibson as a golden prince of Hollywood, but rather it is one more solid step forward to claiming some of the clout back.

Gibson is superb here. With white patched black beard, muscular frame and piercing eyes capable of burning holes into any man’s soul, Gibson reminds of a grizzly papa bear whose roar matches his bite, the moments of Gibson in full curse filled rage goose bump inducing in their power. Just as impressive is his chemistry with Erin Moriarty, her portrayal of the feisty, over-her-head Lydia the perfect counter to Gibson’s grizzled ex-con.

Richet brings a certain old school grittiness to Blood Father, and it’s a welcome counter to the CGI fests that dominates to action genre. The script written by the impressive tandem of Andrea Berloff (World Trade Centre) and Peter Craig (The Town) provides solid stakes for Richet to play with. Unlike a certain action series where an ass-whopping dad moves heaven and earth to save his daughter, there is much emotion to be found here that trades off well with its hard hitting action sequences.

Blood Father would have definitely fit during Gibson’s peek popularity of the late 80s/early 90s, but missing would be an emotional weight that the Gibson of today brings. For those looking for a sturdy slab of action genre filmmaking with much violence and intensity featured throughout, Blood Father reaches expectations. But it’s the moments like that scene of Gibson in the AA meeting that really pack a wallop.

***1/2

 

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