Today’s quick review: Bloodshot. Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel), a talented soldier, gets a second chance at life when Dr. Emil Harting (Guy Pearce) brings him back from the dead with a cybernetically enhanced body. Equipped with nanites that give him strength, speed, and extraordinary regenerative power, Ray sets out to get his revenge on Martin Axe (Toby Kebbell), the man who killed him and murdered his wife Gina (Talulah Riley).
Bloodshot is a superhero action movie based on the character from Valiant Comics. Vin Diesel stars as Bloodshot, a superpowered soldier on a mission for revenge. Bloodshot delivers what action fans will want in a popcorn flick: lots of fights, a fast-paced plot, and an unstoppable hero. The movie never manages to break free of the cliches of the genre, but it executes them well enough to be entertaining and sprinkles in a few flourishes of its own.
Fittingly enough, Bloodshot’s greatest strength is its action. The stunts are a mixture of action movie staples—heavy ordnance, car chases, and slow motion—and CGI-fueled brawls that show off Ray’s regenerative capabilities. There’s nothing that can rival the top tier of superhero movies, but the fights are weighty and well-choreographed. Decent fundamentals and a couple of creative setups should be enough to please most action fans.
Bloodshot is on shakier ground when it comes to its story. The movie starts generic and tries to piece together an identity as it goes along. In this it is only partially successful. Bloodshot does get more interesting as its plot builds up steam and its better character designs come into play, but it never quite shakes its budget mentality. There’s very little character development and only the minimum amount of story needed to reach the credits.
Bloodshot will appeal to viewers who care about action and nothing more. For what it is, it’s a fine watch, with a basic but effective plot and some solid action scenes to work with. But its reluctance to carve out an identity of its own makes it hard to invest in. Instead of an excessive, stylish romp, Bloodshot is a bread-and-butter sci-fi action movie with only a handful of ideas to call its own. Those hoping for something richer should skip it.
For a similar flavor of CGI-fueled action done with more skill and imagination, try Alita: Battle Angel. For action in a similar vein but with more black humor, try Venom. For a budget action movie about an operative brought back from the dead, try 24 Hours to Live. For a villain with a similar power set as Bloodshot, try Terminator 2: Judgment Day or Terminator: Dark Fate.
5.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for serviceable action and a mediocre story.