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Bloodshot, which is based on a Valiant comic book of the same name, centers around Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel). Garrison is a deceased soldier whose body is donated to—or stolen for the purposes of—science. He is then augmented—infused with nanite technology that can heal him of injuries and empower him beyond natural limits.
Dr. Emil Harding (Guy Pearce), who saved him and equipped him with this hardware, is using Garrison, or Bloodshot, as an ends to a means. And as the trailer alludes to a little too heavily, Harding may not be all that trustworthy.
The conceit, though not entirely unique, is a fun one. Garrison is a weapon, and the best parts of the movie are when we get to see that weapon being deployed. And similar to most Diesel vehicles, Bloodshot is also a platform for his unique, gravelly, and brooding onscreen presence.
Bloodshot never attempts to reinvent the wheel. In a crowded landscape of superheroes, that could be construed as a negative. Yet it does give us a hefty amount of its titular character kicking ass and taking names; it does so through innovative action set pieces that provide more than enough bang for the buck.
Unfortunately, its premiere was a dud; and like the fate of many other films over the course of the next few months, it was a victim of a circumstance beyond its control. The COVID-19 pandemic limited its theatrical run to just that opening weekend and a couple days thereafter. Though it wasn't tracking well to begin with and grossed just over $29 million worldwide in that frame, its still a bummer for all of those involved. Soft opening or not, a film's main source of revenue comes from its theatrical receipts.
With a budget somewhere in the $40-45 million range, it's not out of the realm of possibility that this movie could've broken even at some point, maybe even earning it a sequel. Its proceeds are only one casualty of its box office stumbles. Any aspirations there may have been for a small scale Valiant universe of films are probably terminated, as well. If one of their most popular characters can't generate interest, why would others?
In any event, at least we got this one; and it is big, brash, dumb fun. So sit back, fill a frosted mug with a Brew Free or Die Blood Orange IPA from 21st Amendment Brewery, and reminisce about some fond memories—preferably ones that don't incite your thirst for revenge! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, and Chumpzilla are getting some much needed upgrades to take down smarmy Guy Pearce's cabal of augmented super soldiers!
This Week’s Segments:
- Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Does Bloodshot ever amount to more than an also-ran entry into the packed field of superhero cinema? (00:00)
- Name that Vin Diesel Character – Based on the descriptions I provide, Capt. Cash and Chumpzilla attempt to identify different characters from Vin Diesel's filmography. ()
- Recommendations – The lockdown continues, so find a local organization to contribute to if you can, and then enjoy our recommendations. Next up, we continue our series of quarantine specials (i.e. films that were released early on-demand because of the ongoing crisis) with Birds of Prey! ()
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter or Facebook to check out all the interesting factoids—the niche comic book characters we'd like brought to the big screen and more—from this week’s episode!
You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, and Spotify!
