Tubi Thursday: Subspecies V- Blood Rise (2023)

 Well, I promised Ted Nicolau I'd review this, so I have to.  I mean, do you want him to sic Radu on me?!?

After 25 years, they made another one- why not?!?

Right off the bat, here's a weird thing- this is a Prequel.

After constantly restarting the Story after Radu dies for the last 3 times, they decided that 4 times was too many.

Anyhow, the Plot involves a Vampire lady who bears a child...and Knights Templar immediately show up.

Honestly, if this turns out to be a crossover between The Blind Dead Films and Subspecies, I'm down!

It's not.

Instead, the Knights take the child- Radu- and make him look human (with oils, apparently).

We pick up with Radu when he's, being generous here, 60 years old or so...since Anders Hove is in his '60s.

He, of course, doesn't know that he's a Vampire and is eventually confronted with the truth when he manages to storm, you guessed it, the same Castle he was born in.

Transylvania sure is a small Country!

He rescues a woman and child from the Castle.  Naturally, it is Denice Duff!

As Radu embraces his true self, he'll bring others down with him.

On top of that, we might as well introduce a few random Sub Plots and Characters.

To find out how this all plays out, stream or buy the Film now.

It has many good points, but the Plot is pretty much the equivalent of firing buckshot at a wall.  Let me explain...

We get the Intro with Radu and then a fairly quick build to his initial corruption.  After a big moment, let's jump ahead 100 years and introduce new Characters.

Another time jump- why not?!?
That lady from 40 minutes ago- she's back.  Why not?

This is one of those cases where there is too much Plot for what the Film actually needs to be.  Any of the setups- Radu's discovery, Radu's fall, Radu and his 2 captives or Radu and his family- could be expanded into Films.

Instead of that, however, we get all of them fighting for time in the Film like that 60-Man Battle Royal that WCW did.  I didn't hate the Plots- I just wish that you'd picked one.

Never mind the idea that you're doing a Prequel 25 years after you shot the last Film!  Did we need one?
Did we need one that contradicts key elements of the original Film- how the Bloodstone works, the fate of Radu's Father, etc- to boot?

I'm happy for Nicolau and company for getting to make the Film.  I just wish that they had picked one idea for the Film and not all of the ones they thought of.

A Film with great atmosphere and plenty of neat ideas.  Unfortunately, nobody said 'no' to any of them, so they are all in this Film fighting for time.