Existing on the exact opposite end of this spectrum are the two cops. In so many horror films, the police often disbelieve that there is a killer, or seem to not take the threat seriously- thus being bad at their jobs. Even if the cops do take it seriously, they are often so incompetent at their jobs as to make easy pickings for any ol’ killer. These two Italian cops, Antonio and Laura, are a breath of fresh air. They make intelligent decisions based on the evidence they have and the circumstances they find themselves in. They are quite proactive in their investigation and behave in a reasonable and professional manner at all times.
“… opens up his camera to more dynamic movements and hallucinatory angles.”
These two make the rather generic first hour more engaging than it would be otherwise be acting like rational human beings. It certainly helps that Palombi and Diakovska are fantastic as the police officers. Their chemistry is strong, and they command the audience’s attention. Once the plotlines merge, the viewer knows things the cops do not and things the creature and Vittorio do not. This means that the audience will be on the edge of their seats to see how they interact with each other in such a dire and deadly situation.
It is here that Ranzani, marking his feature-length debut, breaks out of his slavish devotion to the works of Argento and Fulci and turns Blood Bags into a mold-breaking entry into the Giallo subgenre. The final 30-minutes of this film are a frightful and intense experience that makes the humdrum set up and dull student characters all worth it. It certainly helps that this is when Ranzani opens up his camera to more dynamic movements and hallucinatory angles. He happily goes all-in on the film’s set up (the creature suffers from Gunter’s disease) and goes for a gonzo ending. This ending will not satisfy all viewers, but if you are a fan of Murder To The Tune Of The Seven Black Notes, you will love this.
The first hour of Blood Bags is perfectly fine though a bit same-y. Though it does hold your interest, thanks to how intelligent the police officers are. Then the last 20-minutes, or so, hit and the film becomes terrific. Emiliano Ranzani’s first feature-length film is not flawless, but he proves a talent to watch.
"…these two Italian cops, Antonio and Laura, are a breath of fresh air."
