“Bloody Hell” Movie Review

 

“Bloody Hell”

 

Movie Review

 

Bloody Hell is an Australian horror comedy film written and directed by Alister Grierson. It tells the story of a man with a mysterious past who flees his homeland to escape his personal hell, only to unknowingly encounter something even more sinister and hellish. Ben O'Toole, Caroline Craig, and Mathew Sunderland star in the film.

Rex, a veteran, and resident of Boise, Idaho, visit a bank to see a teller named Maddy, whom he has a crush on. A group of armed robbers storm the bank while the two are flirting; Rex orders Maddy to flee and prepares to hand over his wallet. Another customer's open purse reveals a firearm, which Rex considers using to gain control of the situation.

Rex was able to successfully secure the bank by dispatching the armed robbers one at a time, according to flashback sequences. Unfortunately, an innocent bystander was killed as a result of Rex's sadistic subconscious, whom he subjectively sees as a separate physical entity, maiming a surrendering robber. The reaction to Rex's actions has been mixed, with some seeing him as a heroic vigilante and others seeing him as a psychopathic murderer. Before his trial, Rex consults with his attorney about taking a plea deal and serving 8 years in prison or proving his innocence and serving 20 to life if convicted. Rex accepts the plea bargain and is sentenced to 8 years in prison.

 

Following his release, the media harasses Rex as he enjoys some minor liberties such as grocery shopping and eating a burger. He then returns to the bar where he used to work and speaks with another bartender. They joke around, and Rex explains that he has made a "calculated decision" to travel to Finland.

Rex is being adorned at the airport by an obnoxious fan who compares him to John Wick. An elderly Finnish couple who mentions something in Finnish about capturing him also stares at him uncomfortably. Another Finnish passenger tries to warn him, but Rex dismisses him. He boards his flight, remarking sarcastically on his good fortune as he notices the airport code for Boise to Helsinki, Finland is Boy to Hell. He quickly enters a taxi upon landing, but sleeping gas fills the back seat during the journey. Rex awakens in a torture chamber, one of his legs amputated at the knee and his hands bound to the ceiling.

 

He uses his subconscious to gather as much information about his situation as possible. The two quickly realize that Rex is being held captive by a family because there are various toys around the room, but Rex is unable to break free. Rex is discovered in the basement of a large family estate in rural Finland.

 

A young family member is wandering around the house and enters the basement, where he discovers Rex being held, hostage. Rex's subconscious tells him that he can use the boy, "Olaf," as an insurance policy to get away from the family. Rex draws Olaf in closer, incapacitates him quickly, and traps him between his legs. Olaf's older sister Alia then goes in search of him. Rex bargains with Alia for his release in exchange for not killing Olaf, but his subconscious snaps and he loses his grip on Olaf. Alia is able to escape upstairs with a wounded Olaf. To protect Rex, she claims he "fell out of bed," and the family drives the unconscious Olaf to the hospital. She then fantasizes about being married to Rex and returns downstairs to clean and dress his wound, professing her love for him.

Alia describes her family as cannibals who will eat Rex piece by piece. In order to find a substitute for human flesh, the family resorted to kidnapping and butchering American tourists for Pati. Alia is an outcast among her family, particularly her mother, due to her nonviolent tendencies, and she has attempted, but failed, to flee. She is being trained to be Pati's new handler/feeder as punishment. Alia refuses to assist Rex in his escape because she is confident that Rex will not be able to stop her family. Alia leaves Rex with a small knife to cut his ropes after they bond over their traumatic pasts.

 

Alia's mother's suspicions that she lied about Olaf's "fall" are confirmed by the doctor. The family rushes back home. Rex is unable to free himself and is injected with drugs by the family's father, losing consciousness. While unconscious, a flashback is shown that recounts the events of the bank robbery. Rex releases the hostages, taunts a dying robber, and mercilessly shoots another in the groin, causing him to collapse and fire into a hiding woman. The robber he shot was holding Maddy hostage, whom Rex saved by claiming he didn't value her life. A censored version of the bank's security footage has been released on YouTube, with many people watching and supporting Rex. During his trial, Rex expresses no regret for his actions, claiming that the robbers were violent and that he didn't want the one he spared from reproducing. In another flashback, Maddy visits Rex in prison and asks to be left alone so she can recover from her trauma. Rex is then shown conversing with his prison cellmate, who explains that he cannot outrun his problems and must accept fate. When deciding where to live, Rex is shown shooting three spitwads at the map, each of which lands in Finland.

Rex awakens to find Uncle Arto sawing off his remaining leg; however, Rex is able to unsheathe Alia's knife and stab Uncle in the head, killing him before the operation is finished. Rex is then able to free himself and begins searching the basement for objects that he can improvise into weapons, discovering a flare gun, a large knife, and various other items. Rex realizes it's the morning after stumbling up the stairs with a golf club as a makeshift prosthetic leg. Before fleeing, he and his subconscious debate whether or not to save Alia, with Rex appearing hesitant to help another woman after the last time it ended tragically. During his unconsciousness, his two brothers had gone to bed, Alia had been imprisoned, and his parents had left again.

When the parents return home, they realize Rex has escaped and discuss fleeing if the authorities arrive, with the father claiming Rex will most likely die from his wounds or wild animals before they arrive. The father and one of the brothers mysteriously die while debating a course of action, with small wounds erupting through their chests; Rex is shown beneath the table with a nail gun. A fight breaks out, with Alia strangling her mother and Rex stabbing the second brother in the chest and killing him. Because of the chaos, Pati is drawn out of hiding and revealed to be a grotesque giant. Rex fires the flare gun at Pati, but it just bounces off of him. During his battle with Pati, Rex discovers his severed lower leg in the family refrigerator, complete with the jagged leg bone. Rex is able to jam the foot and sharp bone into Pati's throat, killing him, while being grappled by him. Alia assures them that they are now safe, and the two share a tender moment as she drives them away. Rex is praised by his subconscious, who eventually realizes he is no longer required and vanishes. Alia and Rex talk about recovering Olaf from the hospital and are later shown as a couple back in the United States, with Rex explaining how they met his friends at a party. When a woman at the party places her hand on Rex's arm, Alia imagines herself killing the woman with a meat cleaver. Everyone in the room looks at Rex in shock when he says he killed Alia's entire family, except for one man who smiles and gives him a thumbs up. Rex, perplexed by the tension, asks, "what?" Olaf is later shown with a picture of his former family, explaining that an "American banquet" may be in order. When the family portrait is examined, it is clear that the older brothers were triplets, not twins.

WATCH THE REVIEW VIDEO FOR MORE...