DVD Review - Autumn Blood

Autumn Blood
Director: Markus Blunder
Starring: Sophie Lowe, Peter Stormare, Gustaf Skarsgard
Studio: ARC Entertainment
Release Date: October 21, 2014
Retail: $20.99
ASIN: B00M1CFU8C
Running Time: 100 minutes
Rating: R
Buy Link: Amazon 

Review:

Arriving on DVD from ARC Entertainment is the thriller Autumn Blood from director Markus Blunder. The movie made its round at the film festivals last year, winning Best Narrative Feature from the San, Diego International Film Festival and the Hollywood Film Festival and winning Best Cinematography from the Irvine International Film Festival. There are no special features or extras on the DVD.

Set in the Austrian mountains, the film centers on a nameless 16-year-old girl (played Sophie Lowe) and her 10-year-old brother (played by Maximilian Harnisch), who are living on a farm outside of a small lawless town with their mother. Their father was murdered in front of them several years ago and the family have now shut themselves off from the outside world.

After their mother suddently becomes ill and dies, it is up to the Girl to take care of the Boy. She tells none of the townsfolk of her mother's passing and tries to live their lives the way they always did. The Girl even goes into town to pay her mother's bills, which the townfolks finds peculiar. The mayor's son, the Hunter (played by Samuel Vauramo) and his pals, the Butcher (played by Gustaf Skarsgard) and the Friend (played by Tim Morten Uhlenbrock), suspect something is foul and drive up to the Girls' farmhouse, where they rape her.

Fearing that the Girl or the Boy will tell someone, the Butcher and his pals return to the farmhouse with guns in the attempt to silence them forever. The Boy drags the Girl away from their home and into the mountains, a place they are familiar with. There they try to out run the the Hunter, the Butcher and the Friend, but they soon realizes that they must fight back.


This definitely isn't your typical mainstream movie. I went into watching this film thinking it was an action-flick instead of an thriller. Sofia Lowe isn't exactly a big name, but she was the only reason why I wanted to review the film in the first place as I liked her performance on the short-lived Once Upon A Time In Wonderland. She gives a great performance in this movie, though she doesn't have very many lines. Actually, I think there may have been fifteen or twenty lines in the whole film. The great cinematography and scenery makes up for the lack of dialogue. Overall, Autumn Blood is an intense thriller from start to finish.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.