Bloodshot is a 2020 comic book film based on the Valiant Comics character with the same name.
Have you ever seen the most uninspired sci-fi comic book movie ever? Well, we now have Bloodshot to add onto that list. Directed by David S. F. Wilson in his feature debut, it is intended to hopefully start a new cinematic universe and franchise for Sony Pictures. Based on the Valiant Comics character created by Kevin VanHook, Don Perlin and Bob Layton, Vin Diesel stars as a soldier named Ray Garrison who eventually becomes the antihero Bloodshot after being killed in action and is brought back to life by a company led by Dr. Emil Harting (Guy Pearce). He has been given an army of nanites in his body that provides him with powerful abilities such as super strength and instant heal. So now, Garrison is on a mission to find out more about his true identity and hunt down the ones who have wronged him. The premise is pretty much similar to Robocop. However, Robocop is way better in its execution.
Diesel really tries his best to carry the movie. However, he plays the same type of role he has portrayed in other flicks such as XXX and the Fast & Furious series, so it’s nothing new. The rest of the cast is fine with what they’re given, but they’re all such clichéd caricatures, especially the ones played by Pearce, Toby Kebbell and Sam Heughan. No one is memorable, which is unfortunate because they’re all really talented actors. Some of them are just there to spill out exposition, and it’s quite irritating. It’s undeniably interesting to know more about this unique world if you haven’t read any of the comic books, but it’s best for moviegoers to figure out some things for themselves.
Admittedly, the beginning of Bloodshot is a lot of fun. Is it campy? Absolutely, but it is entertaining to watch. The action sequences are actually pretty cool, even if some of them heavily rely on CGI, especially the last act. However, it then starts to become very convoluted, messy and boring all at once. After Garrison gets his powers, the movie slowly starts to deconstruct itself. The screenplay, written by Jeff Wadlow and Eric Heisserer, is filled with clichés from start to finish, which makes it insanely dull and predictable. The dialogue is also quite atrocious, and there are some unintentionally hilarious moments that will make you roll your eyes out. It’s tonally inconsistent throughout, because the screenwriters can’t seem to figure out if they want a cheesy action flick or a serious sci-fi film.
There’s a lot of potential to be had with a cool premise about a man who has nanites in his body and fights bad guys. Then again, there’s a difference between potential and execution. The first 20 minutes actually do a good job in being a cheesy yet fun film, but then it starts to become a generic sci-fi comic book flick that you have seen a thousand times before. Even with Diesel’s committed performance, it’s sadly not enough to save the movie. Bloodshot is an unremarkable mess.