Ties that Bind

Following in the footsteps of movies like the Taken franchise, Mel Gibson’s most recent film (I am sure some of you are surprised to hear that he has a new flick) is a formulaic, yet entertaining action thriller that hits the right spot.

Titled Blood Father, the motion picture is directed by Jean-François Richet (who made the underrated remake of Assault on Precinct 13 and the sadly overlooked Mesrine movies) and starts with a young woman buying an abundance of ammunition at a superstore – enough that we know that she is up to no good. Her name is Lydia (Erin Moriarty) and she soon joins a gang of thuggish looking men in the car, with her being attached to their slimy leader Jonah (Diego Luna). A player in the cartel, he has a number of stash houses being run by ordinary looking people – one of which has stolen from him. In too deep, Lydia is forced to tag along, as she has also gypped them, though she denies it. After an egregious mistake, the girl flees, luckily escaping the group’s long, hard grasp.

We then flip to a worn man, with his face craggy like the moon’s surface, his hair and beard wild and graying. Speaking to a support group, the man (who spent seven years in prison and is now out on parole) has been alcohol free for two years. His name is John Link (Mel Gibson). Having a supportive sponsor with a sense of humour named Kirby (William H. Macy), the former convict has finally found himself walking the difficult tightrope towards living a clean and honest life after many long hard years. With too many detestable flaws and past mistakes to list, his biggest regret is his missing daughter Lydia.

Working as a tattoo artist in a dishevelled desert trailer park community, he soon receives a call late one night from his long since vanished child. Picking her up and returning her to his humble abode, the man, who is wise in the ways of crime and punishment, soon realizes that the young woman is in too deep (though she will not reveal what she did or who she is associated with). Receiving three tattooed and very unwanted guests well after dusk, it is clear that they have tracked the hopped up girl to her father’s place of residence. Defending her with all of his might, it is his buddy Kirby and those others living in the community that finally help rescue them from their shady assailants.

Realizing that the safest place is out on the road, the unorthodox father/daughter team take off in his junker of a car. Soon, the police have linked the twosome to the crime Lydia is embroiled in, placing them in an even more dire situation. Attempting to evade the coppers, Jonah’s crew and a scary sicario hitman (Raoul Max Turjillo – who funnily enough also has a part in the film Sicario) sent by the cartel, Link is running out of time and open road. Turning to one of his last friends (who supposedly owes the man big time), a former Vietnam vet who leads a motorcycle gang, Preacher (Michael Parks) and his wife Cherise (Dale Dickey) take them in. In a worried state, Link also reaches out to an unlikely source, his prison-mate Arturo (Miguel Sandoval), who is still on the inside, to discover what he can get on the tatted thugs following them. Will Link be able to obtain aid from his friends and save his daughter from the ever-flowing onslaught, or will he fail his daughter once again?

Another solid film from Mel Gibson’s post-ostracization, it is nearly unfathomable that the former A-list star has been able to find quality material to star in (yet he has). Following up the highly underrated Get the Gringo and the also enjoyable Edge of Darkness (as well as lesser films like Machete Kills and The Expendables 3 that display the man’s skill at acting – he’s clearly having fun with these two), with Blood Father, the actor has once again made a quality action picture here. With the hype he is receiving for his next directorial effort, the soon to be released Hacksaw Ridge, this may be the second coming of Gibson – that is, if people are willing to give him another chance. To return to this film, Mel is, as always, spot on with his performance (feeling like he is once again on the top of his game). Playing an edgy character with a pained past and a slight undercurrent of racism, the man is able to bring emotion and realism to a character that feels somewhat similar to the man’s own life (and recent faux pas). His aging looks, clearly no botox here, fits perfectly in this B-style movie. He has transformed into a quality character actor that continues to bring much desired oomph to his roles.

Gibson has solid chemistry with his equally wayward daughter, played by Moriarty. The pair quarrel, fight, misunderstand each other, and nearly implode here and there, yet there is clearly a powerful bond despite all of their past mistakes. This adds more heart to the picture compared to something like Taken, where father/daughter spend so little time together onscreen. I must also quickly mention Macy, who once again shines in a small part – the only regret may be that there is not a bit more of him in the script.

My only complaint is that Blood Father feels a slight bit rushed – and at a shoot `em up one hour, twenty eight minutes, a little more time could have added some extra heft to the piece. Despite that, this is a serviceable action flick with its fair share of guns, gloom, guts and a surprising amount of sentiment. As a final comment, keep an eye open for the movie Lydia watches while in the movie theatre – it is somehow related to director Richet. So, hit the road with this unlikely duo to fill your action needs, plus, you’ll get a shot of emotional heft too.