Sony Pictures
In 2017, I met Jason David Frank, who is most known for playing the Green and White Ranger in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series, at the Emerald City Comic Con. He was promoting his upcoming web series Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe where he would be playing the character Bloodshot. When Sony Pictures announced they would be creating a Valiant comic universe with Bloodshot starting the universe, I was hoping that Jason David Frank, who has longed campaigned for the character, would get the chance to star as him on the big screen. The studio went with a much bigger name, Vin Diesel, to star as Bloodshot.
Vin Diesel plays marine Ray Garrison, a man who is murdered along with his wife. A team of scientists resurrect him with enhanced nanotechnology and he becomes a superhuman killing machine. As Ray starts to train with other super-soldiers, he begins to recall his former life and how he ended up where he is now.
have read a few comics based on Bloodshot after Jason David Frank signed a few copies for me. I was mostly excited to see the character on the big screen since he poses a unique skill set. He is one of the more popular characters for Valiant Comics and was a great first pick to start off the universe. Bloodshot at times feels like a generic comic book movie but is still an entertaining one. This an origin story for Ray Garrison and the film presents the moments where Ray discovers his powers for the first time in a cinematic way. Origin stories must take their time building up the character as well as progressing their abilities in a way that seems realistic. Enough development is given to Ray to make him feel like a human character, not just a scientific experiment.
Sony Pictures
Bloodshot offers a mixture of different action styles. Some are entertaining and some are repetitive. One of the more memorable styles is a slow-motion style which shows the technology in his body healing his wounds. While I think they were interesting at first, it ended up being a bit repetitive throughout the film. There were a few times where I was enjoying Bloodshot seeking revenge on his wife’s death and the scene slowed down and I lost interest in the action.
Not many people promote a film like Vin Diesel does. Any role that Vin Diesel takes, you are guaranteed a performance where he gives his all. From his Fast and Furious movies to this, I have always appreciated the level of professionalism he has shown and the amount of effort he gives. With his role as Bloodshot, he puts a lot of effort into the fighting sequences as well as the emotional moments regarding his wife. When he discovers his powers for the first time, Diesel genuinely feels interested and curious about his powers. This leads to some fun montages with Bloodshot testing out his powers.
I really hope that Valiant Comics and Sony continue to make more films in this universe. The low opening weekend could be a sign that they would not continue it, but I hope the companies have faith in their fans and continue with their plans. Up next would be a couple of Harbinger films along with another Bloodshot film and then a crossover amongst the two. I could easily see some of the Valiant universe movies finding a home on a streaming service, but wherever it lands, I will be there ready to watch it.
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