By Emilio Frenk
Director: Jean-François Richet
Cast: Mel Gibson, Erin Moriarty, Diego Luna, Miguel Sandoval, Michael Parks and William H. Macy.
Rating: Good.
Mel Gibson is back with“Blood Father” and I think it`s a great action thriller film.
Based on the novel of the same name by Peter Craig, the movie tells the story of John Link (Mel Gibson) an ex convict under parole who designs tatoos for a living receives an unexpected call from her missing and estranged daughter Lydia (Erin Moriarty) who asks for his father’s help since she is on the run from the drug cartel who already put a prize in her head.
Now Link will do anything to protect his daughter even if it means to violate his parole and take the law into his own hands.
What I liked of “Blood Father” was the direction by Richet who was really smart on the way of how the characters were introduced and the script also written by Peter Craig who I mentioned previously that he wrote the novel did work at all levels.
Other elements that I loved of the movie was the fact that the characters Link and Lydia during the course of the film have more and more progressive complications and you need this elements like this for your characters to have an interesting product.
The obstacles that the movies presents work in all levels and another actor who I consider with Gael García Bernal one of the finest mexican actors is the portrayal Diego Luna’s character Jonah, Lydia’s boyfriend and the lider of the drug cartel.
He really gives a fantastic performance and knows how to portray a very good villain and I think this has been one of his most challenging roles since it’s the first time we see him portray a villain of this magnitude.
The score and perfomances of all the cast of the film were real and authentic since a father in real life will do anything to protect their own blood, no matter what the circumstances are.
This is the Mel Gibson who I do like to see on the screen. He has the edge and the intensity that he brings of his character of John Link and reminded me of some roles he did like Max on “Mad Max” and Martin Riggs on “Lethal Weapon” which made Gibson’s career and an iconic figure. Both movies are considered the best action movies of all time.
This is a very fine action movie that also combines two genres which are drama and thirller.
I love the fact that is also a film that manages the theme of redemption and second chances and does deliver the goods and brings tensions to another level.
I recommend “Blood Father” for it’s direction, brilliant performances and I am very happy that Mel Gibson is back on track and I hope he does well with "Hacksaw Ridge", which will be his fifth movie behind the camera and will be released on November.