In the wake of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s 2007 cinematic experimental throwback Grindhouse, there was a massive resurgence in homage to the subgenre and exploitation styled film. Many of which were to varying success and accuracy, but the effect it had. The video game franchise House of the Dead even switched to a more camp grindhouse style tone. And while this particular trend has died down in recent years, there’s still the occasional emulation of the grimy and gory exploitation cinema of yore. Watch Them Come Blood follows in those stained footsteps to success!
The film follows a group of friends on a road trip and looking for all manner of mischief to get into. Petty crimes like stealing a birthday cake and amateur vandalism. But after a weird encounter with a creepy pervert, for laughs they decide to chase down the stranger to a bordello of the bizarre. What at first seems to be a side trip into sexual depravity turns into an unending night of violence and horror they will never forget… if they survive.
The plot, much like similar throwbacks such as Pulp Fiction and From Dusk Till Dawn is somewhat difficult to explain without giving any major twists away. So let me say that Watch Them Come Blood is best experienced going in blind for maximum jaw dropping efficiency. All you need to know is the set-up involving the roadtripping misfits and they inevitably get wrapped up in the ultra violent and sexual arcs of several other subsets of characters leading to all manner of terror. What sets Watch Them Come Blood from the imitators that try to recapture the spirit of 1970’s grindhouse cinema with far less success in particular is the heart and the chaos of the story. Much like so many actual exploitation movies in the heyday, Watch Them Come Blood incorporates a lot more genre and plot lines than what you’d expect.
I was fortunate enough to witness the movie play with a full crowd, and it is most definitely best experienced with as many people as possible. An audience to scream, laugh, and jump in shock with as the events unfold and the story gets all kind of weird in a good way. Directed by Mike Cuenca and co-written with Joaquin Dominguez, it’s easy to see the filmmakers have an appreciation for the the types of movies they draw influence from. Considering its independent budget, it’s definitely a labor of love that becomes evident from start to finish. Many of the cast worked on prior films with Mike Cuenca and you can tell that there is a report among everyone in the cast of characters. Cuenca and Dominguez themselves even having roles.
While I don’t want to give away plot details, it does more than definitely deliver on the title. You got stabbings, heads blown up with shotguns, disemboweling, strangulation, and so much more! It’s the kind of movie that you see and also makes you excited for what the filmmakers will do next and with a bigger budget and more resources.
So, if you’re in the market to see something gritty, grimy, and memorable, Watch Them Come Blood!
