Subspecies V: Blood Rise

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The 'Subspecies' franchise started way back in 1991 with the release of the low-budget B-movie 'Subspecies'. This was followed by 'Bloodstone: Subspecies 2' in 1993, 'Bloodlust: Subspecies 3' in 1994, and concluded (or so we thought) with 'Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm' in 1998. Now, 25 years later, the saga continues with 'Subspecies 5: Bloodrise'. All films were written and directed by Ted Nicolaou, and Anders Hove stars in all of them. Denice Duff stars in 'Subspecies 2-5'. When Radu was born, Crusaders took him away, and he was raised by the Church. When he stumbles upon his Father's castle one day, he finds Helena (Denice Duff) and her son, Stefan. Believing to be victims of his Father, he pities them. Even when discovering Helena has been bitten, he still cares for them, but his compassion soon seals his fate. I'm a bit confused by the storyline. In this film, Radu (Anders Hove) is turned into a vampire by Helena, when he is an elderly man. In the first film, Radu was born a vampire, and his brother was Stefan. I'm therefore not sure whether this is intended to be a reboot of the series, and not an actual continuation. This film revolves mainly around Radu's fledgelings, Ash and Ariel. With budgetary constraints evident, the film is no masterpiece, but it certainly is far better than Subspecies 3 and 4, both of which were more comical. 'Subspecies 5' (thankfully) contains no comedic elements. It is more disturbing in its story and imagery than its predecessors, and a full-on horror. It shows no mercy whatsoever. Thing is, this might just be my favourite in the series thus far (Subspecies 2 was also very good). Oh, and do I smell sequel...?

Radu is back and he still gives the best performance. Anders Hove and Denise Duff are once again excellent and have a great cast to perform with. The special effects were better but the story itself is one of dark contemplation and loss. The setting is moody, dark and atmospheric, no sparkly vampires here. Radu goes from being a noble and feared man to a vampire doomed to roam the night in search of. Helena, the woman he rescued and the mother of his half brother Stefan. He also searches for something of beauty, such as music to give him some comfort in his increasingly dark existence. This is a worthy entrance into the Subspecies series and I hope we get another one, because they are getting better and better. Radu is not just a vampire, but a man who has lost his humanity. A creature to be feared but pitied as well for his loneliness and loss of his human self. While lighter on gore, it is heavy in story, mood and tone. Radu is back and we are all here for it.

I didn't even know they were goin to make another subspecies until I came across it on Tubi and so glad I did. I actually never watched any of the full moon movies when I was younger I remember seeing a few of them on the blockbusters shelves as a kid tryin to convince dad to rent them but that never happened. But in the past few years I watched quite a few here and there and have found they're definitely hit and miss but the subspecies films are the gems of the collection in my opinion. Radu is what a vampire is supposed to look like and has been played excellently over the years by Anders hove. His transformation from man to monster is amazing in this one. It took awhile to realize where it was goin but once it all came together this ended up being one of the best in the series I hope to see more from them, I actually think it would make a good mini series.

It's been 25 long years since the release of Subspecies IV, so it's hard to believe this sequel even exists. Better still, it's actually a good movie! We live in an age of disappointing reboots, but this isn't one of them. Of course, you have to grade movies like Subspecies on a curve. Is Blood Rise a conventionally good film? Probably not, but it's solid by B-movie standards. The music, costumes, and cinematography all exceed expectations; clearly, this was a labor of love for the production team. The makeup and special effects are more erratic, but still admirable given the low budget. The location filming in Serbia is excellent and preserves the unique European flavor of the series. Most importantly, Anders Hove effortlessly slides back into the role of Radu - a repulsive yet somehow sympathetic character, and one of cinema's coolest vampires. As with the earlier entries, he's the best thing in the movie by miles, but the supporting cast is pretty solid. Notably, Hove plays the role seriously this time and isn't as campy as before, which might disappoint fans who enjoy the more overt comedy of the previous films ("Muuuummy!") The plot of Subspecies V is merely okay, alas. It jumps around in time a lot, meaning that some situations can feel rushed and underdeveloped. Also, there's a conspicuous lack of action and crowd scenes - betraying the limitations of making a period-piece movie without enough money. Still, the film is good at glossing over its weaknesses and playing to its strengths, like mood and character. I think Ted Nicolaou wanted to make a strong directorial statement with this film, by demonstrating that it's possible to create a serious and impactful Subspecies movie in 2023. While I personally prefer the more fun approach of the previous films, I was impressed by what he achieved here. This is probably the best Subspecies movie since part 2, and it's a nice blend of nostalgia and new ideas. So...can we get a sixth one?

Radu (Anders Hove) and director and writer Ted Nicolaou are back in the fifth movie in the Subspecies series along with Subspecies, Bloodstone: Subspecies II, Bloodlust: Subspecies III and Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm. Have you ever wondered how Radu went to from a warrior in the Crusades, battling for the Church, to a blood-obsessed monster? Wonder no more! Radu was stolen by crusaders on the night of his birth from a demon mother and vampire father, trained by a brotherhood of monks to kill for the Church until he finds his way to the castle of the vampire Vladislas (Kevin Sprita, who was Mel in the second and third films; he's taking over for Angus Scrimm; if you didn't know, Vladislas is also the father of Radu), wielding the Sword of Laertes and in search of the Bloodstone. If you're a fan of this series - and I am! - this will give you the fan service you crave. Like having Denice Duff, who was the heroine Michelle from the second movie on, as the female vampire Helena who turns Radu and who will create his enemy Stefan. Or Ash (Marko Filipovic) from side sequel Vampire Journals showing up! This is only 80 minutes and it's been two decades since we've had a new Subspecies. It feels like nearly too many ideas and too much for one film, which leads me to hope that this isn't the end of the story. Subspecies V: Bloodrise gives me hope for Full Moon, as it looks absolutely beautiful thanks to its Serbian setting and the cinematography of Vladimir Ilic, who also shot the Robert Davi movie My Son Hunter. Dare I dream that someday there will be a new Trancers or a big budget Puppet Master?

Wow! Where to begin? This movie is absolutely incredible! It's been years since Radu has graced our television screens. When last he did, it was a very different world!!! I sat in my own home, with original VHS posters and a Thai version of subspecies 2 (poster) and it's as magical to behold this new film as it was all those years ago in my fathers basement! This is a gorgeously done origin story and a reclaiming of Full Moon Movies! It's done so beautifully I wasn't expecting to love it this much, but I absolutely did! If you grew us on Radu like I did, you're in for a treat! I'm half in tears just remembering the magic, and blown away by what a wonderful film this was! Check it out!

The "Rise" portion of the title let's you know what you're in for here. This film serves as the origin story for the primary character of the franchise, Radu Vladislas - once again brilliantly portrayed by franchise regular Anders Hove. Here, the film largely succeeds in humanizing the franchise's monstrous and iconic villain. I was fortunate enough to catch this on its one day only theatrical release at my local Alamo Drafthouse and enjoyed the post feature making of and interviews with the cast and crew held by Charles Band. In addition to successfully humanizing Radu as a character, I have to also praise the technical aspects of the film as it looks and sounds great- easily sporting the most polished cinematography of the series. I found myself hoping they expound on a couple of the plot points and make a Subspecies VI. Hopefully if another entry is made it doesn't take another 20 years.