Directed by first-timer Lawrence Jacomelli and written by Jacomelli, George Kelly, and Victoria Hinks Taylor, Blood Star follows Bobbi (Britni Camacho) as she drives down a lonely desert road. The nursing student is heading back home, to her significant other, Rhett (Jonny Denero), much to the chagrin of her sister, Anna (Emily Pineda). See, Bobbi fled after Rhett hit her simply for talking to another man, though the young adult excuses this because he was drunk,
But Bobbi ends up with much bigger problems than her relationship. She stops for gas in a small, nothing town ruled over by an overbearing sheriff named Bilstein (John Schwab). It is not just that the sheriff doesn’t like strangers; Bilstein shoots out Bobbi’s brake light and tire and begins hunting her throughout the desert. Why is he doing this? Can Bobbi get to a safe place when there’s nothing around?
Blood Star is a taut and tense ride, but it has one issue. Bobbi returns to the gas station after the sheriff’s initial attempt to extort her. The attendant, who seems aloof at first, warns her about Bilstein’s dubious track record of messing with strangers. The attendant also informs her that he is the only lawman from her to the border. Why then does Bobbi pull over after the sheriff’s car starts flashing its lights at her? It is a decision that just makes the lead seem stupid, which is odd because she’s decently cunning and intelligent throughout the 90-minute runtime aside from here. It also serves little purpose, as Bobbi could wind up at the diner after the first encounter, and nothing would change story-wise.
“…Bilstein shoots out Bobbi’s brake light and tire and begins hunting her…”
With that being said, Jacomelli knows exactly how to stage a scene to be thrilling. A moment with a sniper rifle and a car intercut together builds tension in just the right way. The scene wherein a trucker stops to help hits some unexpected places. In fact, the plot never takes the easy way out. The gas station attendant could’ve been in on it with the sheriff and isn’t. A lovely scene between newfound friend Amy (Sydney Brumfield) and Bobbi has a shocking conclusion. At every point, the screenwriters find ways to surprise the audience in the best possible way.
It certainly helps that Camacho is great. She’s scared yet tough, resilient yet vulnerable, angry yet easy to like. Schwab is terrifying and creepy throughout. All watching will believe he’s a truly disturbed and unhinged man who just likes toying with his potential victims. The two play off each other well and sell the increasing dangers of the situation perfectly.
Blood Star has one odd scene that absolutely pulls audiences out of the film. But everything else is top-tier stuff. The acting, the direction, the characters (including minor roles), and evermore tense scenarios are all executed to be fully immersive and engaging. For a debut film, Jacomelli proves he is a talent to watch.
For more information about Blood Star, visit the Beast Films site.
"…Jacomelli knows exactly how to stage a scene to be thrilling."
Hi Bobby,
Thanks so much for taking the time to watch the film and for writing such a positive review. Blood Star was made fast and lean — shot in just 10 days on a micro-budget, driven by sheer commitment and a lot of belief from the people involved. We hope that urgency, raw energy, and desire to get it done are felt on screen, and that audiences enjoy the ride as much as we did making it.
I just wanted to respond to your question about Bobbi’s decision to return to the gas station, and then to pull over when the sheriff pursues her a second time. Our thinking was this:
“Bobbi’s decision isn’t about intelligence; it’s about coercion, fear and control.
She returns to the gas station because the sheriff explicitly orders her to — to retrieve the bribe money he’s demanding. In that moment, Bobbi is still attempting to survive by obeying authority, and the film is deliberately showing the power imbalance: the sheriff pulling the strings, Bobbi trying to placate him.
At the gas station, her situation worsens. The cash machine is broken, removing her ability to comply, and then her credit card is blocked by her controlling boyfriend — another authority figure exerting control over her life. What began as a bad situation becomes inescapable. At that point, she has no option but to leave, abandoning her phone and hoping she can slip past the sheriff without being noticed.
But the sheriff is already ahead of her. He knows there is only one stretch of road and that she must eventually drive past him, with or without the money. When his lights start flashing, Bobbi pulls over not because it’s a smart tactical move, but because she is a woman alone in the desert being ordered to stop by an armed sheriff in a police vehicle. There is no realistic hope of escape at that point. All she can do is submit.
That submission leads directly to one of the film’s most important moments: the pat-down and search. It’s simple, but for us deeply poignant — the final confirmation that Bobbi has lost any illusion of autonomy. Whether she complies or resists, the sheriff dictates the terms.
Could Bobbi have simply not gone to the gas station? No — she’s on a single stretch of road, and the sheriff sends her back there. She doesn’t have meaningful agency in the matter. The scene isn’t a lapse in logic; it’s the point where Bobbi (and the audience) understands that intelligence offers no protection in a system rigged against her.”
Really appreciate you engaging with the film so thoughtfully — conversations like this are exactly why we make films. Blood Star is meant to be seen and talked about, and we’re excited to watch it continue to build word-of-mouth and find the audience that thrives on this kind of ride.
Best,
Lawrence Jacomelli – writer, producer & director “Blood Star”