Bloody Axe Wound (2024): Review | The Father/Daughter Horror Movie You Wasn’t Expecting
“Bloody Axe Wound” achieves the rare balance of being funny, heartfelt, romantic, and bloody.
[Unless Said Otherwise] Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Bloody Axe Wound Plot Summary
In an age before cell phones, the internet, and when video rental stores existed, the town of Clover Falls knew only death. For over 60 years, there have been constant, brutal killings, giving birth to a horror franchise starring Roger Bladecut, who is the actual serial killer. But, with getting up in age, while a mystical entity, he isn’t healing as quickly; he is finding it harder to get out of the ground, and the franchise barely supports his day job at the Real to Reel video rental store.
Enter his adopted daughter Abigail, who wants to take over, but with Roger stuck in the idea the killer has to be male, the teens who get killed have to be a certain type, he doesn’t see it for her. But, to prove herself, Abigail goes after a girl named Sam and integrates with the local high school to stalk, choose, and murder, just like her dear old dad.
The only question is, as she gets to know these people, can she go through killing them?
Character Descriptions
Roger
Roger’s story mirrors Jason from the “Friday The 13th” franchise in many ways. He died at a camp, seems immortal, and mostly spends his nights hunting high school kids, especially if they go anywhere near the grounds where he died. But unlike Jason, Roger knows he has to make a living to feed himself, his mom, and Abigail. So, as much as he has the drive to kill, it is also about business, so he tends to keep his distance and, outside of Abigail and a few others, not form personal relationships.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Batman: The Long Halloween.”
Abigal
Since being adopted as a kid, Abigail has been raised under Roger, studying him and only really interacting with the people Roger finds assets, whether as mentees, his dry cleaner, or his mother. But Abigail wants more than to watch her dad and others kill; she sees herself as capable of the same and doesn’t want her father’s old-fashioned ways to get in the way of her making a name for herself with her wolf’s mask on.
Sam
Sam is a drummer, an outcast, and a proud lesbian who is supposed to be one of Abigail’s first targets. However, Sam isn’t the type to just look and scream if someone tries to kill her; she is a fighter. So, with that in mind, Abigail has to be more careful if she wants to take Sam out.
- The actor is also known for their role in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 2/ Episode 6.”
Glenn
Glenn often handles Roger’s dry cleaning or watches his shop when Abigail or another of Roger’s employees can’t. But, while willing to help, what he wants is a part of Roger’s movies. Not as someone who dies, but anything from the person who warns the kids to stay away, an all-knowing janitor, or someone who questions the police about what is happening in the town.
Izzy
Izzy appears to be deaf-mute but still loves the bass of music and often can be seen, even in class, dancing and moving about. It is noted she even got 2nd place in a recent talent show.
Patty
Patty is a nerdy member of Sam’s friend group, who often plays her wind instrument, staying out of trouble and generally staying away from the drugs and parties that Sam attracts and is part of. But, despite being a square, she is Sam’s square, and she doesn’t let anyone mess with Patty.
Billy
Billy is an artist and asset to Sam’s band as their artist, but while Sam adores him, he also annoys the hell out of her since he can’t hold his liquor at all.
Bloody Axe Wound – Film Details
| Film Length | 1 Hour 24 Minutes |
| Release Date | December 26, 2024 |
| Initially Available On/Via | Theatrically |
| Advisory Rating | Rated R |
| Genre(s) | Comedy, Horror, Romance, Young Adult, LGBT+ |
| Distributor | RLJE Films, Shudder |
| Director | Matthew John Lawrence |
| Writer | Matthew John Lawrence |
| Character Name | Actor |
| Roger | Billy Burke |
| Abigail | Sari Arambulo |
| Sam | Molly Brown |
| Glenn | Eddie Leavy |
| Izzy | Angel Theory |
| Patty | Margot Anderson-Song |
| Billy | Taylor Seupel |
- “Bloody Axe Wound” Contains: Cursing, Gore, Blood, Depiction of Corpses, Body Horror, Drinking, Drug Use, Vomiting, Smoking
- Bloody Axe Wound: Official Site Link
Bloody Axe Wound Review
Our Rating (83/100): Positive (Worth Seeing)
When it comes to “Bloody Axe Wound,” it is well crafted in unexpected ways. From characters you fall in love with, no matter how big or small their part is, you get invested in multiple relationships between characters, romantic or otherwise, and a real sense that someone dying could be devastating makes this film worth seeing. Add in comedy that doesn’t make you groan but can make you laugh without taking away from what happens in the film. This could be rated higher if it wasn’t for some lingering questions.
