Blood Red Sky Review
Blood Red Sky blends two prominent genres of cinema: thriller and horror, and the new Netflix film has quickly captured attention. The unique concept of “vampires on a plane” is fresh and intriguing, making it a must-watch for many as it trends on Netflix. However, can Blood Red Sky be considered a standout film in an era where horror is becoming increasingly saturated, especially given that it is a German-language film?
Plot Summary
In Blood Red Sky, Elias and his mother board a flight from Germany to New York to seek treatment for a rare and debilitating illness afflicting her. During the long flight, as passengers drift into sleep, terrorists hijack the plane. In a state of panic, Elias tries to hide in the cabin, prompting his mother to chase after him and subsequently take three bullets from a terrorist. Instead of killing her, the attack reveals a horrifying secret about her.
Most viewers might expect an intense showdown between terrorists and vampires in Blood Red Sky. However, throughout the film’s two-hour runtime, the focus seems to shift towards the mother-son relationship. While a humanistic theme can be valuable, its overemphasis dims the film’s core action-thriller elements.
The film’s violence and gore are scattered throughout, but they are relatively mild and might not satisfy genre enthusiasts. The horror aspect primarily comes from the grotesque depiction of vampires, but the film avoids jump scares, so there’s no need to worry about being startled. Emotionally, although the film centers on Elias and his mother, it fails to evoke a strong emotional response in the audience during these moments.
Despite having creative and potentially promising ideas, Blood Red Sky handles its plot and development in a rather conventional manner, lacking significant highlights and extreme appeal. The film includes some plot twists, but overall, they are not particularly surprising and lack logical coherence to fully convince viewers. The ending, though somewhat contrived, provides a fitting resolution to the film’s established conflicts.
The characters in Blood Red Sky play crucial roles but are not convincing. The film makes it difficult, if not impossible, for viewers to sympathize with or support any character. When a film fails to generate motivation or engagement, watching the full two hours of Blood Red Sky feels more like a “homework assignment” rather than an enjoyable, entertaining experience.