In Blood Vessel, six people, fleeing town, come together on a ship going abroad, unaware of the dangers that will be coming their way. The movie is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
The people of Nembe, especially the youth, are fighting Axis Oil Company for ruining their environment by polluting lands and poisoning waters. In this fight, Boma and Degbe accidentally kill a soldier and find themselves on the run.
Meanwhile, a couple, Oyin and Abbey, are running away from Oyin’s father, who won’t approve of their marriage, and brothers Olotu and Tekena are leaving for abroad.
Fate brings all six of these together. They hide on a ship that is leaving Nembe after paying a sailor on board. The group doesn’t know who owns the ship or the threat he poses.
When their sailor friend is asked to go home and they are left alone, hunger and fever bring them out of their hiding and make them stand face-to-face with the danger that awaits.
Performances
David Ezekiel, as Abbey, highlights his character’s clever survival instincts to the best. He always carries this confidence, which further supports the fact that Abbey is very smart and reliable.
Other than Ezekiel, the rest of the cast also plays an important role in making the film terrifying. The narration of the stories of the past by Adaobi Dibor, who plays Oyin, is moving, while Sylvester Ekanem, as Tekena, and Obinna Okenwa, as Olotu, display good chemistry as brothers.
Unfortunately, Alex Cyr Budin fails to be an intimidating antagonist. It’s the situation he puts the lead characters in that evokes more fear than him.
Positives
Blood Vessel creates a tense environment right from the beginning in Nemba with the battle between the people of Nemba and the Axis Oil Company. That tense environment escalates once the lead characters find themselves on the ship.
The film tells stories that generate curiosity about each of the lead characters. The drama that unfolds in the lives of Oyin and Abbey, where Tekena and Olotu are headed, and whether Boma and Degbe will become a problem keeps one wondering.
The folk stories and history lessons are blended beautifully with the film to create a horror movie atmosphere. Once obstacles start showing up, the film tends to kill every hope there is for the characters, to the point where the viewer gives up on their survival and waits for a possible devastating end.
Blood Vessel ends as a saddening film that suggests that in situations like this, not everyone can survive. The film leans into being more real and doesn’t rely on miraculous saves at all.
Negatives
Blood Vessel doesn’t provide convincing conversations at times. There are abrupt exchanges between characters. Especially the supporting cast members sometimes don’t pour their hearts out. Their conversations are quick and lack the right energy and emotion.
Verdict
Blood Vessel kicks off as a captivating thriller with a spine-chilling story. Over time, it turns into a saddening drama that chokes out any remaining hope that the characters or viewers have.
Blood Vessel
Director: Moses Inwang
Date Created: 2023-12-08 13:30
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Also Read: Blood Vessel summary and ending explained