Blood Rage
There are a lot of films revolving around twins, especially a lot of horror movies because, let’s face it, twins are fucking creepy as hell. The Shining, Sisters, Basket Case, and Dead Ringers are all a prime example of how to do it well - using the folie a deux shared by two people that has haunted them since the womb and extrapolated on the screen in a tense, unnerving way. Occasionally, the idea doesn’t quite work. In instances such as House of Wax, they are used as merely spectacle; a twist that is predictable wrong, and utterly banal.
Blood Rage is a curious combination of the pair, and has returned to DVD and Blu-ray this week!
Anyway, Blood Rage revolves around two twins Terry and Todd who are the definition of eighties American teen heartthrob. Cool, good-looking, and brilliant, the pair unfortunately get themselves into a spot of bother when Terry, a psychopath all his life, put his axe down in someone’s face but Todd was the one who ended up locked inside an insane asylum. Terry has spent years behaving himself but when Todd escapes from the asylum all hell breaks loose with him as their loved ones play a terrifying game of Guess Who?
Why Is It Bad?
Eighties slasher movies almost certainly suffer from the excruciating decay of time which pounds it down to cheesy much and uneven performances. Whilst some survive the test, such as Friday the 13th and Halloween, the rest spectacularly fritter away and mould with its criticism. Over the top, exploiting, and utilising every trope there is under the horror genre, Blood Rage tumbles into it head first. There is an air of lapping up the terrible in What’s worse is that it is hard to keep track of what’s going on as the same face is benevolent or malevolent which makes for a dizzying game of who’s who.
Why Is It Good?
Against your better judgement you will enjoy the furore into eighties cheese and happily lap it up. Mark Soper, too, is bloody brilliant as both Terry and Todd despite the perplexing elements here and can transform from kindly to terrifying in a matter of moments, distinguishing between the pair even when Terry is masquerading as well behaved and normal. If you are into things that drip and gore that splashes then this is the movie for you because it is rather grim but spectacular so with eighties special effects.
Of all the eighties slashers, Blood Rage is certainly a great one but has been skimmed beneath the carpet. In its new release, you’ll three different types of cuts including Nightmare at Shadow Wood with plenty of hilarious extras and moments to enjoy. If I were you, I’d probably watch all three versions in a Blood Rage Marathon then head over to it’s sequel which is much worse and therefore, more hilarious. It’s also somewhat Thanksgiving based and therefore, any horror elitists may want to pop this on to celebrate the film and holiday with plenty of cranberry sauce. It’s not ground-breaking horror but it does its job to hilariously entertain and having you squealing with delight. Give thanks this weekend that America can produce something hilarious and cutting all at once.
Blood Rage is out on Three Disc DVD & Blu-ray now!