Genre : Horror
Rating : R
Director: Henry Jacobson
Cast:
Seann William Scott
Dale Dickey
Mariella Garriga

For any movie buff there are some actors and creators you just root for. They may not be the biggest star or well-known diretors but there’s just something about them that makes you a fan. Sometimes it’s an actor beloved by everyone like national treasure Tom Hanks. Other times a late career renaissance grabs your attention like 2019’s love affair with Keanu Reeves. For me, it’s Seann William Scott.

With American Pie coming out at the perfect time for me (aka middle school) a string of fun supporting roles and great character work have kept him on my radar long after most of his contemporaries fell off. He’d show he could be more than Stifler in comedies such as Role Models, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Goon. The one thing he never did was take on more serious roles. The closest to playing against type was Southland Tales and even that movie is hilarious in its own, unintentional way. But with the troubled Lethal Weapon series now behind him Scott looks to re-establish himself with his first truly serious roles in Blumhouse’s latest thriller, Bloodline.

Evan Cole (Seann William Scott) seems like a normal high school guidance counselor. Quickly becoming a beloved school fixture he is even lovingly nicknamed Mr. C by promising yet troubled student Chris (Raymond Alexander Cham Jr). Things are just as good at home with his wife Lauren (Mariela Garriga) just about to give birth to their first child, Andrew. What should be a joyous quickly spirals downward.

Struggling to breastfeed Andrew, Lauren struggles with deep post-partum depression. Adding the chaos, Evan’s mother Marie (a delightfully devious Dale Dickey) moves in insisting she help raise the newborn. The sleepless nights taking their toll and even effecting his day job. Flooded with memories of bloodshed and his own troubled childhood, Evan is more determined than ever to protect his son.

The first film for director Henry Jacobson, Bloodline is a very deliberate film. With few characters the focus stays on Evan for the most part. Goings great lengths to not only show him as a killer but also as the traditional father figure he struggles to be. The problem is that’s all there is for the most part. A small cast and familiar plot devices make its 90 minutes sluggish. Thankfully any time it does slow down brutal stabbing will bring you back in. Beautifully brought to life by cinematographer Isaac Bauman, Bloodline‘s deep blues and reds are reminiscent of Argento’s best. Never overindulgent in its kills perfect sound design compliment simple yet vicious kills.

As gorgeous as the movie is that still leaves the big question, how is Seann William Scott? If I’m being honest the results are a bit mixed. On the plus side, I found him quite convincing during the killer scenes. He projected a quiet menace we haven’t seen from Scott before. Asking his victims what he asked his students taking on a mocking tone as the tension builds. Oddly enough it’s the more human moments I found less convincing. If anything Evan seems more sane when is killing than when he is suppressing his rage. Seann William Scott gives a good performance I’m just not sure it’s for this specific character.

Despite faltering a bit in its third act Bloodline remains an interesting, if frustrating, watch. A bit of a sparse film Seann William Scott does an admirable job grappling with fatherhood in his own blood soaked way. Gorgeously gruesome visually an overall lack of substance makes a familiar story screech to a halt.

Rating 6/10
Links : IMDB

Bloodline is Theaters, On Demand and Digital now.