Bleeds Style, but Struggles With Substance

Read Time:5 Minute, 23 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Bogieville
–

Genre: Horror
Year Released: 2024, 2025
Runtime: 1h 48m
Director(s): Sean Cronin
Writer(s): Henry P. Gravelle
Cast: Arifin Putra, Eloise Lovell Anderson, Sean Cronin, Sarina Taylor, Poppie Jae Hughes, Daniel P. Lewis, Andrew-Lee Potts, Katie Sheridan
Where to Watch: now available On Demand, watch here: www.amazon.com and streaming in the UK courtesy of Reel 2 Reel Films

RAVING REVIEW: A brutal cold open can be a gamble, but this one wastes no time throwing viewers into the thick of it—no mood-setting montage or gentle build-up. A single woman in a restroom and a very specific, visceral kind of bloodshed kick things off with a jolt. The moment screams for attention and dares you to keep watching. Unfortunately, the promise of such an unapologetically raw beginning doesn’t translate into sustained momentum, and while the premise is bold, the execution can’t always keep pace.

What follows centers on Ham and Jody, a couple on the verge of collapse. Losing their jobs on the same day, they hit the road and eventually stumble across a nearly forgotten trailer park—isolated, eerie, and seemingly held together by stubbornness alone. Crawford, the soft-spoken caretaker, offers them a chance to stay in exchange for help maintaining the place. He’s polite but cautious, and the ominous warning to avoid going out after dark lands with just enough weight to raise suspicion. The setup is effective. Things feel off in a slow-burn way, but it’s not long before the unsettling tone gives way to something far more “lively.”

Beneath the rundown façade is a makeshift nest for a group of vampires, including Crawford’s daughter. Crawford has spent years managing this bizarre situation, playing human guardian to beings he should probably fear more than love. The film finds its most interesting take in this strange relationship between protector and predator. Jonathan Hansler takes on this role with a weathered calm, giving Crawford quiet sorrow and deep-seated obligation. He’s easily the most fleshed-out character on screen, and it’s through him that any real emotional weight is felt.

Madison, the vampire leader, presents a different kind of energy. Played by Sean Cronin, he’s all snarls and existence, relying more on guttural noises than coherent speech. This decision strips the character of traditional menace and replaces it with something almost animalistic. It makes sense in theory, but it leans more into gimmick than menace over time. His threat is undeniable, yet the lack of nuance limits how much the character can evolve.

Among the undead, the child vampire Lily leaves the strongest impression. Portrayed by Poppie Jae Hughes, she manages to be both horrifying and oddly fascinating. Her performance is physical—tilts of the head, bared teeth, erratic movements—and it’s enhanced by makeup that turns her into a creature trapped between innocence and monstrosity. Unlike many other characters, she doesn’t need much dialogue to leave a mark.

The story tackles several tones and genres, but doesn’t always land on one confidently. What starts as a slow-burn horror piece begins to veer into law-enforcement procedural when a sheriff and coroner begin investigating local murders. These scenes feel like they belong in a different project altogether. They add an unnecessary layer to a story with too many threads. Instead of enriching the world, they distract from the deeper character drama unfolding in the park.

The film also spends too much time explaining itself. Flashbacks, drawn-out conversations, and drawn-on exposition gum up the pacing. Rather than showing us the horror through experience, it too often relies on characters sitting around and talking through their tragedies and motivations. That’s a common shortcoming in genre projects that aim for depth—more words don’t always equal more substance. The more time spent with characters explaining their past, the more tension fades away.

That being said, when the chaos finally arrives in the last act, it comes with intent. The violence escalates, secrets unravel, and loyalties splinter. There’s energy in the finale that the rest of the film could have used more consistently. The makeup and effects are put to good use here, particularly when sunlight becomes a weapon, turning vampires into ash. These moments deliver the kind of payoff that genre fans crave, but they feel like a reward for enduring rather than a natural culmination of everything that came before.

What holds the film back isn’t the concept—it’s the overreach. There’s a strong idea at the core: two people stuck in a situation far beyond their understanding, surrounded by creatures who blur the line between monstrous and tragic. But instead of focusing on the claustrophobia and tension of that core setup, the story expands outward and loses its point. There are interesting themes about duty, survival, and moral compromise, but they get lost in a script that doesn’t always know what to prioritize.

It’s not without value. It has bones, well-played moments, and scenes that truly land. But those pieces don’t add up to a satisfying experience. For those drawn to grittier horror or curious to see a different spin on vampire mythology, there’s enough here to explore. Just don’t expect the bite to last much longer than the credits.

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[photo courtesy of LEVEL 33 ENTERTAINMENT, REEL 2 REEL FILMS]

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