Audience
“Bloody Axe Wound” somehow finds a nearly perfect balance between violent gore, comedy, and characters you’d want to invest in, hero or otherwise; it is for those who want horror films that aren’t just about the next jump scare, visuals, and ambiance. They want characters who feel like they matter, and if or when they die, it means something.
Highlights
You Get Invested In Supporting Characters
At first, you may think when it comes to Izzy, Patty, and Billy, whether they live or die won’t matter, they will just further prove what Roger or Abigail are capable of. However, there is enough personality given to each character to gain an attachment.
Watching Izzy dance and have the type of presence of a cool kid you’d admire in high school makes you hope they’d live. The same goes for Patty, a nerd who often plays their instrument, seems a bit of a square, yet has gotten adopted by Sam and is part of her friend group. Then, with Billy, as weird as he is, you get a sense that he’s like Sam’s brother and his artwork, paired with her music, could change the world.
Now, let it be clear: we don’t get a deep dive into these characters, but the actors who play them give them enough life to not simply be fodder or people to make castings of for brutal deaths. You may want them to stick around.
Sam and Abigail’s Relationship
Let me begin by saying that Molly Brown gives modern lesbian era Kristen Stewart, minus the social awkwardness. Her performance as Sam, the drummer of “The Queef Queens,” the girl with a punk look who is a softy, was unexpected, but it will become beloved. Especially when it comes to her and Abigail’s relationship; for while it is awkward at first since Sam is a target, there is a butterfly-inducing setup to their relationship.
What perhaps may sell them is when they are on the bleachers, listening to a cassette mix Sam made, and you see both slowly and subtly move closer. Sam goes to touch Abigail’s leg with her pinky, and with that, you’ll find yourself hoping Abigail betrays her dad to protect Sam’s life or Sam lives up to her badass persona and kills Roger herself.
Glenn
Glenn, who works at the dry cleaners and often finds himself cleaning Roger’s clothes, post-murdering spree, is hilarious. Because he wants to become a character in Roger’s movies, he has all these ideas and corny disguises, and he shows he is ready and can even cry if he needs to. But, while not on the level of being an absolute scene stealer, he deserves his own heading for Eddie Leavy’s performance deserves individual praise.
It Might Be Jason-Esque, But Roger Establishes Himself As An Individual
It could be submitted that Roger is basically Jason if Jason’s cognitive abilities weren’t strictly focused on killing. Heck, Roger’s backstory even involves being bullied at a camp. However, I’d partly contribute this to Abigail, seeing he has a human side.
Also, while not at the level of Glenn, there is a comedic side too which, again, Abigail often brings out of him for while he isn’t like a sitcom dad, with a serial killer twist, there is this sense he wants his little girl to know what he does but not necessarily follow in his footsteps. After all, Roger is some form of immortal while Abigail isn’t, and he has died many times due to being compelled to kill.
So, in his own twisted way, he worries and cares about his kid.
On The Fence
How Abigail Ended Up In Roger’s Care Isn’t Elaborated On
Certain things in “Bloody Axe Wound” aren’t elaborated on, and you can forgive that. How are marks chosen? You get a sense but can write it off as an unimportant detail. Is someone filming what Roger is doing and Abigail, or is the movie franchise keeping Roger’s shop going all adaptations from news stories? Again, it’s worth asking, but you can let it go.
One thing I struggled to let go of, though, was how Roger ended up with Abigail. From what it seems, Roger focuses almost exclusively on teens and doesn’t kill adults. So, the idea he maybe killed Abigail’s parents, took pity on her, and kept her isn’t there. So, what led a man who kills for a living to adopt a girl, who was maybe elementary or early middle school aged when he met her, is beyond me, and while they give you Roger’s backstory, strangely, you only get a few pictures of when Abigail was a kid, and seeing her first knife, when it comes to her past.
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