Bloodshot review: A below-average Vin Diesel vehicle filled with mindless chaos
Vin Diesel hopes to kick off a new franchise as superhero Bloodshot, a special forces operative killed in action only to be reborn as a supersoldier whose fractured memories begin to unveil a conspiracy.
Diesel works best in an ensemble – even his signature Fast and Furious franchise only truly took off once bigger names came on board.
Left to his own devices, the gravelly-voiced action man feels aimless, with much of the plot unfolding without his input. Guy Pearce’s mysterious scientist is on hand to explain what’s happening, leaving Diesel to punch things and look confused.
The film’s slo-mo action sequences feel dated, often bathed in shadow to tone down the violence.
A dire script wastes talents like Toby Kebbell as a disposable villain, while Eiza González cannot seem to muster any chemistry as Vin’s teammate/love interest. Oh, and Lamorne Morris sports the worst English accent you’ll hear all year as tech genius Wilfred Wigans.
Behind all the noise and silly twists, it’s painfully clear that Bloodshot is a below-average action film with a superhero premise awkwardly shoehorned in.
While its mindless chaos may entertain some, this is more of a pretender than an Avenger.