Dave Wilson’s movie feels like one of those comic book movies made in 2003 when studios made comic book movies but were embarrassed to admit it. So they’d make their movies without giving us what the fans wanted hence a “Punisher” movie without his signature skull shirt. With “Bloodshot” what we’re getting a movie based on the somewhat obscure nineties comic, but a lot of the changes are obviously made from Sony and Vin Diesel to side step the fact he’s in a comic book movie. He looks very little like Bloodshot, doesn’t often don his signature red chest spot, and isn’t even referred to as Bloodshot.
But he’s Bloodshot! Don’t worry, all five people that loved the Valiant comics universe*!
Diesel plays Garrison a mercenary who is a killing machine and returns home to be with his wife. Ambushed by soldiers, Garrison is held hostage and bears witness to his wife’s murder and is subsequently murdered. He inexplicably awakens in a laboratory where he learns that he’s been—let’s say “recycled” to become a top secret soldier in a platoon of soldiers imbued with bionic and robot abilities. Now armed with enhanced regeneration he seeks to avenge his wife and learns about a top secret plot involving the American government.
“Bloodshot” is about as bad as can be and I blame that mainly on Diesel who becomes more and more of a square peg in a round hole with action movies the older that he gets. Diesel is one of those action stars who has a clause where he can’t get beaten up, so any and all combat scenes are low stakes. Meanwhile even when he’s off screen everyone else is dialed down to allow Diesel to feel like the life of the party. But even he can’t save this painful attempt at a launch for movie universe. He can’t even be troubled to wear make up or prosthetics for the character which, if you saw Jason David Frank’s fan film, is flat out disappointing.
He does his best to stick to his Vin Dieselisms, though, with his usual grunting dialogue, cold hard stares, and mourning the loss of someone that he failed to save. Meanwhile the cast are all there to do their work and deliver lazy performances, including Guy Pearce, a usually great actor who seems to just be doing a light impression of Gary Oldman most of the time he’s on screen. The movie is built primarily to launch a new franchise for Diesel who has been seeking a new series since he returned to “Fast and the Furious,” but it flops at every turn. Dave Wilson’s flat direction paired with Jeff Wadlow’s horrible script is undercut at every turn by its sheer shameless derivativeness.
That said, “Bloodshot” is still a great movie–if you’ve never seen “Spawn.” Or “Captain American: The First Avenger.” Or “Captain America: Winter Solder.” Or “Robocop.” Or the ”Robocop” remake. Or “Universal Soldier.” Or “Universal Soldier: Regeneration.” Or “Upgrade.” Or “Iron Man 3.” Or 1996’s “Solo.”
You know what? I would be here all day if I listed off better movies that “Bloodshot” rips off but can’t hold a candle to.
* I was just joshing. No disrespect to the Valiant universe. I love “Shadowman.”